Art historian with doctorate. After a career in auctioneering, opened Kunsthandel Hieke in 1980 with a focus on Classical Modernism. Not only renowned Austrian artists, but also lesser known and undeservedly forgotten artists between 1900 and 1970 were reclaimed for the history of art and presented to the public in exhibitions.
Rudolf R. Ballabene, Hanns Diehl-Wallendorf, Helene Funke, Ferdinand K. Gold, Alfred Hagel, Richard Harlfinger, Max Kahrer, Jakob Koganowsky Broncia Koller-Pinell, Peter Pálffy, Anton Peschka, Rudolf Pühringer, Karl Schade, Theobald Schmögner, Heinrich Schröder, Gustav Schütt, Lydia von Spallart, Anton Storch-Alberti, André Verlon, Trude Waehner, Rudolf von Zeileissen and many others found delayed recognition by the public in Kunsthandel Hieke. Many of them have since become fixed stars of Austrian painting, while museums have also belatedly included and honored them.