Submitted by Deborah Boedeker, with contributions by Adam Blistein and Helen Cullyer
Kurt A. Raaflaub, 82, of Providence, died unexpectedly on September 12. He was the beloved husband of Deborah Boedeker. In addition to his wife, he leaves his stepchildren Edgar Boedeker of Cedar Falls, Iowa, and Nancy Boedeker of Indianapolis; his brothers Beat and Hans-Ueli Raaflaub of Basel, Switzerland and their wives Marianne and Monika; seven nephews and nieces in Switzerland, and his sister- in-law Amy (Dickmann) Massie of St. Louis.
Born to Swiss parents, Fritz and Heidi (Ninck) Raaflaub, who were stationed at a mission station in Buea, Cameroon, Kurt moved to Switzerland at the age of seven. He received his PhD in Classics and Ancient History from the University of Basel, served in the Swiss military, and joined the faculty at the Free University of Berlin in 1972. He moved to Brown University in 1978, where he taught and published in Ancient History and Classics until his retirement in 2009. Major publications include books on Julius Caesar, the history of political freedom, and comparative Greek and Roman political history. From 1992 to 2000, he served as co-Director (with Deborah Boedeker) of the Center for Hellenic Studies (Washington, D.C.).
Kurt served as President of the American Philological Association (now the Society for Classical Studies) from 2008-09, and used this position to advocate vigorously for the organization and the field of classical studies at large. During his term he played an important role in the major Gateway Campaign that raised over $3 million for the Society, personally recruited new and lapsed members, and organized a review of the Society's activities by the six at-large members of the Board that year.
He also served on the Society's Board of Directors from 2002-2005 and the committee overseeing the production of the Barrington Atlas from 1996-99. In addition, he was the Society's Delegate to FIEC for ten years from 2007-2017.
Kurt was an accomplished flute player and lover of classical music and Alpine hiking. He is remembered as an engaging teacher and stalwart friend.
