Leitz Designer Heinrich Janke Has Died

Heinrich Janke was born in Grudziadz, Poland, in 1930. At the end of 1944, his family fled to Celle, Germany, where Janke finished his formal education and completed an apprenticeship as a carpenter, before studying sculpture in Hanover. From 1954 to 1989, he worked as a product designer for Ernst Leitz GmbH and, subsequently, Leica Camera AG. Janke’s creative contributions are echoed in the brand’s aesthetic to this day – and yet, the course of history was almost prevented by a minor miscommunication, as the following anecdote reveals:

Just before the market launch of the Leica M3, Ludwig Leitz – who had been overseeing the new camera’s lengthy development – traveled to Hanover to meet with Prof. Scheuernstuhl, head of the sculpture department at the city’s School of Applied Arts. His goal: to find a talented young designer who would help shape the new camera’s exterior. This led to an encounter with 24-year-old Heinrich Janke, who was on-site working on a bronze statue. With Leitz being a trained sculptor himself, the two of them quickly struck up a lively conversation. Finally, Leitz asked Janke if he could imagine joining the Ernst Leitz company, and contributing to the design of a new camera. Janke responded with a yes – however, they parted ways without finalising a concrete arrangement.

Several months went by, and the meeting seemed all but forgotten – until, one day, Janke received a call from the Leitz personnel department: they were phoning to see where he was; the company, they explained, had long been awaiting his arrival.

And so, Heinrich Janke made Wetzlar his new home. His background as a sculptor aided his deep understanding of the symbiosis between technology and timeless aesthetics. With great consistency, he strove to create purist designs in which function and ergonomics were the core priority. The influence of his guiding principle continues to be felt in Leica products to this day: “If a device has evolved from the inside out, and its elements have been designed correctly, it will inevitably be imbued with an external ‘beauty’ that gives it an enduring quality.”

Janke was responsible for numerous Leica designs – from the M2 and (almost) all subsequent M models, to the R4 and Leica’s Trinovid binoculars. In addition, he was among the creators – and a fervent advocate – for the iconic red dot that still characterises the brand today.

In his role as Leica’s Head of Design, Janke remained loyal to the company until his retirement in 1989. After this point, he stayed active as a sculptor, whose artworks went on to become an integral part of Wetzlar’s townscape. Simultaneously, he spent 14 years teaching art and design at the Volkshochschule, and six years at the Goethe School in Wetzlar. For many years, he also served as a heritage conservation volunteer for the Lahn-Dill region. In 2001, Janke was honoured with the ‘Bundesverdienstkreuz am Bande’ order of merit awarded by the Republic of Germany, followed in 2007 by the Volunteer Award for Outstanding Contributions to Heritage Conservation from the Hessian State Agency for the Preservation of Historical Monuments.

Heinrich Janke passed away on 16 October, 2023, at the age of 93. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones.