I was born in 1953 in the former German Democratic Republic. I got my first contact to animal
science in the mid-sixties. Mr. Jürgen Martin, my first teacher of biology, gaves the impuls and
this was continued by Mrs. Seegans. I wish to express my cordial thanks to my teachers to attracted me
to such science. Unfortunately my results in other than natural science were not good enough and so
the selection for study on university went past. My knowledge results mainly from self-study - I'm not a professional.
The way was long time uncoordinated. In the early time (till mid-seventies) my youthful enthusiasm
induced me to looking for all animals. But 1.5 million species are to much. I reduced my interest
to nomenclatural problems on genus level. That was still to big for complete animal kingdom. In last instance
I shut my eyes und put my finger down of one of the many groups of animals. After opening the eyes I saw the
choice:
Since more than 20 years I compile facts to this group. In the beginning (1967) the encyclopaedia spoke from 10.000 species. Today my data-base reach nearly 60.000 species names (but a good part are synonyms). The computer gave me a new dimension. Previously it was made by manuscript and typewriter on cards. The sources were very limited, after reunion of Germany they exploded.
But never it is dull, never I lost my interest, never it was a burden.
Every times it were expanded, every times I enter deeper, every times their are news.
It will not end.