Editorial note to close the review process of the article “Unsaturated infiltration: from unproven capillary flow to viscous flow" by Peter F. Germann.

Peter Germann submitted the first version of this opinion paper on 26 October 2020 to HESS. Together with two other scientists, John R. Nimmo kindly accepted to review this work in early November. Shortly after, I was shocked and deeply saddened to learn that Peter Germann had passed away rather suddenly on 6 December 2020 in Bern. While I succeeded in informing two reviewers, I did not manage to reach John Nimmo because he had retired in the meantime, and his official email account was switched off. As a result, John Nimmo reviewed the manuscript without knowing about Peter Germann’s death and submitted his comment on 19 January 2021.

I am very grateful to Keith Beven, who kindly offered to address John Nimmo’s insightful comments in the revised and consequently accepted manuscript and to add a preface in memoriam of Peter Germann’s life and scientific legacy.

Erwin Zehe, Executive Editor of HESS