Paul Mahrer

Paul Mahrer

(Pavel Mahrer in his Soccer Uniform in Prague, Czechoslovakia.)

Paul Mahrer was born Pavel Mahrer on May 23, 1900 in Teplice, Bohemia, the Austro-Hungarian Empire (Present-Day: Teplice, the Czech Republic.)

His Father, Sigmund, was a Merchant and his Mother was Bertha (née Taussigová.)

He had two Brothers, Kurt and Ota (Otto.)

He did a Banking Apprenticeship.

In 1918 Pavel enlisted in the Austro-Hungarian Army during World War 1.

He was sent to the Italian Front and took part in the Battle of Vittorio Veneta, during which he was captured by the British on October 27^th.

In the POW Camp Pavel played Soccer.

After the War he was released from the POW Camp and in 1919 he played for the Teplitzer Fußball-Klub 1903 (a German Soccer Team in newly Independent Teplice, Czechoslovakia.)

In 1922 Pavel went with 17 other Members of his Team on a Tour of South America playing in Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil.

When he came back from South America he joined the Deutscher Fußball-Club Prag and moved to Prague.

Also in 1922 Pavel married Betty Guttmann, the Daughter of the Rabbi and Cantor of the Pinkas Synagogue, Baruch Guttmann, in Prague.

In 1924 Pavel joined the Czechoslovak National Soccer Team and played at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris.

In 1926 their Son, Peter, was born.

Also in 1926 he went (with his Wife and Son) to the United States and played with the Brooklyn Wanderers of the American Soccer League.

He returned to Czechoslovakia after the Season but was back in the United States in December 1928 where he played for the Jewish Club Hakoah All-Stars for the next three Seasons.

He made $500 Dollars ($9,500 Dollars in 2026) for his contract.

In 1929 their second Son, Jerome, was born while in the US and so was an American Citizen by Birth.

He returned to Czechoslovakia in 1932 due to the effects of the Great Depression in the US and the World.

In August 1933 Pavel and his Team (Deutscher Fußball-Club Prag) went to Berlin, Nazi Germany to play, but Pavel and another Teammate were not allowed to play because of the Nazis’ Anti-Jewish Laws.

He retired from Soccer in 1936.

He then opened a Store that sold Shirts in Prague.

In March 1939 Nazi Germany invaded Czechoslovakia.

Pavel was forced to close his Store because of the Anti-Jewish Laws and he worked in Road Construction.

Because his Son, Jerome, was an American Citizen and a Minor Pavel, his Wife and their other Son were protected from the Anti-Jewish German Laws.

In 1942 Pavel was arrested for looking for food for his Family on the Black Market.

He was sent to a regular Prison for a year before being transferred to the Theresienstadt/ Terezín Ghetto 40 miles from Prague on June 9, 1943.

Because of his Pre-War fame he was made a Kitchen Helper in the Ghetto which was a Prized Position.

In 1943-1944 he participated in the Terezín League (playing Soccer once again against other Teams in the Ghetto.)

Pavel was also made a Coach of the coach of the Fleisher (Butchers) Team.

Theresienstadt held 144,000 Jewish Men, Women and Children from all over German-Occupied Europe.

33,000 People died inside Theresienstadt from starvation, disease and shootings by the Germans.

90,000 People were deported from Theresienstadt and murdered in the Death Camps in German-Occupied Poland.

Pavel’s Two Brothers were deported from Theresienstadt to Auschwitz and murdered.

Otto in 1943 and Kurt in 1944.

Pavel managed to survive the Deportations and was liberated by the Soviet Red Army on May 8, 1945.

Betty and her Children were arrested by the Germans in 1943.

Jerome and Peter were interned in a Camp in Tittmoning, Germany and their Mother in a Camp in Biberach.

 In February 1945, all three became part of a Prisoner Exchange and were sent to Switzerland, from where the American Army escorted them to Marseille.

In France they boarded a ship and sailed for New York (all thanks to Jerome being born in the United States.)

In 1946 Pavel also immigrated to the United States and reunited with his Family.

He changed his name to Paul.

He lived in New York and worked at a Company making Cards.

He visited Communist Czechoslovakia in 1966 and 1968.

After he retired Paul and Betty moved to California to live with their Son, Peter.

Paul Mahrer died on December 18, 1985.

He was 85 years old year.

Betty Mahrer died on January 2, 1990.