Nagel, Hans

Hans Nagel was best known for delighting the children of Houston during his tenure as zookeeper at the Hermann Park Zoo during the 1920s and 1930s. His life before and after his career at the zoo is unknown. He was of Dutch ancestry and born in Germany although he allegedly reported to immigration authorites in 1932 that his birthplace was Tobin, Texas. He trained at the Hagenbeck Animal Company in Germany. His unorthodox style was reflected in his training of the zoo animals to perform as if in a circus setting. It was a familiar sight to see Nagel using a whip and small pitchfork to either agitate or subdue the zoo animals for performances.

Nagel’s duties extended beyond his work with the animals. Reportedly he witnessed prowlers breaking into the zoo late at night. He chased the intruders several yards while firing shots into the air; intercepting any further progress they would have made into the zoo grounds.

Nagel made himself available to help others when needed. He once administered critical first aid to a biology student from Sam Houston State College who was extracting venom from poisonous snakes. The student had inadvertently pricked himself with his own hypodermic needle and began exhibiting symptoms shortly after. Nagel also saved a park official visiting the zoo who was being mauled by the Bengal tiger. Nagel killed the tiger by shooting it with his pistol. Nagel was later awarded with a gold medal in appreciation from the citizens of Houston. For a Montgomery County homicide case, based on Mr. Nagel’s assessment of bird behavior, a parrot who had witnessed the murder was held in custody in hopes that it would divulge whether or not the prime suspect was the killer. Despite attempts of Sheriff’s deputies to get the parrot to speak, the information was never disclosed.

Nagel himself was not immune to the mishaps of working with wild animals. In 1931 he was attacked by the eldest male lion in the zoo during a performance which involved Nagel harrassing the cat with his pitchfork. Nagel had endured many such attacks and apparently held no grudges against the animals.

When not attending to his post as zookeeper, Nagel managed to surround himself with some of Houston’s most prominent citizens. A darling of the local press; journalists and photographers were always invited to document Mr. Nagel’s gatherings, performances, and other attention-getting antics. The result of this was two-fold. It gained Nagel permanent citizenship in this country during a time when his entry into the United States was being investigated, and focused attention on the upkeep of the zoo grounds.

From the guide to the Hans Nagel Collection MSS 332., 1850 to 1959, 1925 to 1950, (Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library)