Dr Kurt Richebächer

Dr Rchebacher died in 2007 at age 88. He did not live to see his long-running warnings come to be vindicated. Just as he fell ill, events began to cascade into the vicious credit crash that erupted that August.

Dr Kurt Richebacher was well known around the world as an authoritative financial economist and author subscribing to the Austrian School. He had an illustrious career, his public profile spanning six decades. After earning his Doctorate in Economics from the University of Berlin he quickly established himself as one of the most influential voices on economic policy in West Germany. He was appointed Director of Dresdner Bank in 1964. It was on his first transatlantic trip visiting the Fed in 1964 that he met an economist called Paul Volcker. They became good acquaintances and kept in touch well into their later years.

His outspoken and incisive “no holds barred” approach often raised the hackles of government leaders.

Dr Richebacher was quoted around the world, frequently contributing guest articles in prominent publications. His commentary was so Influential – and provocative at times – central bankers on both sides of the Atlantic paid attention to him. When he retired he continued his weighty newsletter Currencies and Credit Markets which became in due course The Richebacher Letter. He wrote this for twenty-five years the last one being in February 2007.