Printmaker, painter, designer, and illustrator Helmut Ackermann was born on 9th July 1936 in the Memmingen, Upper Swabia, Germany. He studied from 1956 to 1963 at the Academy of Fine Arts Munich with Richard Seewald and Hermann Kaspar. Additionally, he traveled to Andalusia, Italy, France, and Greece to further his studies. In 1964 he began a career as a book illustrator for publishers the world over, such as Visel Verlag and Universe Books, Inc., New York. He illustrated works by Grimmelshausen, Hesse, Kafka, and Wilder, among others, and also illustrated for bibliophile magazines. 

Ackermann was known for his regionalist works, including landscapes and city motifs, as well as his designs for various memorials in regional public spaces, especially in his home town Memmingen. Included are the Unicorn (Einhorn-Brunnen) fountain and the equestrian statue of Welf VI. He received the cultural award of his birthplace in 1979.

Helmut Ackermann died in Memmingen on December 6, 2017.