Bavarian Order of Merit for Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Dr. h.c. mult. Ulrich L. Rohde

15th Anniversary of the Watch Group of Prof. Dr. Habil. Ulrich L. Rohde

Munich, July/August 2025 – More than a piece of jewelry, more than a tool, more than a technical device: Since his youth, Prof. Dr. habil. Ulrich L. Rohde has developed a unique relationship with watches, one that reflects the many characteristic properties of chronometers. His respect for craftsmanship, his commitment to high quality, his desire for practicality, and his aesthetic perspective therefore play a central role in the book "Waves & Tides – A Biographical Kaleidoscope," published on the occasion of his 85th birthday. It was recently presented to the public for the first time at a lecture given by Rohde at the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities – in the institution's library, a place where Einstein, Heisenberg, Leibniz, and other outstanding scientists had already introduced the world to their innovative approaches and concepts.

© Bavarian State Chancellery

Also on July 23, Ulrich L. Rohde received the Bavarian Order of Merit from Minister-President Dr. Markus Söder in a private ceremony at the State Chancellery. This award is considered a "sign of grateful recognition for outstanding scientific achievements and services to the Free State of Bavaria and the Bavarian people." With his life's work, Rohde is considered one of Bavaria's outstanding scientific ambassadors around the world. He has rendered outstanding services to the Free State of Bavaria and its reputation as a center of science.

Minister-President Söder paid tribute to Rohde on Platform X: " Award for a universal genius: The Bavarian Order of Merit for Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Dr. hc mult. Ulrich Rohde! This honorary member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences has demonstrated outstanding intelligence on so many levels in science and teaching, in business, and in the promotion of young scientists. His name is a global household name in radio-frequency and microwave technology. He has made a significant contribution to making state-of-the-art communications possible – from space travel to 5G, from defense technology to medical and photographic technology. As the holder of more than 50 patents and a professor at five international universities, Professor Rohde has made an enormous contribution to the technological progress, prosperity, and security of our country! "

Rohde's scientific focus is on radio frequency and microwave technology. His work primarily concerns the theory, mathematical representation, and practical implementation of low-noise, highly linear microwave circuits in electronics. Since 1962, he has published more than 300 peer-reviewed articles, around 150 scientific papers and conference contributions, and six textbooks with John Wiley and Springer Verlag. Just a few weeks ago, Rohde was appointed Visiting Scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 1982, Rohde and his team at RCA proposed a process now known as "Software Defined Radio (SDR – signal processing technology)." This process is now successfully used in all modern radio and communications devices, including all smartphones.

Watches are also an essential part of Ulrich L. Rohde's entrepreneurial work. Manufacturers of high-quality watches have been among the companies owned by the Rohde family for over two decades. The watch group was founded in Munich in 2010 and celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. In 2013, the watch group merged with other watch brands to form the Tempus Arte Group: the watch manufacturer Lang & Heyne from Dresden, Uhren-Werke-Dresden (UWD), STOWA Uhren from Pforzheim, and the "concept watch forge" Munich Watch Design, newly founded to mark the group's 15th anniversary. The company, along with the Tempus Arte Experience Center, has now moved into its new headquarters at the prominent Promenadeplatz 12 in the heart of Munich.

In addition to the natural foundations of entrepreneurial commitment, such as market share and returns, there is another level: providing precise timepieces is one of Rohde's aspirations. The other is enhancing the everyday lives of watch wearers through the craftsmanship of the workshops, especially when it comes to objects that accompany us through our daily lives.

Further information:

• Report on Prof. Rohde's appointment as Visiting Scientist at MIT

• Official announcement of the Bavarian State Chancellery regarding the Bavarian Order of Merit

• Global markets, global technologies, and global students? (July 22-23, 2025)