In conversation with Prof. Dr. Hainbuch: What bedrop learned from a bee expert
At bedrop, everything has revolved around the world of bees and their valuable treasures for years. Sometimes you meet people whose experience you simply take your hat off to. People who calmly talk about things that others would spend a lifetime researching. We had the pleasure of spending such an afternoon with Prof. Dr. Friedrich Hainbuch. Scientist, passionate beekeeper and author of the book "The Healing Power of Bees". What began as an interview quickly turned into an exchange that stayed with us.
From the lecture hall to the beehive
Prof. Dr. Hainbuch, born in 1953, has had an unusually multifaceted career. He has three doctorates, in theology, sports science and medicine. Before devoting himself entirely to apitherapy, he spent around twenty years as a religious education teacher. Today he teaches as an Associated Professor at the University of Oradea in Romania. What really impressed us: For all the titles and books, he has simply stayed close to the bees. He looks after six of his own bee colonies on his old farm. In spring and summer, he extracts his honey with his own hands.
The turning point to bees came with the news about the worldwide bee mortality. "Reading about it" became "doing something". On his farm, he not only gave the bees a home, but also horses, dogs, cats and, together with NABU, one of Germany's largest nature conservation organizations, even an endangered barn owl.
The calmness and depth with which he talks about bees was particularly resonant for us. As a naturopath, he has been involved with the use of bee products for many years and uses them in his work with patients. Apitherapy, i.e. the use of bee products to support well-being, is not a trend for him, but thousands of years of knowledge that needs to be rediscovered. A tradition that already had its place in ancient Egypt and is still practiced today in Central and Eastern Europe, Asia and America.
While apitherapy is still more of a niche topic in Germany, it has long been part of everyday complementary medicine in countries such as Romania, Russia and China. Hainbuch has set himself the task of making this knowledge more visible in this country too. The depth of his connection to this topic is also evident internationally: the apitherapy section of the Slovenian Beekeepers' Association has made him an honorary member and awarded him a plaque for special services to apitherapy.
What we took away from the conversation
We brought lots of questions with us. About honey, about propolis, about royal jelly. About what bees give us. And about what people have made of it over the centuries. Prof. Dr. Hainbuch took his time and answered surprisingly openly.
"Manuka honey should be in every medicine cabinet."
It's sentences like this that stick with you. Not because they are well formulated, but because they are backed by decades of practice, research and lived experience. It is precisely this mixture that makes the difference.
Practical bee knowledge, easily explained
"The Healing Power of Bees" is just one of several books that Prof. Dr. Hainbuch has written about the world of bees. It takes you into the world that he talks about so vividly. On 144 pages, he describes the special treasures of the beehive. Honey, propolis, royal jelly, pollen and much more. And he shows how you can integrate this knowledge into your everyday life.
The great thing is that it is not a dry textbook. You will find recipes from ancient Egypt, tips from modern apitherapy and knowledge that has been passed down for generations. Understandable for everyone, without any specialist knowledge. A book that brings together science and practical life.
More attention for bees
What we take away from the conversation goes beyond application and effect. Prof. Dr. Hainbuch has reminded us how closely our well-being is linked to that of bees. Without bees there would be no honey, no pollination, no healthy ecosystem.
The breadth of his commitment can also be seen in his other books. In "The Silent Dying of the Bees", he shows how much of our own lives depends on bees. And it was precisely this clarity that made us once again aware of our own responsibility.
After this meeting, we were left with the feeling that we had met someone who has never lost his enthusiasm. And that is exactly what we will take with us. A quiet, honest connection to the world of bees that will linger for a long time. And it is precisely this thought that sustains us in our own work. It encourages us in our why and makes us proud of what we do at bedrop every day.
