Herbert (Herb) Schutz died in Toronto on January 1, 2018 at age 80. He will be missed by his wife of 56 years, Dr. Alice Schutz; his brother Dr. Hart Schutz; his children Dr. Andrea Schutz (Daniel), Dr. Christopher Schutz; and his grandchildren Kira Chisholm and Alexandra Chisholm. He is fondly remembered by his sister- and brother-in-law Ingrid and Helmut Herrmann, and by his nieces and nephews Stephen Schutz (Judy), Paula Heddle (Robert), Richard Herrmann, and Karla Herrmann.
Herb came to Canada in 1951 from Germany, and graduated from Central Technical School, Toronto in 1956. He obtained his BA at the University of Toronto (1959), where he studied French, German, and Ancient, Near Eastern, and Modern History. He obtained his teaching qualifications at the Ontario College of Education, and taught at Jarvis Collegiate and Central Technical School as head of the French department and as assistant head of Moderns. After obtaining his MA (1965) and PhD (1968) from the University of Toronto, he taught at Brock University, St. Catharines, becoming Professor in 1983, and Professor Emeritus after his retirement (2003).
He contributed academically and professionally through presentations, publications, and reviews in 18th Century German Literature, Language, and Pedagogy. With C.R. Owen, he translated J. Fernau’s Farewell to Genius and co-authored German a Practical Approach, which was later adapted to computerized language laboratory instruction. His main body of work comprised 10 volumes of Central European History from Pre-history to 1300. Research travel and photography for these works were supported by grants from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and from Brock University.
His service to the academy and teaching was extensive and varied. He served on several germane boards and committees relating to his pedagogical work. He was a founding member of the Ontario Association of Teachers’ of German (OATG), and served many years as an executive member of the Ontario Modern Language Teachers Association (OMLTA), including as its president. He was a member and chair of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs, Niagara Chapter.
At Brock University, he served ten years on Senate, and five terms as chairman of the department of Germanic and Slavic Studies/Modern Languages and Literature. He helped establish the Trent-Brock Study Year in Freiburg Programme, and served 5 separate years as Resident Director. For his dedication, he was awarded two medals: the Medal of the Cities of Freiburg and Basel (1989) and the Medal and Citation of the University of Freiburg (1990) in recognition of his promotion of international understanding. Throughout his career, he was a believer in “the community of scholars”, and supported colleagues and students aspiring to the professoriate. The family wish to thank all the staff at Kensington Hospice for their wonderful care and support. A Service of Remembrance will be held at the Turner & Porter Yorke Chapel, 2357 Bloor St. W., Toronto on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at 3 p.m. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. For those who wish, donation may be made to the Kensington Hospice, www.kensingtonhealth.org