The late Hellmut Flashar (Hamburg 3.12.1929-Bochum 17.8.2022) was one of the most important German classical philologists of the post-war generation. His portrait as a scholar is traced here by going back over the main stages of his education and academic career (Berlin, Tübingen, Bochum, Munich) and by analysing the results of his research in various fields of study (ancient philosophy and medicine, Greek tragedy and modern staging, history of classical studies).