Eric Emil Von Schramek (1921 - 2010)

Born 4 Apr 1921 in Prague, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia

Died 6 Apr 2010 at age 89 in South Australia, Australia

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Biography

Eric Von Schramek is Notable.

Eric Emil von Schramek was born on 4th April 1921 in Prague, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia.

Although he had early ambitions to become an artist and painter, Eric was 're-directed' towards architecture by his parents. He completed an Engineering Diploma in Architecture at the Prague Technical University, before emigrating to Germany after World War Two, in 1946. There, he was appointed a town planner in Ober and Mittelfranken, Bavaria, having undertaken post graduate studies at the Technical University, Munich. Much of his work in Germany was in re-planning war-destroyed townships, including Nurnberg. He also commenced what was to become his lifetime involvement with ecclesiastical architecture, designing two churches for the Evangelical Lutheran Church. ^[1]

Eric married Edith Popper in February 1948 in Germany and the couple emigrated to Australia later that year. ^[1] Their children were Annette, Therese and Charles.

Eric's commitment to the Lutheran and wider church in Australia began upon his arrival in 1948 when he was appointed Honorary Architect to the Lutheran Church in the Migrant Camp at Bonegilla, Victoria, and designed the chapel there. Moving to Darwin soon afterward as Senior Supervising Architect for the Department of Works and Housing, he was again involved in re-building work, following the bombing of Darwin in World War Two. In 1951 he established his own office in Adelaide, South Australia. ^[1]

Eric became an Associate of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) in 1953, a Fellow in 1967 and a Life Fellow in 1977. In addition, he was a Fellow of the Royal British Institute of Architects. He held a range of positions with the RAIA (SA Chapter), being a Councillor (1968-70), Vice President (1972-74), President (1974-76) and a Chairman of the Practice Committee. ^[1]

He was created Knight Bachelor in 1981.

In 2007 Eric wrote Reminiscences: Eric von Schramek and his Churches, a book sponsored by the Friends of the Lutheran Archives, in which Sir Eric reflects on his life and architectural achievements. ^[1]

Aged 89 years and two days, he passed away on 6th April 2010 in South Australia, and is buried in Centennial Park Cemetery, Pasadena. ^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} McDougall, Alison, 'von Schramek, Eric Emil’, Architecture Museum, University of South Australia, 2008, Architects of South Australia; accessed 25 May 2023
2. ↑ Find-a-Grave; accessed 25 May 2023