Director of the Berlin Zoological Garden from 1932 to 1945, Lutz Heck sought to recreate extinct species through selective breeding experiments. His work centered on the aurochs, an extinct wild ox, utilizing modern breeds that he believed held traces of the original genetic lineage, resulting in the creation of Heck cattle and Heck horses.
Zoological Career and Breeding Experiments
Born in Berlin in 1892, Heck grew up within the grounds of the Berlin Zoo, where his father, Ludwig Heck, served as director. After earning his doctorate in 1922, Lutz Heck joined the zoo staff, becoming an assistant director in 1927. He later collaborated with his brother, Heinz Heck, on a project to resurrect extinct animals by cross-breeding domestic species. Although they produced cattle and horse breeds that bear their name, the results did not fully replicate the extinct ancestors they intended to recreate. Heck later planned to introduce these animals into hunting reserves within the Bialowieza forest.
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Heck was a member of the Nazi Party, joining in 1937 under member number 3.934.018. He held the rank of Hauptsturmführer within the Schutzstaffel and maintained a close professional and personal relationship with Hermann Göring. In 1938, Göring appointed him chief of the highest nature preservation agency in the state department of forestry. That same year, Heck implemented a rule prohibiting Jewish visitors from entering the Berlin Zoo. He received the Silver Leibniz medal in 1940 and was appointed professor on the occasion of Adolf Hitler’s birthday.
Wartime Activities and Post-War Life
During World War II, Heck engaged in the removal of valuable animals from the Warsaw Zoo for transport to German facilities. Following the Battle of Berlin, he relocated to Bavaria to evade Soviet prosecution. He was succeeded as scientific director of the Berlin Zoo by Dr. Katharina Heinroth. Heck died in Wiesbaden in 1983 and is buried at the Munich Waldfriedhof. His legacy remains a subject of public scrutiny, exemplified by the 2015 petition to remove his bust from the Berlin Zoo, which eventually led to the installation of an information tablet detailing his involvement in National Socialism.
Fast facts
- Born: 1892, Berlin, Germany
- Died: 1983, Wiesbaden, Germany
- Occupations: Zoologist, director, screenwriter, cinematographer
- Berlin Zoological Garden tenure: 1932-1945
- Military rank: Hauptsturmführer
- Awards: Silver Leibniz medal (1940)
- Notable creations: Heck cattle, Heck horses
Questions readers ask
What were Heck cattle?
They were a breed of cattle developed by Lutz and Heinz Heck through selective breeding intended to recreate the extinct aurochs.
What was Lutz Heck's role during the war?
He directed the Berlin Zoo, managed national nature preservation, and participated in the removal of animals from the Warsaw Zoo.
Achievements
- Worked as writer, zoologist and cinematographer
