Gottlieb Schuler

Gottlieb Frederick Henry Schuler (23 February 1853 – 11 December 1926)[1] was an Australian journalist, editor of The Age for 26 years from 1900.

Schuler was born in Heimerdingen, Württemberg, the son of Jacob Friderich Schüler and his wife Christine Catharine, née Frey. [1] Around 1860 Schuler came to Australia with his parents and was educated at Sandhurst (now Bendigo, Victoria). After leaving school he joined the staff of the Bendigo Independent did much reading and gained an intimate acquaintance with English, French, and German literature. He later transferred the Bendigo Advertiser, where he specialized as a mining reporter, and soon had much knowledge of the industry. In March 1879 he was given an appointment on the Melbourne newspaper The Age in connection with which he obtained an intimate acquaintance with Victorian politics.

Schuler became chief of staff in 1890 and prepared much of the material which led to the attack on the management of the railways, and the famous Speight action for libel. He was appointed editor of the Age on 1 January 1900 and held the position continuously for the remainder of his life. In 1917 his only son, Lieutenant Phillip F. E. Schuler, was killed in action in France. Phillip Schuler had been a war correspondent before enlisting in the AIF and had published a volume on the Battle of Gallipoli campaign, 'Australia in Arms', in 1916.

Schuler died suddenly at his home in Hawthorn, Melbourne, on 11 December 1926 leaving a widow and two daughters.[1] Belonging as he did to the old school of anonymous journalism Schuler never came much before the public, but as chief of staff he showed great tact, and as editor had his finger on every department of the paper. It could be said that The Age lost prestige under his editorship, but circumstances in Australia were changing rapidly, it is unlikely that any newspaper will have the power wielded by The Age under David Syme and Arthur Windsor during the last quarter of the nineteenth century.

References

  1. 1 2 3 John Hurst, 'Schuler, Gottlieb Frederick Heinrich (1853 - 1926)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Vol. 11, MUP, 1988, pp 539-540. Retrieved 18 December 2009
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