Max Schlemmer
Maximilian Joseph August Schlemmer | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Scheibenhardt, Alsace |
| Died | June 13, 1935 (aged 79) |
| Occupation(s) | Settler, guano mining superintendent, mechanical engineer |
| Known for | Managing guano extraction on Laysan Island; introduction of rabbits leading to ecological damage |
Maximilian Joseph August Schlemmer (April 13, 1856 – June 13, 1935), often referred to as the "King of Laysan," was a German-born settler who established himself in Hawaii and oversaw a guano extraction enterprise on Laysan Island from 1894 until 1915. He conducted extensive observations of the island's avian species, contributing significant historical data on their populations. Unfortunately, his introduction of rabbits triggered the extinction of both the Laysan rail and Laysan millerbird, causing profound ecological changes on the island during the early 1900s. His life story is chronicled in a biography authored by his grandson, Tom Unger.
Early life
Schlemmer was born in 1856 in Scheibenhardt, Alsace. In response to advancing Prussian forces, he emigrated to New York in 1871. After spending several years working aboard whaling vessels, he relocated to Kauai in 1885, joining a German enclave in Lihue. There, he applied his mechanical expertise to operate a sugar mill and engineered a modest railroad system for transporting materials. In 1886, he married Auguste Bomke; following her passing, he wed her sister Therese in 1895, with whom he had multiple children.
In 1893, during Queen Liliuoakalani’s reign, Schlemmer served with the Honolulu Police, attempting to thwart an American-led overthrow that resulted in the establishment of the Republic of Hawaii. Later, he became affiliated with the Pacific Guano & Fertilizer Company under Captain Charles N. Spencer, extracting nitrate-rich guano from bird-inhabited islands including Laysan. Over six years, Schlemmer played a pivotal role in turning the company into a successful venture. After disagreements with Spencer, he departed Laysan in 1899 to pursue American citizenship.
Following disturbances on Laysan in 1900, Schlemmer was rehired as manager to restore order and operations. He moved there with his family and two assistants; aside from them, most workers were Japanese laborers—earning him the title "King of Laysan." The company continued its guano mining activities even after relocating its headquarters.
"King of Laysan"
Appointed superintendent of the guano operation in 1896, Schlemmer soon left to establish a bar and boardinghouse on Kauai. After tensions between American and Japanese workers on Laysan culminated in the murder of a Japanese miner, the then-superintendent was dismissed and Schlemmer reinstated. The North Pacific Phosphate and Fertilizer Company transferred their mining rights to Schlemmer, who subsequently sold them to Genkichi Yamanouchi from Tokyo, granting export privileges from Laysan. With guano reserves largely exhausted, Yamanouchi shifted focus to exporting bird feathers. Schlemmer employed Japanese laborers who slaughtered over 300,000 birds—many were starved or mutilated and left to perish on the island.
Following the establishment of the bird reservation in 1909, such practices were outlawed and Schlemmer was removed from his post. The rabbits he had introduced proliferated unchecked, severely damaging local vegetation. A 1913 US Biological Survey extermination effort eliminated approximately 5,000 rabbits but ran out of ammunition before completely eradicating them. Although Schlemmer was permitted to return in 1915, he was denied appointment as a federal game warden. His family faced near starvation until rescued by the USS Nereus. During World War I, anti-German sentiment led to suspicions that Schlemmer was acting as a German espionage agent using Laysan as a strategic base.
Consequences of Introducing Rabbits
Schlemmer brought domestic rabbits, guinea pigs, and potentially hares to Laysan Island with the intention of establishing a meat-canning enterprise. The rabbits caused severe damage to the island’s plant life, leading to the destruction of habitats and food supplies vital for indigenous species. As a result, several species, including the Laysan rail (which temporarily survived elsewhere), Laysan millerbird, and Laysan fan palm, became extinct in the early 1920s. The Laysan finch managed to survive by feeding on carrion, while the Laysan duck endured because its diet consisted mainly of brine flies that remained unaffected.
See also
References
- Rauzon, M. Isles of Refuge: Wildlife and History of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, University of Hawaii Press, 2001.
- FORUM di FILATELIA pagina 100 at www.cifr.it (mostly in Italian)
- at www.hawaiianatolls.org
External links
- Schlemmer Family Papers, 1904-1924 at the Smithsonian Archives