Tributes

Harry Carl Schaub, whose life path led him from Northeastern Pennsylvania’s coal region to Central Europe, died at the age of 96 on May 11 following a stroke. He was a resident of Center City for 70 years and a former part-time resident of Vienna, Austria. “I’ve had three careers,” he announced in his 80’s, “Intelligence officer, lawyer, and author.” Energetic, optimistic, and gregarious, Schaub’s versatility and intellectual curiosity enabled him to pursue a wide range of professional, academic and social interests throughout his long life, as demonstrated by his voluminous collection of books. Growing up in Freeland, Luzerne County, Harry tracked WWII developments in the European theatre of war on a map on his bedroom wall. He excelled at MMI Preparatory School, receiving a full merit scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in Political Science and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. Having joined a strategic intelligence research unit at Penn, Schaub later served in the U.S. Army as Yugoslav Desk Officer at the Pentagon (“I’m an expert on a country that no longer exists!”). He led World Affairs Council trips to the Soviet Union in the 1960’s, and his lifelong interest in international relations inspired extensive travel in Central and Eastern Europe over the years. Along with history buff friends in Austria, Harry formed a group who called themselves “The History Boys” and travelled together to former territories of the Austro-Hungarian Empire during the 2010’s. He also visited China with families from The Haverford School, enjoyed Baltic and Mediterranean cruises in his late 80’s, and relished a South African safari adventure with his son just shy of his 90th birthday. With his law degree from Yale Law School, in 1955 Schaub joined the Philadelphia firm of Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoads where he was a “Lifer” until his retirement from legal practice in 1999, when he continued to go to his office at MMWR daily until the Covid pandemic. He specialized in business law and international transactions; his matters of local note included sale of the John Wanamaker Store in the late 1970’s and the startup of Camelback Ski Mountain. He mentored and imparted life lessons to countless young professionals (“Into each life, a little rain must fall!”), and colleagues have described him as “a superb storyteller”, “a mean table tennis player”, and “life of the party”. While practicing law, Schaub expanded his repertoire to the foreign service sphere. Fluent in German, he represented Austria as Honorary Consul General for eastern Pennsylvania for 32 years. He assisted Austrian expatriates, promoted Austrian business and tourism, and facilitated diplomatic visits. Dean of the Consular Corps College, Harry liked to describe the job of an honorary consul as “the 3 P’s: parking, protocol, and parties!” Upon retirement from the law firm at age 70, Schaub acquired a pied-a-terre in Vienna and launched a complex 10-year research project in Europe and the USA on the resistance to Hitler in the Austrian intelligence services. He authored several articles and then published his book about the first witness for the American prosecution at the Nuremberg Trial (first in German, then in English, https://www.amazon.com/Call-Your-First-Witness-Nuremberg/dp/1533558213), when he was in his mid-80’s. Following publication of “Call Your First Witness”, he embarked on book signing tours in 2015-2016 from Graz, Austria to San Diego, California. In recognition of Schaub’s scholarly contribution, Holy Family University awarded him an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. He was a Board member, officer and legal advisor to numerous local organizations, including Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion, German Society of Pennsylvania, Military Order of Foreign Wars, Botstiber Foundation, Philadelphia Civic Ballet, and Central YMCA, as well as co-founder of the John Peter Zenger Law Society and the Austrian Society of Pennsylvania, where he initiated the annual Johann Strauss Ball. Harry was also a member of, among others, the Union League of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Club, and the Rittenhouse Club. He frequently attended opera and classical music performances. Schaub is survived by his wife of 42 years, Kathryn Deans-Schaub; daughters Lisa (Monte Grossman) and Cannon; son Christian (Alexander Matthews); and devoted caregiver Alex. He was predeceased by his younger brother and sister and by numerous cherished friends. Services were private. In his memory, contributions may be made to the Harry Carl Schaub J.D. ’46 Endowed Scholarship which he established with gratitude for his education at MMI Preparatory School (https://www.mmiprep.org/donate/ or www.mmiprep.org and click “Support MMI”).

Tributes

Harry Carl Schaub

February 3, 1929 - May 11, 2025