The Centre for Australian Studies is deeply saddened to hear of the death of Prof. Kay Schaffer, a wonderful colleague and friend and one of the most significant figures in Australian literary and feminist scholarship.
Her works on Australian cultural history, feminism and human rights have had international impact and have influenced the scholarship at the Centre in Cologne immensely. During her DAAD guest professorship in 2010 at the University of Cologne her teaching and scholarship lay the foundation of Australian cultural studies as a major field of interest in the English Department which ultimately led to the establishment of the Centre for Australian Studies in 2017. She was always supportive to younger colleagues and students, we very much enjoyed her company and benefited from her intellect. We are grateful for all her support and feel lucky to have worked closely with her in joint publications, conferences and research projects.
We send our deepest condolences to Kay’s husband Robert, her family and friends. She will be greatly missed.
