On 16 September 2009, Dietmar Voß will receive the Federal Medal of Merit in recognition of his many years of honorary service as head of corporate history at DEUTZ. Professor Andreas Pinkwart, the Minister of Innovation, Science, Research and Technology for the state of North Rhine Westphalia, will present the award at the DEUTZ technology centre in Cologne-Porz, on behalf of the German President Horst Köhler.
Dietmar Voß has spent 16 years in an unsalaried capacity as head of corporate history at DEUTZ. After working at the company for more than 40 years, the trained machinist and engineering graduate was appointed to the post upon retirement in 1993. Since that time, Dietmar Voß has dedicated himself to the preservation of the world's oldest collection of engines, whose exhibits includes the "no. 1" engine – which is still in working order – made by Nicolaus August Otto in 1867. The DEUTZ technology centre, a private engine museum built to display this historical collection, opened on the company's premises in Cologne-Porz in 2007. Away from his duties at DEUTZ, Dietmar Voß is a member of the Business History Society of Cologne and the Friends of the Nicolaus August Otto Vocational Academy. The award also acknowledges his community work: for many years, Voß has been actively involved in children's aid projects in Rwanda as well as a campaign to highlight the problems of children in German armed forces families.
After 16 years' service as head of corporate history at DEUTZ, Dietmar Voß is now relinquishing the post to his successor Helmut Müller. During his 45 years at DEUTZ, Helmut Müller performed various management roles. Before retiring in April 2009, he was also the spokesman of the Senior Staff Committee and a member of the Supervisory Board.
