Paul Mahrer

Paul Mahrer

Born Pavel Mahrer on May 23, 1890 in Teplice, Bohemia, Austro-Hungary (Present Day: The Czech Republic.)

Mahrer started playing Soccer (Football) while being interned in a British PoW Camp during World War 1.

In 1918, World War 1 ended and the Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed and an Independent and Democratic Czechoslovakia was created.

Mahrer then played for Teplitzer FK, DFC Prag, and the Czechoslovak Olympic Team.

In 1924, less than 6 years after being created, Czechoslovakia played in the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, France.

Czechoslovakia finished 9^th in the Olympics that year.

In 1926 Mahrer went to the United States and played for the American Soccer League (first with the Brooklyn Wanderers and then with the Hakoah All-Stars) before returning to Czechoslovakia in 1932.  

Mahrer retired from Soccer in 1936 when he was 46 years old.

The German Nazis invaded and occupied Chechoslovkia in 1938.

In 1942 Mahrer was arrested by the Germans and sent to the Theresienstadt/Terezín Ghetto in German-Occupied Czechoslovakia with his Family.

In Theresienstadt Mahrer played Soccer in the “Ghetto League.”

The Germans then took his Wife, Betty, and 2 Sons, Jerry and Peter, to a German Internment Camp for American Citizens (as Jerry had been born in the United States while his Father was playing for the American Soccer League.)

Betty, Jerry and Peter sailed to New York on-board the Swedish Ship the MS. Gripsholm in February 1945.

Mahrer survived the Holocaust and was liberated from Theresienstadt in May 1945 and went to join his Family in the US in May 1946.

Paul Mahrer died in New York on December 18, 1985 at the age of 85.