Hans Dietrich Birk (1916-1997) Heraldic Artist
Dieter Birk
++++++ In Memoriam: Hans Dietrich Birk (1916 - 1997) ++++++
The family of Hans Dietrich Birk is sad to announce the death of Canada's
premier Heraldic Artist and scholar. A Fellow of the Heraldry Society of
Canada since 1981, holder of Chair No. 6 of the Academie International
d' Heraldique (since 1985) and the first private citizen of Canada to
receive a Grant of Arms from the newly established Canadian Heraldic
Authority (in 1989), Hans was respected world-wide as the leading
authority on Continental European Heraldry, especially German.
Hans died in his home, in Scarborough, Ontario on the morning of
May 9th, 1997 at age 80, presumably from heart-failure. After a long
tough winter, Hans welcomed spring with renewed energy and was working,
the evening previously, on a design for new armorial bearings at the
request of the Canadian Heraldic Authority.
Services were held on May 13, 1997 at the Giffen-Mack Scarborough Chapel
attended by his four children, seven of his ten grandchildren and numerous
friends, heraldry buddies and neighbours. Peter Merey of Pro Familia
Publishing, the current publisher of "Heraldry in Canada" and a long-time
friend and business associate gave a moving eulogy. Hans's grand-daughter
Heidi Elisabeth Birk followed with a splendid narative on her
experiences in the past year learning heraldic art from her grandfather.
The Saint-Laurent Herald, Auguste Vachon and his wife attended as
representatives of the Canadian Heraldic Authority, (Office of the
Governor-General, 1 Sussex Dr., Ottawa).
Interment followed, at St. Margaret's In-the-Pines Cemetery, joining his
wife, the late Erika ne' Kuehne. A reception for friends and relatives
was held in the home of his daughter, Evelyn Kilian. The family
displayed a sampling of his heraldic works dating back to 1945 and
earlier.
Hans was born in Nagold, Wuerttemberg, Germany on Aug. 2, 1916. His
maternal ancestors included Otto von Alberti, the author of the
Wuerttemberg Armorial. Although heraldry was a hobby and a
passion for Hans for more than 50 years, it was also a means of survival
during the last days of WWII. After distinguished service as an air
communications officer in the Luftwaffe, 1945 found Hans in Stade,
Germany, painting town shields and regimental badges for the British
occupying forces to feed his young family. Emigrating to Canada in
1952, Hans became financially independent as a real estate broker by the
1960's after which he was able to devote full time to his passion for
heraldic art and research. Coats of arms for some 604 Continental
European families were painted and archived on contract to the National
Archives of Canada. This work became a major force in establishing a
multi-cultural theme to the Canadian Heraldic Authority after Letters
Patent were granted by the Queen in 1988. Without the recognition that
heraldry in Canada must incorporate all Canadians, not just the
traditions of "two founding nations" (England, France), it is not
likely that Canada could have accepted politically the office of Chief
Herald.
Readers wishing to honour the memory of Hans D. Birk and further his
work are invited to make a donation in his name to the Toronto Branch of
the Heraldry Society of Canada: John Wilkes, Secretary Treasurer,
57 Larabee Cres., Don Mills M3A 3E6 FAX (416) 447-2466
For further information, readers are welcome to visit the Web site of the
Armorial Heritage Foundation:
http://www.hookup.net/~dbirk/chf.html
Contact with his family can be made via:
email at db...@hookup.net or FAX 905-829-4097
>>>>>> Audeo et Succedo <<<<<<
++++++ Dr. Dieter Birk, ++++++
Oakville, Ontario, Canada FAX: (905) 829-4097
db...@hookup.net < http://www.hookup.net/~dbirk >