Building D at the FLAE named after prof. Zdzisław Kegel
Building D at the Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics of the University of Wrocław has recently been named in honour of prof. Zdzisław Kegel!
Professor Kegel’s tenure as dean of the Faculty of Law, Administration, and Economics (1996-2002) left a lasting mark on the Faculty’s history. It was during that time when his organizational talents, experience, and skillful use of market mechanisms produced remarkable results for the Faculty’s development. He oversaw the construction and opening of two new educational buildings (at ul. Więzienna 12 and ul. Uniwersytecka 7-10), as well as the linking of three faculty buildings through what is now known as the “connector”. The building at ul. Uniwersytecka (opened in 2002) won first place in a competition held by the Wrocław Branch of the Polish Association of Civil Engineers and Technicians. It was recognised as the Lower Silesian Construction of the Year in 2002.
Prof Kegel’s research interests were shaped in several areas connected to criminalistics and the broadly understood field of evidence law. At the beginning of his academic career, he focused mainly on issues related to documents. Within this area, he examined the concept of a document in legal proceedings and forensic science, the significance of specific types of documents in evidence, and finally the force of proof of handwriting analysis. He published several articles on this topic, as well as his doctoral dissertation titled “Dowód z ekspertyzy pismoznawczej w polskim procesie karnym” (Ossolineum, Wrocław 1973). These works fall under the dogmatics of law and provided a solid foundation for the intellectual developments in his later research.
A second major area of prof. Kegel’s academic focus was the theory and practice of forensic expert opinions. The theoretical component of this work was rooted in procedural law, while the practical aspect was grounded in forensic techniques. In this context, he addressed controversial issues such as the authority of laboratory directors regarding expertise, the qualifications of court experts, and the training and evaluation of their competence.
During his time at the UWr Faculty of Law and Administration (since 2001 known as the Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics), prof. Kegel served on several faculty, rectorial, and senate committees. He served as a secretary (1963−1967), then as deputy chair, and eventually chair (1977−1980) of the Senate Disciplinary Committee for Students. He also represented junior academic staff on the Faculty Council (1968−1971) and served as the dean’s and then the rector’s representative for student work placements (1968−1972). From 1989 to 1993, he was the Disciplinary Spokesperson for Academic Staff. He also represented the Faculty Council of Law and Administration in the University Senate. He made significant contributions as the founder and long-time director of several postgraduate programs, including the Postgraduate Program in Criminalistics, the Postgraduate Program in Security Management, the Postgraduate Program in Document Expertise, and the Postgraduate Program in Forensic Road Accident Reconstruction.
You can read more about prof. Kegel here.
The plaque in honour of prof. Kegel was unveiled during the Christmas meeting held for all staff and friends of the Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics. We wish the Faculty leadership, staff, and all friends of the Faculty a Merry Christmas!
Translated by Zuzanna Kazimierowicz (student of English Studies at the University of Wrocław) as part of the translation practice.
