Eva Ahnert-Rohlfs (11 August 1912 – 9 March 1954) was a pioneering German astronomer whose meticulous work on variable stars and meteor streams helped shape mid-20th-century astrophysical research. Working during a period when few women had access to advanced scientific careers, she rose to prominence through her precise observations and enduring commitment to the field.
Born in Coburg, Germany, Ahnert-Rohlfs began her academic journey in 1931, studying at the universities of Würzburg, Munich, and Kiel. Her early career was interrupted by personal responsibilities, but she returned to astronomy in 1942, resuming her studies at the University of Göttingen during the height of World War II. After the war, she joined the Sonneberg Observatory in East Germany—one of the leading centers of astronomical research in Europe at the time.
At Sonneberg, she worked under the guidance of Cuno Hoffmeister and soon became known for her detailed observations of variable stars—stars that change in brightness over time. Her research extended to meteor streams, particularly the Perseids, and in 1951 she completed her doctoral thesis at the University of Jena. Her work, including the paper “Zur Struktur und Entstehung des Perseidenstroms”, was regarded as a critical contribution to understanding the structure and origin of meteoric phenomena.
Eva married fellow astronomer Paul Oswald Ahnert in 1952, and together they formed a powerful scientific partnership. Tragically, her promising career was cut short when she died in 1954 due to complications during childbirth. Despite her short life, Eva Ahnert-Rohlfs left behind a body of work that continues to be referenced in studies of variable stars and interstellar dust. As one of the few women astronomers in East Germany at the time, her legacy endures not only through her research but also through her example of perseverance in a male-dominated field.