Memorial D. Postpischl 1944-1992

Before the Geodynamics Project, I knew Daniele Postpischl only as a reference in the scientific literature for his contributions on the deep structure of the Calabrian Arc and, more in general, on the seismicity of the Italian region. By meeting him, I had the pleasant surprise to discover behind the scientist an extraordinarily warm personality, an inquisitive and free spirit, a generous heart. During the scientific adventure of the Geodynamics Project, the research community had the opportunity to esteem Daniele Postpischl as a clever, practical and indefatigable investigator. Furthermore, many people - and I among them - learned to love him as a faithful and generous friend. Daniele died, on June 6, only 48 years old and very young in mi. Just a few months before, we were planning together a project for GPS monitoring of the circum-Tyrrhenian areas. His wide range of scientific interests - from seismology and paleoseismology to geodesy and plate motion, from marine geology to Antarctic regional geophysics - is reflected in his published works and in the projects in which he was involved. Nevertheless, most of his energy was addressed to projects on earthquake loss defence, often devoid of any personal scientific acknowledgement. This choice wholly in agreement with Daniele's character. Daniele Postpischl will be known to posterity mostly as editor of two basic documents on Italian seismicity: the "Catalogue of Italian Earthquakes" and the "Atlas of Isoseismal Maps". I would like to remember Daniele as I saw him in the winter 1980, after the disastrous earthquake which struck the Southern Apennines. Many of us were entirely taken up with the Geodynamics Project; Daniele was responsible for the coordination of the macroseisnic survey. He was spending days and nights discussing survey procedures with all the teams, comparing analytical data, and integrating results. During that period of hard work and deep emotions, deep learned to admire Daniele not only as a hard-headed and serious scientist but also as a kind-hearted and generous man.