thesis judged "summa cum laude" entitled "Genua und seine Marine im Zeitalter der Kreuzzüge" ("Genoa and its navy during the time of the Crusades") (1886) Heyck was appointed "Dozent", i.e. lecturer at Freiburg (Breisgau) university.

As independent scholar Heyck gave many speeches throughout Germany, took part in 1898 in the Palestine Expedition of Emperor William II, and in 1900 he travelled to Brazil on a lecture tour which was sponsored by the German ambassador, Count Arco.

Heyck is probably best known as the first editor and sometime author of the "Monographien zur Weltgeschichte" ("Monographs of World History"), first published in 1897 by Velhagen and Klasing, which he edited for almost forty years.

During his long life Heyck published dozens of articles on historical, cultural and artistic topics.

From 1898 to 1900 he was chairman of the "Gesellschaft der Bibliophilen" ("Society of Bibliophiles"), which had been founded by Fedor von Zobeltitz, and belonged for several more years to the executive.

For his 75th birthday Heyck received the "Goethe-Medaille für Kunst und Wissenschaft" ("Goethe Medal for Art and Science") from Adolf Hitler.