Obituary - Clemens Lux

Clemens Lux passed away on January 26th, this year. He was 75 years old.

For many decades he coined the management and reputation of the SV and of the SV headquarters.

He was born a child of the so-called “Coal Pot” and became a member to the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV) e.V. in 1970. 31 litters were born in his kennel “von der Burschenpartie” before he retired from his breeding and dog sports activities to fully dedicate himself to his position as manging director of the SV headquarters.

The graduate business engineer took his first job at the SV at age 26 where he became the assistant to the management. In 1981 he was appointed managing director of the SV – an office which he held until his retirement in 2009.

During this period our association was extremely successful and the position of the German Shepherd Dog as the most popular breed could be strengthened and stabilized.

For most of us he was simply „Clemens „or „Don Clemente “whenever he was mentioned.

And it was at a very early stage that Clemens Lux recognized the necessity of a global integration of the associations for the German Shepherd Dog breed at worldwide level. This was reflected by Clemens Lux’ incessant commitment toward our worldwide organization – the WUSV.

Two important milestones of this development were the foundation and admission of the Chinese Club for German Shepherd Dogs (CSV) and the integration of almost the entire South American Continent into the WUSV.

And it was because of his commitment for the worldwide concerns of the German Shepherd Dog breed that he continued to selflessly be available in his position as senior consultant for the WUSV and the destinies of the German Shepherd Dog breed. Until the very end he visited his office at the WUSV Secretariat General in Augsburg several times per week.

Technical competence and his very nature, on the one had coined by fairness and on the other hand by assertiveness, earned him worldwide and highest respect.

His negotiating skill was legendary. At any given moment did he know where he stood and where he wanted to be – without ever underestimating complex dependencies to which everybody in such a position is subjected. He was fully aware that at times two sidesteps were required to later move several steps forward.

His successful work over the decades was based on his ability for analysis as quick as lightning in combination with courageous and far-sighted decision making, insight into human nature and communicative competences.

His work was coined by straightforwardness and persistence. He enriched all of us by his humorous and appealing way, with good arguments, pun, and empathy.

Clemens Lux was a gifted tactician and visionary who was able to anticipate developments to come, think outside the box, and early recognized what remained unseen for a long time to others.

The world of the German Shepherd Dog breed and cynology lost a leading personality of the past decade. Thus, not only the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV) e.V. will mourn the death of Clemens Lux.

Elegant, unconventional, wise and matter of fact – with Clemens Lux we lost so much more than we might be aware of today.

The German Shepherd World mourns his death – Our sincere sympathy and thoughts are with his family.

Professor Dr. Heinrich Meßler
WUSV President