Heinrich Czerkus was born in Minge in East Prussia, but moved to Dortmund in 1920, where he lived at Schlosserstrasse 42.

Already in the year of his arrival, Heinrich became a member of the KPD – the German Communist Party –and in the next five years worked his way up into a higher position in the local organization. He worked for a time as a metalworker, and in 1924 became a groundsman at the enlarged Borussia “Weisse Wiese” sports ground. At this time, because of his membership of the KPD, he was already under police observation, but was nevertheless elected onto the Dortmund city parliament in March 1933. After the exclusion of the Communists in April 1933, he distributed leaflets on behalf of the KPD. He found refuge among Borussia supporters; among others, he was hidden by the family of BVB director August Busse during the persecution.

Heinrich Czerkus, along with 300 other resistance fighters, prisoners of war and slave labourers, was murdered just before the end of the war. The killings took place in Rombergpark and Bittermark. Czerkus was put to death in Rombergpark.