Horst Werner Zimmermann

04/26/1938 - 06/04/2023

Horst Werner Zimmermann, of Manhattan Beach, passed away on June 4, 2023 at his home after battling dementia for the past year and a half.

Horst was born on April 26, 1938 in Berlin, Germany and after moving to the United States in 1954 went on to serve in the US Army. After leaving the service, Horst joined the Los Angeles County Fire Department in 1965. In the early years, Horst worked in a few busy stations but found his true love in 1973, working the urban interface as a founding member of the Fire Camp Program. As Superintendent 8, he left his mark on the department, with the Malibu community, and with the hundreds of young men, and a few women, who had the unique joy and fear of working with the “Commandant;” the thick-accented man, with a leadership style all to his own, filled with teaching, some parenting, a little pranking, but mostly, a true passion for the job. For those who knew him well, there were times when we didn’t know if he loved putting out fires more than he did lighting them, as backfires, of course. Reluctantly, Horst promoted to Battalion Chief and continued to work in the Malibu area, then the Antelope Valley and ended his career on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. He always missed his “boots on the ground” work after his promotion to chief officer. Throughout his career, Horst was highly respected by his peers and received numerous awards for his commitment and dedication. However, Horst felt that the most important thing he gained from his time with the fire department were the friendships and relationships he forged. Horst also inspired a legacy of service in his own children who have served in Fire, Forestry, Police, and Education. Horst retired from the fire department in 1998 and was greatly missed by all who knew him.

Horst’s life was full of adventure and one of his greatest joys was sharing his stories with others, especially in his retirement. One of his remarkable stories was noted in a local newspaper and told his story of escaping from East Germany during the post-WWII 1953 Berlin uprising. Despite the dangerous situation, Horst managed to make it to the USA at the age of 15. During his time in East Germany, Horst was sentenced to a fifteen year prison sentence for throwing a Molotov cocktail at passing Russian tanks. However, with the help of an SS military youth uniform and a bike borrowed from his best friend Manfred, he was able to get across the border to West Germany. Horst never heard from Manfred again. Horst was the sum of all of his experiences in life and personified perseverance, grit, and determination. Horst had a witty sense of humor and a smile that could cheer up even the gloomiest of moments.

Horst is survived by his daughters Carla and Erica; son Craig and his wife Carrie; and grandchildren Devin, Diego, Skyler, Trenton and Charlie. Horst was preceded in death by his wife, Linda Zimmermann (d. 2019) and son, Carl Zimmermann (d. 1972). A Celebration of Life and luncheon will be held in honor of Horst on Sunday, July 30th, 2023 from 10am to 3pm PDT at the Los Angeles County Fire Museum in Bellflower, CA. The Flag Ceremony will begin at 10am followed by a celebration of life and luncheon at 11am. The family asks that you join us and share “Horst” stories as a way to honor and remember him in joy and service. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Los Angeles County Fire Museum in Bellflower are appreciated.

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