1919 beginning of an apprenticeship as a miner's electrician in Ahlen, visit to the Realgymnasium there at the same time. 1927 - 1930 study at the Bauhaus Dessau with Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky and Josef Albers, among others, graduation with a master's degree. 1929 participation in the exhibitions "Junge Bauhausmaler" in Braunschweig, Halle an der Saale, Erfurt and Krefeld.

1930 occupation as freelance artist, three months in the studio of Naum Gabo in Berlin, also joined the group "Studio Z" with Franz Ehrlich and Heinz Loew. 1931 teaching position at the Pädagogische Akademie in Halle. 1933 suspension from teaching position.

1935 relocation to Diessen am Ammersee. 1937 prohibition from painting and confiscation of his works as part of the "degenerate art" campaign. 1939 - 1949 military service and captivity.

1949 co-founder of the Group ZEN 49, close contacts to the painters Hans Hartung and Pierre Soulages. In 1954 termination of his membership of the Deutscher Künstlerbund after a dispute with Carl Hofer (resumption of membership in 1957). 1955 - 1970 professorship at the Staatliche Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Kassel. 1950 prize winner of the Venice Biennial, 1957 prize for Graphic Art Tokyo, 1958 prize of the World Exhibition Brussels, 1958 prize of the City of Berlin, 1959 grand art prize of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. Participation at the first documenta, 1955, documenta 2, 1959, and documenta 3, 1964.