Portrait: Horst Janssen
Horst Janssen was born November 14th 1929 in Hamburg and grew up in Oldenburg. His exceptional gift for drawing showed already during his schooldays. At the end of the war and after the death of his mother and grandparents, his aunt took the 16 years old Janssen to live with her in Hamburg. There, he studied at the academy of fine arts of the Land Hamburg, where he was encouraged and fostered by Alfred Mahlau in his master class. It was the beginning of a successful artistic career, bringing to Janssen, known as egomaniac and eccentric, worldwide fame.
His exhibitions were shown in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Venice, Rome, Oslo, Moscow, Paris, Hamburg, Oldenburg, just to name a few.
Later in his life, Janssen remembered ever more his childhood in Oldenburg. Since 1992 he is honorary citizen of the City of Oldenburg.He died August 31st 1995 and was buried according to his own will in the cemetery of St. Gertrude in Oldenburg.