Whenever I hear about the many lonely old people, I also think of the Wolfspitz "Luchs" and his 80-year-old
master. I got to know both of them when I was still taking the bus from Solingen to Düsseldorf every day.
The pensioner Erich Hirt, Luchs' 80-year-old owner, was still working in Düsseldorf despite his old
age. And that's why the dog accompanied him to the bus every morning. In a conversation with
the old man, I later learned how lynx had even saved his life: One day, Mr. Hirt came home earlier than usual. Before he went to bed
because he felt ill, Mr. Hirt tended to his stove. But suddenly the pensioner fell unconscious, and the glowing coals spread across the entire
room. Thick smoke soon filled the room. But Luchs was bright, he alerted the neighbors to the
dangerous situation his master was in by barking loudly and jumping around!
It didn't take long before the neighbors came to help and the unconscious man was taken to the
hospital. However, it was very difficult to separate Luchs from his master; the animal did not want strangers to approach the
pensioner. And during the next few days that Mr. Hirt was in the hospital, Luchs didn't touch any food. How great was his joy when his master finally came home again. Such joy is hard to describe. The dog jumped wildly at his master and pushed the old man against a nearby wall.
I could tell a lot more about the faithful Luchs. For example, he
bravely protected the small arbor where he lived with his master from burglars at night. What would have happened to old Mr. Shepherd that night
if he hadn't had the brave Luchs at his side! But it wasn't so much the animal's protection as its friendship that meant so much to the
80-year-old pensioner. You always hear about old people living a lonely life somewhere - even in big cities. It was much easier for Mr. Hirt because he could always rely on his comrade, the Wolfspitz. Many old people would
also like to have such a friendship.
From "Neue Welt am Sonnabend", 1963
