 He attended the primary school in Schönau; the Gymnasium in Teplice (1945); Donauwörth (1945–1950); Berthold-Gymnasium in Freiburg (Brsg) (1950–1954).He studied at the University of the Witwatersrand and the College of Education (Johannesburg).He worked for some time as a packer, builder, lab assistant, photographer, insurance agent, and a teacher.