Historical records matching Leo Schnurmacher
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About Leo Schnurmacher
https://www.mzv.cz/manila/cz/historie/osobnosti_ceske_historie_na_f...
From the History of Czech Ambassadors in Manila, Philippines:
He was born in the family of a small merchant-tradesman on April 24, 1888 in Lhota near Nové Kdyň (present-day Chodská Lhota). The family (despite the name) reported to Czech nationality and used the Czech language. After graduating from the domestic gymnasium, Schnurmacher spent 3 years working in the Czech Republic. He then moved to different places in Germany, Belgium and France.
In 1911 he finally left for the Philippines, where he remained until 1940. Here he started with the import / export company Ed. A. Keller and Company Ltd., later transferred to the management of Clarke's Inc., producing (and importing) confectionery. Later he switched (as a companion) to the Swiss Oriental Commercial Company, and from 1920 he finally became independent. His own company Leo Schnurmacher Inc. traded with dill and other products.
In 1926 he was appointed President of Masaryk as Honorary Consul of Czechoslovakia in Manila . He joined the position on 17 April 1927. The Honorary Consulate worked smoothly for ten years. Problems have come up with the upcoming war conflict. On March 10, 1939, Schnurmacher gave his resignation. The resignation was - for security reasons - justified by health problems. However, this note came to Prague only after the occupation of the Czech lands, so that the MFA of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, now at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in liquidation, was not detained by him and was kept directly ad acta.
In the United States, Ambassador Hurban persuaded Schnurmacher to remain in office because of the political situation in his office. Schnurmacher then reopened HK in the summer of 1940, but in October 1940 he was forced to move quickly after being warned of being at risk from the Japanese side.
The greater part of the responsibility at that time was already taken over by the Schmelkes brothers. Schnurmacher's representative, Prague native Norbert Schmelkes , became his son-in-law, and when Schnurmacher finally left the Philippines in October 1940 and moved to the US, Schmelkes took over his firm. As deputy consul, he also assumed the post of acting counsel of the Honorary Consulate. After the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, Honorary Consulate of Czechoslovakia existed only de jure. Schnurmacher resided in the US, and his second formal resignation was given only after the liberation of Manila. His resignation of 27 March 1945 was officially notified to the US party on 27 April 1945.
The date of death of Leo Schnurmachera can not be ascertained from our sources.
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Leo Schnurmacher's Timeline
| 1889 |
April 24, 1889
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Chodská Lhota, Domažlice District, Plzeň Region, Czech Republic
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| 1933 |
July 15, 1933
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Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines
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| 1965 |
January 2, 1965
Age 75
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Piedmont, Alameda County, California, United States
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