Burckhard F. Kommerell and Kommerell's diverticulum

Burckhard Friedrich Kommerell's scholarly description of the aortic diverticulum that bears his name was published in 1936. In the international literature, however the name of Kommerell survives only as an eponym. We present biographical information about Kommerell, as supplied by family members, and comment on the surgical relevance of his 1936 report.