[1] After the Second World War, his mother fled from East Prussia with 11-years-old Erich and his four siblings, initially to a refugee camp in Lübeck, and finally the family settled in Niederzissen.

He graduated in Andernach as an apprentice auto mechanic, and eventually passed his master exam.

He founded his own garage in Niederzissen, which was the location of the Zakspeed racing operation, starting in 1968.

[2] In 1968, still under the previous name "Zakowski Niederzissen Tuning", he started using a Ford Escort 1300 GT for automobile races on the nearby Nürburgring.

[5] In 1990, after five years of racing, his F1 team had to give up, due to the loss of main sponsor West.