DONORS:
Eckart Schormair Donors
Richard Holmstrom, Robert Collins
Remembering Eckart Schormair
“It was a sad day when I heard of the passing
of Eckart Schormair. We met some 30 thirty
years ago and hit it off. We traveled to
the Highlands in Scotland, the Tundra of
Alaska, Germany, Japan, England to Texas,
Oklahoma, Kanas. He was a tremendous
falconer and a wonderful traveling
companion. I hope his wishes to meet in
heaven with his love of life, his wonderful
wife, Marga came true.
I lift a wee
dram of Lagavulin (Eckarts favorite
whiskey) to his memory.”
- Richard Holmstrom
E
By Hauke ScHormair
German Falconer
President of the DEUTSCHER FALKENORDEN 1978 - 1994
Eckart Schormair was an active Falconer during most of his life and
led the DEUTSCHE FALKENORDEN (DFO), the oldest Falconers’
Club in the world, for 16 years and through difficult times because
in the 1980s active falconry was in danger of being banned in
Germany.
Born in Bavaria, in the South of Germany, he grew up as a country
boy spending his formative years in close contact to nature and
wildlife. It was in Bavaria, that he had his first lessons on looking
after birds of prey and, subsequently, his first experiences with a
Kestrel that he tamed, trained and released. However, at the end
of WWII the family moved to Hamburg as his father was a captain
and had no interest in hunting or falconry.
So in Hamburg in the early 1950s, Eckart was fortunate to make
contact with experienced Falconers such as Heinz Bruell (a well-
known Ornithologist) or Renz Waller , and at the age of 16, he flew
his first Goshawks successfully on rabbits.
Shortly after, he found his true passion in flying long wings over a
pointing dog. He always worked with Peregrine Falcons, no more
than two per season and all of them absolutely well-mannered and
unbelievably tame. Falcons and dogs always had their place in the
house and became an integral part of the family. Beside the birds,
usually tiercels (named Dag, Pan, Tollaca, Renato, Chico), he had a
great passion for dogs, mostly English Pointers and Setters, which
he allowed to have their own character and who in return showed a
great passion for hard work.
Eckart flew falcons up to his very last season. In Germany, he
went hunting in his own hunting grounds, but he also travelled to
Poland, Spain, Portugal and, of course, Scotland on hunting trips.
Scotland quickly became his favourite place to pursue his passion,
and most years, he would devote all of his annual leave to the
hunting of Red Grouse in the very North of the British Isles.
On invitation by Umberto Caproni, he started flying in the Scottish
moors in the early 1980s and continued to do so for around 30
years, meeting and collaborating with many international falconers,
who quickly became close friends.
Besides being a passionate hunter, also with the gun in his own
hunting grounds, Eckart was a devoted artisan. He made most
of his falconry equipment himself, be it gloves, hoods or leashes
from leather or furniture for the car to hold dogs, birds or gear for
the long ride to Scotland. From his trips abroad, he brought back
insights and ideas how to do things differently and thereby improve
them.
He was a member of many Falconry Associations around the
world (NAFA, BFC, South African Falconers) and an outstanding
supporter of the IAF. He travelled to many meetings all over the
world, always curious how falconers elsewhere went about the
game. He is remembered around the world for his ambition,
integrity and great sense of humour, his complete devotion to pure
falconry, which meant keeping birds in meticulous condition, with
good manners but that were still passionate hunters.
...from his friend Richard
...from his friend Frank
Always we will remember Eckart Schormair first as a
passionate falconer who loved the opportunity to fly his
birds in Germany, Scotland, and other parts of Europe,
in great style and always with enthusiasm. He served
German falconers in the DFO in many official positions
throughout the decades. And for years he represented
the DFO in the IAF in many positions. He attended
almost every AGM through the years. He was perhaps
one of the very strongest supporters of the IAF, because
he understood and would remind me in his persuasive
manner that the IAF had to serve as the voice for falconers
worldwide.
He was forever looking for new falconry opportunities.
When we attended the IAF AGM in South Africa, a
few of us, including Eckart, toured some of the natural
areas of the bush in South Africa. He was evaluating
every area for the potential new hawking ground. And he
had in mind setting up a hawking camp in Namibia for
hawking during the European summer, if the legal status
of falconry could be worked out there.
Eckart was an incredibly strong man, physically and in
with his character and perseverance. When Johannes,
Patrick Morel, and I met briefly in Germany a year ago,
Johannes felt he could not last long because of the severity
of his illness, but I am sure now a year later, as Alex told
us, he had red leg partridge flights in his vision with a
new peregrine this coming fall.
All over the world we will miss him, but especially all of
us in America, who had the pleasure of counting him as a
dear friend, will treasure his memory because he so loved
this country and our falconry.
We will spread the word about the passing of one of our
dearest friends and mentors, Eckart Schormair. He leaves
a magnificent legacy of memories to his family. And for
the rest of us he provides inspiration as the quintessential
falconer.
In memoriam,
Frank M. Bond, President
International Association for Falconry and Conservation of
Birds of Prey
ECKART was a
passionate falconer
who loved the
opportunity to y
his birds in Germany,
Scotland, and other
parts of Europe, in
great style and always
with enthusiasm.