1250 SCALE MESSAGE BOARD: Re: Dr Hjalmar Heinen

Thank you Harald for posting this. The photos of Hjalmar’s collection and library were taken in December of last year when Renee and Ian visited with him. It was only last month that that the cancer was discovered.

For the past 14 years Hjalmar served as business manager for Saratoga Model Shipyard. As such he handled all financial and production matters, making sure that my models got produced and quality was maintained. Hjalmar was enthusiastic about the hobby, always proclaiming “I want to see these models made!” He worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make models happen for all collectors, not just mine, but those of other producers too.

During those years I got to know him well. He was kind, friendly, gentle, intelligent, trustworthy and positive about life. His many contributions to the hobby should not be underestimated.

Renee and I are terribly saddened by his sudden passing. Every time I work on a model now, or look at my collection I will think of him.

Rest in peace friend. You will be missed.

Previous Message

On Saturday, after several operations for Bladder Cancer, our dear friend Hjalmar Heinen passed on.
Hjalmar from Munich, Germany, was a regular visitor for our SMSC meetings, both nationally and also in Northern California.
I got to know Hjalmar in 2011, when I took a group of US and Dutch 1250 collectors through Germany and Holland, around Kassel that year. Hjalmar guided us through Munich, where we visited Navis Neptune, Wiedling, Rodkling and a few of the beautiful cathedrals. He also arranged for a 1250 collectors meeting at our hotel.
Later that year, our group held a reunion at our SMSC meeting in Monterey, CA. Hjalmar attended this.
In 2014, Hjalmar came to our SMSC meeting in San Diego. We were able to visit USS RONALD REAGAN CVN 76, USS HOWARD DDG 83 and Flip. From there, a group of us flew to Hawaii. Besides the Arizona Memorial, USS MISSOURI and The Museum of the Pacific, we also got to visit the site in Koolina, where the main guns of the Arizona were installed as coastal batteries. We got a tour of the Schofield Barracks, made famous by the Burt Lancaster/Frank Sinatra film "From Here to Eternity"
We spent our last evening at the Tiki Restaurant "La Marianas"

Through his connections to some of our 1250 producers in and around Munich, Hjalmar was instrumental in getting many 1250 models produced. And every time Hjalmar came to visit us in the States, he had a suitcase full of new models for us.
So many nice memories of hours spent with Hjalmar. I still cannot believe that he is no longer with us. I have put together an album of photos of Hjalmar together with photos from Peter Gottschalk and Ian & Renee Jacobs.
https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B2e5xq0MhbiYYK
Hjalmar, we will miss you dearly.