Biography:

Helmut Barkowsky was born on March 25th, 1917 in Herzberg (Elster). He completed an apprenticeship in offset printing and lithography between 1934 and 1938. In 1947, he began to study commercial graphics and set design at the Institut für künstlerische Werkgestaltung Burg Giebichenstein (Burg Giebichenstein Academy of Applied Arts ) in Halle. While in Halle, he met a group of fellow art students and recent graduates and with them formed the communal studio “Wir fünf” (We five), a group consisting of Barkowsky, Katja an Klaus Georgi, Christl & Hans-Ulrich Wiemer, and Otto Sacher. The group worked together through the early 1950s. 

In 1954, when Helmut Barkowsky and the other members of “Wir fünf” were asked to join in the formation of a new studio for animated films in Dresden, they agreed with enthusiasm. Together with Klaus Georgi, Otto Sacher, Christl and Hans-Ulrich Wiemer, Barkowsky co-directed Die Geschichte vom Sparschweinchen, his first animated cartoon. On April 1, 1955, the doors opened for the DEFA Studio for Animation Films in Dresden, with Barkowsky as one of the founding animation directors. Beginning in 1957 and serving until 1984, Barkowsky was the head illustrator and head animator for animation studio, also serving as a director on several films during that time. He worked on several animated series during his tenure, including the Eureka series (1973-1984), which used amusing scenarios and endearing characters to illustrate scientific concepts for children. Die Schatzinsel, a cartoon he directed in 1967-68.

By the early 1980s, Barkowsky had moved to West Germany and transitioned to television work, directing or animating numerous films for the animation studio “EOS” in Wiesbaden. Barkowsky died on September 8th, 2002.

Bibliography & More:

Schenk, Ralf and Sabine Scholze, eds. Die Trick-Fabrik: DEFA-Animationsfilme, 1955-1990. Bertz Verlag, 2003.