Eduard Zimmermann
Encyclopedia
Eduard Zimmermann was a German
journalist
, television presenter and security expert.
in Sweden
.
Zimmermann returned to the Soviet occupation zone in Germany on an assignment for Dagens Nyheter
newspaper. There he was charged with espionage
in 1950 and sentenced to 25 years in prison. He served five years of his sentence in Bautzen
and was released early on 17 January 1954 under the Viermächtekonferenz (Conference of the Four Powers).
Subsequently he worked as a journalist and editor at NDR
and ZDF
.
From 20 October 1967 to 24 October 1997 Zimmermann presented 300 episodes of the ZDF TV series Aktenzeichen XY... ungelöst
(File Sign XY … Unsolved), as well as 180 episodes from 1964 to 1997 of Vorsicht Falle! - Nepper, Schlepper, Bauernfänger (Beware, Trap! - Scammers, Hustlers, Conmen). He then retired from the television business and maintained an Internet security portal in co-operation with ZDF
.
Zimmermann was a co-founder of Weißer Ring e.V. (White Ring), an organisation that assists victims of crimes, and was its chairman for many years.
On the occasion of Aktenzeichen XYs hundredth episode on October 1977 Zimmermann received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
on ribbon, and was later awarded the Order of Merit First Class. In 1982 he received the Humanitarian Award of the German Freemasons.
Zimmermann himself revealed his past as a criminal in 2005 through his autobiography, titled Auch ich war ein Gauner (I was a crook too). In a newspaper interview he said that the time had made him tough: "You might say I am living proof that one can come back down from the crooked tracks if that's really wanted."
He died on 19 September 2009 in Munich.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, television presenter and security expert.
Life
Following the Second World War the man who would later be known as a 'criminal hunter' and 'crook's bane' eked out a living as a thief and black market trader, for which he served a sentence at Fuhlsbüttel Prison. With a false identity and diploma he finally found work as a roadworks engineerEngineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
Zimmermann returned to the Soviet occupation zone in Germany on an assignment for Dagens Nyheter
Dagens Nyheter
is a daily newspaper in Sweden. It has the largest circulation of Swedish morning newspapers, followed by Göteborgs-Posten and Svenska Dagbladet, and is the only morning newspaper that is distributed to subscribers across the whole country. In 2009 DN had a circulation of 316,000, reaching 881...
newspaper. There he was charged with espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
in 1950 and sentenced to 25 years in prison. He served five years of his sentence in Bautzen
Bautzen
Bautzen is a hill-top town in eastern Saxony, Germany, and administrative centre of the eponymous district. It is located on the Spree River. As of 2008, its population is 41,161...
and was released early on 17 January 1954 under the Viermächtekonferenz (Conference of the Four Powers).
Subsequently he worked as a journalist and editor at NDR
Norddeutscher Rundfunk
Norddeutscher Rundfunk is a public radio and television broadcaster, based in Hamburg. In addition to the city-state of Hamburg, NDR transmits for the German states of Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein...
and ZDF
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
.
From 20 October 1967 to 24 October 1997 Zimmermann presented 300 episodes of the ZDF TV series Aktenzeichen XY... ungelöst
Aktenzeichen XY... ungelöst
Aktenzeichen XY … ungelöst is a German television programme broadcast since October 1967 on ZDF that aims to combat and solve crimes. Until 2003 it was produced in co-operation with the Austrian public service broadcaster ORF and Schweizer Fernsehen, a division of the Swiss public broadcaster...
(File Sign XY … Unsolved), as well as 180 episodes from 1964 to 1997 of Vorsicht Falle! - Nepper, Schlepper, Bauernfänger (Beware, Trap! - Scammers, Hustlers, Conmen). He then retired from the television business and maintained an Internet security portal in co-operation with ZDF
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
.
Zimmermann was a co-founder of Weißer Ring e.V. (White Ring), an organisation that assists victims of crimes, and was its chairman for many years.
On the occasion of Aktenzeichen XYs hundredth episode on October 1977 Zimmermann received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Bundesverdienstkreuz
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only general state decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has existed since 7 September 1951, and between 3,000 and 5,200 awards are given every year across all classes...
on ribbon, and was later awarded the Order of Merit First Class. In 1982 he received the Humanitarian Award of the German Freemasons.
Zimmermann himself revealed his past as a criminal in 2005 through his autobiography, titled Auch ich war ein Gauner (I was a crook too). In a newspaper interview he said that the time had made him tough: "You might say I am living proof that one can come back down from the crooked tracks if that's really wanted."
He died on 19 September 2009 in Munich.