Kurt Binder was professor of theoretical physics at JGU since 1983. He was one of the most cited physicists worldwide and famous for his groundbreaking work in the development of Monte Carlo simulations. For this and other achievements in statistical physics, he received numerous awards such as the Max Planck Medal by the German Physical Society, the Boltzmann Medal, the Lennard Jones Medal, and the Honorary Medal "Marin Drinov" by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Moreover, he was an elected member of academies of science in Germany, Austria and Bulgaria and received the title of honorary doctor at universities in Düsseldorf and Lublin.