Consensus, dissension, and admiration: encounters with Robert Kastenbaum and his work

The article sheds light on the way the author's scientific views and endeavors in the field of dying, death, and bereavement over 40 years in Germany have been influenced by the work of Robert Kastenbaum. Reconstructing the passage of time, the early years (i.e., the second half of the 1970s), a middle period (i.e., the 1980s and 1990s), and the later years (i.e., from the turn of the century to the present) are outlined. In an anecdotic fashion, two personal encounters with R. Kastenbaum are reported. The article concludes with showing\consensus and dissention in various respects and finally recounts the author's admiration for this outstanding scholar.