Helmut Heinze was born in Mulda in 1932 and grew up in Dresden. In 1950 he began studying at the Dresden University of Fine Arts, which he interrupted to train as a stone sculptor. During this time he also worked on restoration projects. After receiving his diploma in 1957, he became a freelance artist in Radebeul. He received a teaching position at the Technical University of Dresden and became a lecturer in architecture in 1969. In 1979 he became professor of sculpture at the Dresden University of Fine Arts. After his retirement in 1997, he moved to Kreischa in 1998, where he continues to live and work.