Abstract
We have lost a dear friend! We were deeply saddened to learn that Professor Eberhard Rabe passed away unexpectedly on 16 May 2026. With his passing, we lose not only an outstanding physician and highly respected scientist, but also an exceptionally kind and approachable colleague who, for decades, helped shape the development and advancement of phlebology in Germany and around the world.
Eberhard Rabe was born in 1953 and grew up in Trier. He studied medicine at RWTH Aachen University from 1977 to 1984, receiving his medical degree in 1984.
During his dermatology residency, he became fascinated by vascular aspects of that field. This led him to join the renowned Department of Dermatological Angiology at University Hospital Essen.
In 1988 he earned his post-doc degree with his thesis entitled “Venous Diseases: A Dermatological Model of Chronic Diseases at the Intersection of Basic Experimental Research and Clinical Functional Diagnostics”, and was granted the venia legendi. Eberhard Rabe joined the Department of Dermatology at University Hospital Bonn in 1988, where he dedicated himself as a professor to training the next generation of physicians in phlebology and to supervising numerous doctoral dissertations from 2002 until his retirement in 2018.
Professor Rabe played a key role in drafting the training regulations for the interdisciplinary board-certified subspecialty of phlebology, which were unique throughout the world at the time and recognized in Germany in 1992.
In 1997, Eberhard Rabe led the German Society of Phlebology (DGP) as president for 15 years, underscoring the high level of trust placed in him. During this time, he represented German phlebology on the international stage and played a key role in bringing together phlebology communities from different countries. Thanks to his international scientific reputation, he was also elected 8th president of the Union Internationale de Phlébologie (UIP) in 2007 and chaired the XVI. UIP World Congress in Monaco in 2009, which was organized jointly by the DGP and the Société Française de Phlébologie.
In recognition of his ongoing commitment to international cooperation among national phlebology societies he was made an honorary member of many national phlebology societies.
He initiated and led the Bonn Vein Study, which is considered a milestone in phlebology and continues to this day to provide vital data on the epidemiology of venous disorders. His scholarly work also includes over 400 publications and numerous textbooks and textbook chapters. In addition to epidemiological research, Eberhard Rabe was deeply committed to the development of compression therapy, sclerotherapy, and endovenous procedures for treating varicose veins.
He played a key role in developing numerous national and international guidelines on topics such as the treatment of varicose veins, superficial and deep vein thrombosis, compression therapy, and sclerotherapy.
Professor Rabe launched the Bonn Vein Days in 1994, an event that has brought together several hundred national and international phlebologists in Bonn year after year.
Even beyond his scientific work, Eberhard Rabe was a highly educated colleague with wide-ranging interests who, during his countless speaking engagements and conferences, was highly regarded as an engaged and open-minded discussion partner.
The global phlebology community mourns the loss of one of its most influential figures.
But beyond losing a doctor and scientist, we have lost a wonderful person, and our hearts go out to his family. Our thoughts are with everyone who loved him and was close to him.