After graduating in 1966, he studied philosophy and theology in Bonn and Tübingen under Hans Küng and Joseph Ratzinger and was ordained as a priest on 17 June 1972 in Krefeld.
[11] On 29 December 1981 (with effect from 1 January 1982) bishop Klaus Hemmerle appointed him to become the successor of Ferdinand Lenßen as pastor of St. Elisabeth.
He was motivated by a deep belief and commitment to social justice, reflected in a multitude of projects, events and long-term established facilities.
by the creation of an unemployment center), drug addicts, and he supported the peace movement, cross-cultural communication and intercultural exchange.
[1][4][13][2][17][15][11][18][19][20][8][9] Let us preach more through our lives than with words.While to him working with the youth had the highest priority[15] he also continued to maintain already established initiatives such as the "Elisabeth Conference", a program originally founded in 1908 to support poor people, and among them especially elderly women and, increasingly, single mothers.
[1][21][4][12][17][15][22][23][24] Open also to worldly amusements, Baumann was guided by his insight: "Jesus must have been a happy person, why else would he have turned water into wine?
[1][21][2][15][16][28][29][30][31][32][33] The vicinity of the parish church of St. Elisabeth being located at the Blücherplatz [de], one of Aachen's important traffic hubs with the nearby Europaplatz [de], was utilized by Baumann for large-scale admonishing banners mounted on the building's facade and fencing in order to spread the message and draw attention from motorists and passers-by to global ills as well as to local activities and to ask for help and commitment.
[1][40][41] Heinz Baumann inspired the German artist Günther Beckers [de] to create several portraits, some of which could be seen posthumously f.e.
[42][43][44] From 2002, he fought to continue the social services for young people and to keep the unemployment center open[17] against austerity and closure intentions imposed by his superiors.
[16][51][52][4] In parallel, in 2004/2005, Baumann personally supported the initiative of several pupils of the parish to repaint the entire interior of the church (project "Weiße Weihnacht", engl.