Born in 1969, I grew up in the small town of Müllheim in southwestern Germany, near the borders of Switzerland and France.
Nestled on the slopes of the Black Forest and overlooking the Rhine Valley plain, the region is steeped in geological history. An ancient fault zone dominates the area, rich in quartz, fluorite, baryte, and minor lead and silver ores. Traces of medieval and more recent mining operations remain, though most ceased decades or even centuries ago. On the now-overgrown mine dumps, every stone has likely been turned many times by hopeful mineral collectors. It was under the subliminal influence of this setting that my fascination with minerals was first sparked.
I began collecting minerals as a young boy, at the age of seven. After a typical childhood game, I decided to “rescue” a rock crystal from my brother’s curiosity cabinet and moved it into my own closet—my first, improvised mineral case. That moment became the foundation of my collection.
Encouraged by my parents—who weren’t collectors themselves but shared in my enthusiasm—my small collection began to grow. I created short wish lists after repeatedly studying Der große BLV Mineralienführer, a well-known German mineral guidebook. I aspired to collect every beautiful and valuable specimen featured in its pages. My father, who traveled frequently across Germany, would often use my list to bring back minerals from rock shops he encountered during his trips.
By chance, I also benefited from a family connection: my great-uncle had a friend, a retired professor of mineralogy from Ruhr University. While donating most of his extensive field collection to the university, he saved a few boxes for young enthusiasts—and I was fortunate to receive some of them. This expanded my collection beyond my initial aspirations, introducing me to new species and localities.
