1883
Was born July 31, 1883 in Döblen, Saxony
1904
Architectural studies in Dresden
1905
Establishment of the artist group “Die Brücke” in Dresden in conjunction with the co-founders Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, Fritz Bleyl and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
1907
Early termination of his studies in architecture
1912
Participation in the “Sonderbund Exhibition” in Cologne; Collaboration with Kirchner in the mural painting for a chapel on the exhibition’s site.
1913
Dissolution of the artist group “Die Brücke”
1915-1918
Was appointed to nurse the wounded in Flanders during the First World War
1923
Completion of the mural painting in the Angermuseum in Erfurt
1937
Seizure of more than 700 works by the Nazi government
1944
Bombing raid of Berlin destroyed Heckel’s entire studio
1945
Destruction of all works which were stored in the Mines of Neustassfurt.
1949-1955
Professorship at the “Akademie für Bildende Künste” in Karlsruhe
1956
Awarded with the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
1957
Art award by the city of Berlin
1961
Art award by the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia
1962
Honorary member of the Academy of Arts in Nuremberg
1965
Honorary citizen of the town of Kiel
1967
Awarded with the medal “Pour le Mérite”
1970
Died on January 27, 1970 in Radolfzell am Bodensee