Werner Freund
GRUSSWORT VON WERNER FREUND (*02.03.1933 - †09.02.2014)
Ich betreibe hier Verhaltensforschung seit über 30 Jahren. In dieser Zeit habe ich mehr als 70 Wölfe in meinem Wolfspark Werner Freund in Merzig im Saarland aufgezogen.
Um meine Verhaltensforschung betreiben zu können wurde ich zum Wolf unter den Wölfen. Merzig wurde dabei die Heimat von mir und den Wölfen. Hier habe ich im Laufe der Zeit mehrere Wolfsrudel aufgezogen.
Im Moment beheimatet der Wolfspark Werner Freund in Merzig 25 Wölfe. Arktische, europäische, sibirische und kanadische Tiere der Gattung canis lupus nennen den Wolfspark Werner Freund in Merzig ihr Zuhause. Merzig wiederum wurde dadurch in der Welt als "Merzig, die Stadt der Wölfe" bekannt.
Treten Sie ein und erfahren Sie mehr über den Wolfspark Werner Freund in Merzig, meine Wolfsforschung und die Wölfe. Zusätzlich bietet die Seite viele interessante Informationen über mein Leben, meine Expeditionen, das Expeditionsmuseum in Merzig und meine Zeit vor den Wölfen: Meine Zeit mit Bären.
WOLFSFORSCHUNG LEBT !!!
Viele Grüße,
WERNER FREUND
HIS LIFE
| Expeditionen | His time with the bears | Publications |
| The Expeditionsmuseum | Obituary |
Born at: 02.03.1933 in Garbenteich/ Hessen/ Germany
After graduation Werner starts a gardening training and completes it with a ,,very well".
1950 Werner gets positioned in the Stuttgarter Wilhelma Zoo, to build up a botanic garden. But very soon he shows more affection to the wild animals and proves that he get's along with them very well.
1955 Werner Freund turns to the federal boarder gard because he wants to go on expedition with Gustav Adolf Baron von Maydel a few years later.
The foundation of the army in 1955, makes Werner decide to become a sergeant in the army in 1957
1961 the paratroopsbatallion 262 gets a new mascotte. Werner is the one who has to find a fitting animal for the army and has to take care of it. He chooses for a bear.
1962 Werner Freund marries Erika Mahr.
In the 60-ties and the 70-ties Werner guides more than fifteen expeditions all over the world. New Guinea, Afrika and south-middle America are only some of his destinations. You will find the complete expeditions here.
1972 Werner get's his first wolf. He gives him the name IVAN. In between time, Werner discovers that bears and wolves don't get along with eachother very well.
Werner engages himself to the bears for 17 years, before he starts to engage him to the wolves completely
Because of his profession, he has to move a lot of times, before he get's settled in Merzig in 1972.
Here he starts the wolvespark, wich becomes famous over the years, televisionteams from everywhere come to see his work, his books that he writes become translated in different languages. Even in Japanes.
In the course of time, Werner, Erika, and their co-workers raise up more than 70 wolves. The wolvespark is increasing to a size of 4,5 hectare and contains European-, Indian-, Sibirian-, Arctic- and Timberwloves.
For 30 years now Werner studies the behaviour of wolves in a very special and own way and although a lot of people see him as a specialist, he is still and only learning from his professors: The smartest wolves.
( Michael Schoenberger )
(conditions of 24.06.2005)
Visiting Konrad Lorenz
One of the most memorable days of Werners life was the 9 th of february 1989. On this day, he met his great example Konrad Lorenz in Altenberg near to Vienna. He was the one who made research about behaviour famous (he did that with gooses) .
At that time, Konrad was allready sitting in a wheelchair, his hair sleeky white. By this time he was 85 years old and you could see that he was loosing his strength. Werner was surprised that the person he knew as famous, was so simply and ordinary.
,,We sat down at the dinnertable and ate some cake and drunk some peppermint-tea'',Werner tells thinking back at that unforgettable day. "His crossbreed dog was playing around under the table. Werner gave Konrad his own written book "Der Wolfsmensch". Konrad started to turn the pages and said:,,Oh that's something special for me, I will start reading it tomorrow''. But he didn't lay the book beside, he kept it in his hand, and started to turn the pages while looking at them and started asking Werner a lot of questions. ,,I'm sorry that I can't visit you in Merzig, because of my health'' Konrad said. ,,No one has come so close to the wolves like you do. The lives of animals lower in rank are easy to study at the universitiy. It only takes one eye to do that. But with wolves who are higher in rank. That's something different, you need both of your eyes and a great intuition. It is a gift, if you are able to do that!".
Finally Werner had found his soulmate, who understood what Werner was doing and trying to achive with his research. Every word of Konrad was carved into the memorie of Werner……….