Anatol Herzfeld was born in 1931 in Insterburg, East Prussia, and became known as a sculptor, performance artist, and educator closely associated with the postwar Düsseldorf art scene. Before turning to art, Anatol worked in the police force, an experience that informed his later interest in social structures, authority, and civic responsibility. He went on to study Fine Arts at the Düsseldorf Art Academy under Joseph Beuys and Architecture under Karl Wimmenauer, placing him at the center of one of the most influential artistic environments of the period.

In 1975 Anatol founded the Free Academy Oldenburg, an independent institution dedicated to open artistic exchange and experimental practice. From 1979 to 1981 he r...