Composer and guitarist, born in Büsdorf (near Cologne). Secretly he played the guitar of his father and recognized the lute through his organ teacher Hugo Schmitt. Until 1904 he lived in Hagen (Westphalia). 1906-1907 he studied guitar with Carl Henze in Berlin, 1907-1940 he lived in Elberfeld (Wuppertal) and studied two years music with Heinz Dörn. In 1918 he passed the examination with Theodor Ritter to become a private music teacher. 1945-1960 he taught guitar in Opladen (near Cologne). (Rainer Stelle)