Prof. Böhme was born in Marbach, Saxony, as the son of a master baker. He studied veterinary medicine at the Freie Universität Berlin, passed the veterinary examination in 1958 and received his doctorate in 1959 on the topic: ‘X-ray anatomical studies on the cat skull”. He then worked as an assistant at the Department of Histology and Embryology of the Freie Universität Berlin, advanced to senior assistant professor and habilitated in 1970 on “Studies on the structure of the marginal and periventricular glia of the brain”. In the same year, he was entrusted with the C3 professorship of histology at the Veterinary Anatomical Institute of Freie Universität, which he held until his retirement on March 31, 2000. In 1972, he taught histology and embryology at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. From 1979 to 1981, he chaired the School of Veterinary Medicine as Dean.

The particularly complex areas of anatomy and histology, namely brain and nervous system, were Prof. Boehme's specialty. As a textbook author, he therefore devoted himself to editing the IV volume “Nervous System, Sensory Organs, Endocrine Glands” of the “Textbook of the Anatomy of Domestic Animals”. For this purpose, he carried out anatomical and histological examinations and collected new detailed information with untiring dedication, expertise and meticulous workmanship.

Prof. Böhme founded the rich fund of light and electron microscopic preparations of the Institute of Veterinary Anatomy. Above all, the preparations on animal histology, selected with exemplary expertise, were and are an invaluable aid to generations of students, and even today they serve as the basis of the Institute's “Virtual Histology Room”.

His research projects involved histological and embryological subjects, especially the spermatogenesis stages in domestic mammals. Prof. Böhme was one of the few recognized experts in the field of electron microscopy and his vast experience in the identification of subcellular structures was highly sought after and recognized in professional circles.

Prof. Böhme brought his profound knowledge and exceptional talent as a university lecturer to the education of his students with the utmost dedication and created clearly structured teaching materials to make complicated things understandable.

He was highly respected and well-liked among the faculty, staff and students alike. Numerous colleagues from all areas of our profession repeatedly mention his great professional competence, his high integrity and his dry sense of humor.

With Prof. Böhme, veterinary medicine loses an excellent histologist and highly esteemed university teacher and colleague who will be forever remembered by many of us.

Our deepest sympathy goes to his family.