Helmut Ackermann, printmaker, painter, designer and illustrator, was born on July 9, 1936, in Memmingen, Upper Swabia, Germany. Between 1956 to 1963, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Munich with Richard Seewald and Hermann Kaspar. Additionally, he traveled to Spain, Italy, France, and Greece to further his studies. In 1964, he began a career as a book illustrator and published works with Edition Curt Visel in Memmingen and Universe Books, Inc., New York. Ackermann illustrated works by Grimmelshausen, Hesse, Kafka, and Wilder, as well as 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. In his home town of Memmingen there are the Unicorn (Einhorn-Brunnen) fountain and the equestrian statue of Welf VI. He received the Memmingen cultural award in 1979.

Helmut Ackermann died in Memmingen on December 6, 2017.