He studied history, German language and literature and philosophy in Breslau and received his doctorate in 1921.
He passed the examination for a teaching profession for secondary schools.
He worked as a volunteer at the Universitätsbibliothek Breslau [de] and trained himself as an autodidact in musicology by attending appropriate seminars.
In 1924, in accordance with his abilities and recommendations by his library director, he accepted an offer from Wilhelm Altmann to move to Berlin to take up a position in the music department of the Staatsbibliothek Berlin.
From 1 April 1928, he was a library councillor, and after the death of Georg Schünemann on 2 January 1945, he was made head of the music department, which he held until 31 August 1950.