The artist Heinrich Sterzenbach, born in 1997, father of Heinz Sterzenbach, announced itself as 16-years old boy voluntarily to the military service and was wounded in the First World War several times. After the war he completed his Pedagogic studies at the teacher seminar in Siegburg and implemented after successful conclusion as a teacher at elementary schools in different places in the Rheinisch-Bergischer district his occupation. Besides he began to be occupied as an autodidactic intensively with the painting. His preferential topics were realistic to impressionistic landscapes, Portraits and act paintings. He painted and lived up to its death (1975) in Overath near Cologne.

Vita

1897 Heinrich Sterzenbach, called Heinz Sterzenbach the elder., in Eitdorf (today Siegburg) born.

1914 - 1918 volunteer military service at the infantry (participation in the campaigns in Ypern, Russia, Romania, France). Several wounding and various military hospitals stays.

1917  promotion to the rank of sergeant

1919 - 1920 teacher seminar Siegburg with certification over the dismissal examination

1922 - 1933 numerous studies stays in Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Holland, intensive occupation with the oil painting.

1924 Certification for capability for final employment as teachers at elementary schools. Teachers at the elementary school Wesseling

1933 building of houses in Overath of teachers at the elementary school Heiligendorf / Overath

1935 marriage ceremony with Berta Kattler from Regensburg before the register office

Overath, from the marriage came out 2 daughters and 2 sons.

1941 document 25-year old anniversary of

1948 Teachers at the elementary school Zuendorf / Porz.

1949 distribution of the Missio Canonica (authorization for the distribution of religious Education).

1950 -1960 teachers at the elementary school Bergisch Gladbach / Heidkamp.

1968 50-year anniversary of teacher

1974 biannual study trip to Rio de Janeiro / Brazil

1975 died in Overath

Exhibitions

1948 gallery Bernartz in Cologne (Owner Hans Willi Bernartz/art dealer, lawyer,

(1989 deceased). Constant agency over years.

1950 exhibition in Overath on the Clarenberg (G)

1973 six-form high school Overath (G) in co-operation with the national education work of the Municipality Overath

2003 constant exhibition in the on-line gallery Sterzenbach www.sterzenbach.de and

www.gallery-sterzenbach.com under the column "guest artist" and/or. "Guest Artists" >Heinrich Sterzenbach.

Press articles
Bergische Rundschau of 27.10.1950: Title: Painting of our homeland (painter as intermediaries between landscape and people). ."In the staircase of the exhibition (Heimatschau on the Clarenberg / Overath.) the visitor is surprised by oil paintings which do not miss their effect. Here the teachers Sterzenbach and Schmelter created quite grateful motives: Landscapes, village idylls among other things. Works, which received the largest attention and appreciation by the exhibition visitors; the "entrance hall" special also pleased from Sterzenbach.

" Newspaper article of 5.1.52 (newspaper probably: Bergische Rundschau): Title: "the Hl. of three kings in Zuendorf" "Zuendorf. If one more exactly regards the two pictures in the vestry of the new parish church to Zuendorf after its restoration, one must teacher Sterzenbach, that the two from that 16. Century of coming works of art re-established, thanks and highest acknowledgment donate. Who saw in particular the holy three kings before, is delighted over it how beautiful this picture became again. And straight today, by day before three-kings, the last day of the festive Christmas time might not only interest our Zuendofer reader the rendition of the former old altarpiece, which is painted on wood in admiration-worthy technology by a large master of medieval mark art. All humans this picture has to say to something, on which powerful kings kneel before the small Christ child, to adore it as the welfare and, which came into the world, around everything to bring the peace".

Bergische Landeszeitung of 12.10.1973: Title: "art exhibition on plates the country: a new fact (interesting attempt in the Overather six-form high school)": "the finer clay/tone tuning in the colors documents also Heinz Sterzenbach in its oil pictures. It turned its, although modern exclusively to the Realism." (The exhibition organized of Manfred Homeyer, resident in Marialinden, abstract painter and participant in the exhibition, in co-operation with the national education work of the municipality Overath).

Heinrich Sterzenbach.
Press article Bergische Rundschau of 27.10.1950: Title: Painting of our homeland (painter as intermediaries between landscape and people). ."In the staircase of the exhibition (Heimatschau on the Clarenberg/Overath.) the visitor is surprised by oils paintings, which do not miss their effect. Here the teachers Sterzenbach and Schmelter created quite grateful motives: Landscapes, village idylls among other things. Works, which received the largest attention and appreciation by the exhibition visitors; the "entrance hall" special also pleased from Sterzenbach."