In 1987, Kurt A. Körber received the title of honorary lock keeper. This honor is given exclusively to those who symbolically "open the floodgates for the Hanseatic City" and enhance Hamburg's reputation in the world. Only very few personalities are granted this honor – Kurt A. Körber is one of them.
In 1960, Kurt A. Körber received an honorary doctorate from the University of Nuremberg-Erlangen "for his contributions in the field of industrial pedagogy and for his promotion of research in the social and economic sciences". Almost thirty years later, in the year 1989, Körber was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Technische Universität Dresden.
In 1988, Kurt A. Körber was awarded the title of Honorary Senator by the University of Hamburg. The university grants the award to personalities who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to the university over many years. The then president of the Hamburg University emphasized in a letter that the university wanted to honor him "as both a single-minded benefactor and a relentless inspirer who broke new paths in the promotion of general education and professional training, of science and research, of culture and politics."
Kurt A. Körber contributed great service to the city of Hamburg during his lifetime. In 1980, he received the Mayor Stolten Medal for his commitment. The medal is awarded for long-lasting contributions in Hamburg and is one of the most important honors bestowed by the City of Hamburg.
What distinguished Kurt A. Körber as an entrepreneur? Innovation and passion. He registered over 200 patents during his lifetime. In 1965, Körber received the Rudolf-Diesel-Medal in gold for his inventive achievements. The award honors personalities and companies that have "made a significant contribution to maintaining the culture of innovation in Germany."
In 1991, Kurt A. Körber was awarded honorary citizenship of the City of Hamburg for his wide-ranging economic, cultural, educational, and sociopolitical commitment. Honorary citizenship is the highest decoration a city can bestow in Germany. It is awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the welfare of a city.
Kurt A. Körber was not only a successful entrepreneur, but also a charitable "instigator" who initiated various programs and projects for the benefit of society. In 1983, he was awarded with the medal for contributions to foundations for his commitment.
In 1988, Körber received from the Soviet Peace Committee a fragment of the first SS-12 missile that was destroyed in Kazakhstan. This serves as a memorial to the policy of détente between the Eastern and Western powers.