On 20 September 2017, Peter Dachler, who in 1979 founded the Chair for Organizational Psychology, passed away. After spending his education and early career in the U.S., Peter Dachler questioned the positivistic-experimental dogma of mainstream psychology and instead developed new conceptual, epistemological and methodological approaches in organizational psychology drawing upon relational and feminist psychology. This opened up a unique academic and intellectual workplace in the German-speaking area, which we still cherish today.

Peter Dachler was not only co-founder and first president of the SGAOP (Swiss Association of Work and Organizational Psychology), but he founded and engaged with several international collaborations and networks. He was strongly involved, for instance, with the development and adaptation of relational constructionism in organizational psychology, which allowed him to cultivate alternative conceptions of leadership, gender and work.

We are very grateful for Peter’s friendship and support that we could continuously rely on, both in exciting and in challenging times at our Chair. We recollect many inspiring discussions and thought-provoking conversations, always dotted with laughter and wit.  Peter was a warm and kind-hearted colleague, supervisor and mentor to us, which we will always remember with gratitude.