In 1970 the newly established University of Warwick opened its department of German studies, and my friend and colleague Steve Lamb, who has died aged 79, was a founding member.
Warwick quickly established its reputation as the pre-eminent department of contemporary German literature in Britain, but the focus of Steve’s academic work was the interactions of culture and politics in the Weimar republic, and, in particular, the career of the political activist and expressionist playwright Ernst Toller. He was one of the team of German scholars who, in 2014, produced the new and definitive critical edition of Toller’s collected works.
Administratively, he was a safe pair of hands, but no picture of Steve as an academic all-rounder would be complete without mentioning – although, typically, he himself seldom did – his prowess as a teacher. In the students’ union’s inaugural Stars of Warwick awards in 2013, he was shortlisted as “Most Inspiring Academic” and voted “Most Supportive Staff Member”.
As his mantra, Steve often quoted a favourite saying of the federal chancellor Helmut Schmidt: “The biggest room in the world is … the room for improvement.”
In 2008, Steve took on a completely new challenge when he was appointed the university’s senior tutor, responsible for the academic and personal welfare of students. While this post had always existed, it had assumed a new importance with the launch in 2005 of the National Student Satisfaction Survey. During his period of office – the seven years that led up his retirement in 2015 – Steve revolutionised student support at Warwick.
He was born in Brierfield, Lancashire, the son of Anne (nee Hargreaves), a shop assistant, and Maurice, a sales representative for a petrol company. After leaving Priory grammar school for boys, Shrewsbury, he studied German at the University of Birmingham, then modern German literature for a master’s degree from the University of Warwick. He joined the staff as a lecturer in 1973, and was promoted to senior lecturer in 1995 – this title was changed to associate professor in 2006.
Steve’s other great love was cricket and although he could definitely have played at a much higher level, he preferred to remain one of the mainstays of the Warwick University Staff Cricket Club. He was that most valued of talents, a true all-rounder, but he starred as a bowler, being built in the Fred-Trueman-approved mould: broad-shouldered, and strong of heart and backside. Thundering in off his long run-up, he was a fearsome sight, capable of intimidating batters with his sheer pace. The club statistics record that over his long career he bowled 5,981 overs and took 1,269 wickets.
Steve’s virtues on the cricket field were also his virtues in life – an all-rounder with the virtues of empathy and sympathy, generosity and resilience, sense of humour and, above all, humanity.
In 1971 he married Sue Duckworth, a teacher. She died in 1994; he is survived by their sons, Christopher and Richard, and his brother, Andy.
