The Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, First Class, is one of the highest decorations issued by the Republic of Austria, awarded for merits in science and art with a special interest for Austria, of exceptional significance and impact and deserving of special public attention.
“It is a special honour for me today to receive this decoration in the company of so many friends and companions.” In his captivating and moving acceptance speech Lois Lammerhuber touched on some milestones of his career and thanked Head of Department, Dr. Michael P. Franz, who presented the cross of honour, as well as the initiators of the decoration, Dr. Peter Seifert, Director of the Geological Survey of Austria, Mag. Thomas Hofmann, Librarian of the Geological Survey of Austria, and Professor Werner E. Piller, whom he has known since their school days; also the two members of the Vienna Philharmonic, Michael Bladerer and Robert Nagy, who provided an elegant musical framework for the ceremony, plus his family and the c. 100 invited guests.
“Lois, who once went out to capture through the lens of the camera his personal take on the world in the heart, the head and in pictures, succeeded over time in creating an artistic synthesis, as in an elegant polymerase chain reaction, from what he had seen, experienced and learned. For some time now he has produced splendid and intelligent books, in cooperation with Silvia, his partner in life and work, from his own reportages and those of renowned colleagues. Lois has turned into a well-known, multi-award winning publisher. Being a publisher means to be daring. Trusting yourself to translate good ideas into action, with ever changing actors and constellations. And to carry in yourself the flame of enthusiasm.” This is how Christiane Breustedt, Chief Editor, GEO International, described the phenomenon of Lois Lammerhuber in her eulogy.
Lois Lammerhuber was born in St. Peter in der Au, Lower Austria, in 1952. After nearly eight years as a programmer in the newly unfolding digital world, he realized his childhood dream and travelled the Pan-American Highway for two years. To document the journey he turned to photography for the first time. In 1984 he started his close collaboration with GEO magazine, which carries on to this day and has significantly shaped his idea of photography. In addition he has been in charge of the Austria section of GEO magazine as editor and photographer since October 1994. His photographs are in demand across the globe, they have been published in hundreds of books and magazines, in more than 3,000 reportages and on numerous title pages. His many international awards include three Graphis Photo Awards for world’s best reportage of the year. In 1996 he and his wife Silvia founded Edition Lammerhuber publishing house, specializing in unusual book projects on themes from art and science. Nearly all his books have won awards. In 2012 Lois Lammerhuber endowed the Lammerhuber Photography Award, a prize to promote young talents in photo-journalism. In 2013 Edition Lammerhuber and the Photographische Gesellschaft Wien jointly created the Alfred Fried Photo Award for the world’s best photograph on the theme of peace. In the same year Edition Lammerhuber collected the title Best Editor at the European Photo Book of the Year Awards by the Federation of European Professional Photographers. Lois Lammerhuber has been a member of the Art Directors Club New York since 1994. He lives and works in Baden bei Wien.
