Dr. Kratz joined the faculty of the university’s Department of Germanic and Slavic Languages in 1965 and served as its head from 1972 to 1987. He retired from the faculty in 1992. For five years, he served as assistant editor for the Merriam-Webster Third International Dictionary.
A specialist in philology, lexicography, and medieval literature, his scholarly work was pursued in a variety of languages, including Old Norse, Danish, Dutch, Icelandic, and German. His published writings include a major monograph, a major translation, and over 30 articles in scholarly journals. His publications earned him a scholarly reputation of international dimensions. His intellectual contributions to the life of the university have been recognized by placement of a plaque in his honor on a faculty study.