Herbert (Herb) Schutz (February 25, 1937 – January 1, 2018) was a German-born Canadian philologist who was Professor Emeritus and Chair of the Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies/Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures at
Brock University
Brock University is a public research university in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. It is the only university in Canada in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, at the centre of Canada's Niagara Peninsula on the Niagara Escarpment. The university bear ...
.
Biography
Herbert Schutz was born in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
on February 25, 1937.
He emigrated to
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
in 1951. Schutz graduated from the
Central Technical School
Central Technical School (CTS or Central Tech) is a Canadian composite high school in Toronto, Ontario. The school is run by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB); before 1998, it was run by the Toronto Board of Education (TBE).
Central Tech ...
in Toronto in 1956. Schutz obtained his BA from the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
in 1959, where he studied Ancient, Near Eastern, and Modern History. Obtaining his teaching qualifications at the Ontario College of Education, Schutz taught at
Jarvis Collegiate Institute
Jarvis Collegiate Institute is a high school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is named after Jarvis Street where it is located. It is a part of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). Prior to 1998, it was within the Toronto Board of Education (T ...
and Central Technical School, where he was head of the French department and as assistant head of Moderns.
Obtaining his MA (1965) and PhD (1968) at the University of Toronto, Schutz taught at
Brock University
Brock University is a public research university in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. It is the only university in Canada in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, at the centre of Canada's Niagara Peninsula on the Niagara Escarpment. The university bear ...
, where he became Professor in 1983. He subsequently served as Chairman of the Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies/Modern Languages and Literature at Brock University. Schutz retired as Professor Emeritus in 2003.
Schutz produced numerous works on the
German language
German ( ) is a West Germanic languages, West Germanic language mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and Official language, official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Ita ...
and
literature
Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...
. In the 1970s, he co-wrote ''German a Practical Approach'', which was subsequently adapted to computerized language laboratory instruction, becoming a model for German grammar textbooks published in Canada.
Schutz is well known for his 10 volume series on Central European History from Pre-history to 1300. These were produced through financial support from the
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC; french: Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada, CRSH) is a Canadian federal research-funding agency that promotes and supports post-secondary research and traini ...
.
The first volume of the series, ''The Prehistory of Germanic Europe'', was published in 1983, with the reviewer for ''
The American Historical Review
''The American Historical Review'' is a quarterly academic history journal and the official publication of the American Historical Association. It targets readers interested in all periods and facets of history and has often been described as the ...
'' writing that the book "should be read by anyone the least bit interested in the history of Europe".
Schutz was a founding member of the Ontario Association of Teachers’ of German, and served several years as Chair of the Niagara Chapter of the
Canadian Institute of International Affairs
The Canadian International Council (CIC; french: Conseil international du Canada, link=no) is a Canadian think tank on foreign relations. It is an independent, member-based council established to strengthen Canada's role in international affair ...
and President the Ontario Modern Language Teachers’ Association.
Schutz died in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
on January 1, 2018. He was survived by his wife of 56 years, and several children and grandchildren.
Selected works
* ''The Prehistory of Germanic Europe'', 1983
* ''The Romans in Central Europe'', 1985
* ''The Germanic Realms in Pre-Carolingian Central Europe, 400-750'', 2000
* ''Tools, Weapons and Ornaments: Germanic Material Culture in Pre-Carolingian Central Europe, 400-750'', 2001
* ''The Carolingians in Central Europe'', 2004
* ''The Medieval Empire in Central Europe'', 2010
* ''Mystic Women and Lyric Poets In Medieval Society'', 2010
* ''Romanesque Architecture And Its Artistry In Central Europe, 900-1300'', 2011
References
External links
Herbert Schutzat
WorldCat
WorldCat is a union catalog that itemizes the collections of tens of thousands of institutions (mostly libraries), in many countries, that are current or past members of the OCLC global cooperative. It is operated by OCLC, Inc. Many of the OCL ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schutz, Herbert
1937 births
2018 deaths
Brock University faculty
Canadian philologists
German emigrants to Canada
Germanic studies scholars
Germanists
University of Toronto alumni