My first contact with Professor Paul Wilflingseder was as a trainee in Plastic Surgery. To my great surprise, he was gentle and kind, treating me almost as an equal. This initial experience led me to hold him in great respect, both as a Plastic Surgery teacher, and as a man; we later became friends. One fond memory was of he and his wife coming to my modest home in Glasgow. In no time, Elizabeth, the wife of the famous professor, was holding our new baby with great experience, and the Professor himself was singing a lullaby! The following day, he gave a wonderfully interesting lecture containing many new ideas.
Professor Wilflingseder was the driving influence behind the founding of this Journal, entitled at that time Chirurgia PIastica. I was very honoured to succeed him in 1985 when he was forced to give up the editorship due to other commitments. Paul Wilflingseder's death saddens not only his Austrian colleagues, but plastic surgeons the world over who feel fortunate to have known him, many as an outstanding surgeon, and some as a sincere friend. He will be remembered for his many contributions to the specialty and for the many outstanding plastic surgeons who were trained by him.