On occasion of the 50th anniversary of the department of plastic and reconstructive surgery at the Klinikum rechts der Isar of the Technische Universität in 2008 Ursula Schmidt-Tintemann is honoured by this historical article. As one of the first departments of plastic surgery in Germany the department became under her guidance a role model for other departments. Furthermore, Ursula Schmidt-Tintemann contributed to the characterization and establishment of the surgical specialty plastic surgery in Germany by numerous activities. Her special interest were ethical aspects of plastic surgery and aesthetic surgery. As the founder of the department Ursula Schmidt-Tintemann is to be regarded as one of the giants in plastic surgery of post war Germany.