Albert Schluter

Who was Albert Schluter?

Albert Christian Schlüter OAM was a German-born Australian activist for immigrant rights in Australia.

Schluter was born in Hamburg, Germany, the oldest of 3 children. His father, Heinrich Schlüter, was a German army officer was killed during World War II at the age of 41. His wife, Margarethe was left to raise 3 children, Albert, Heinz and Monya.

Schluter followed in his father's footsteps and enlisted in the German Army at the beginning of WW2 and rose to the rank of lieutenant. He was twice decorated with the Iron Cross and luckily survived after a bullet wound to the arm allowed a timely exit from the Eastern Front.

He immigrated to Australia in 1951 to live with his uncle and aunt in Sydney. Some years later he travelled to Tasmania on a holiday and soon took up residence and married Kathleen Round on Anzac Day, 1957. He fathered four children, Paul, Christine, Andrew and Simon. He worked in a range of jobs including dry cleaning, geratric nursing, a clerk at BP and lastly as a self-employed printer.

Growing up in Nazi Germany during the reign of Adolf Hitler left an indelible impression. Schluter was disheartened by the xenophobic treatment of foreigners by Australians.