1932–1935: Studies graphic design at the School of Applied Arts in Dortmund intending to become a graphic designer in advertising. On numerous occasions during his studies, he travels abroad by bicycle. One trip takes him over the
St. Gotthard Pass to
Lago Maggiore, Italy. 1935–1939: Independent artist without participating in exhibits. He undertakes study trips by bicycle to the Netherlands and Belgium. 1939–1945: Service obligation as draftsman in an arms factory, the Akkumulatoren–Werke of Hagen. 1941: Marries Ursula Klapprott. Birth of their son Ulrich. Since 1945: Immediately after end of war, new start as independent artist. 1947: First solo exhibit in the Studio für neue Kunst. Co-founder of the artist group Junger Westen. 1954: Participates in the
Willem Sandberg exhibition Deutsche Kunst nach 45 (German Art after 1945) at the
Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam: for the first time after World War II, Contemporary German Art is shown abroad. 1955: Participates in the exhibition Peintures et sculptures non-figuratives en Allemagne d’aujourd’hui in Paris. This is the first time, 10 years after the war's end, that
René Drouin shows contemporary German art at the Cercle Volney in France. 1956: While searching for new media and materials, Schumacher creates his first 'Tastobjekte' (tactile objects).
Conrad von Soest Preis (Conrad-von-Soest Award), Münster, Germany. 1958: Travels to Spain, Italy and Tunisia. Participates in the XXIX.
Venice Biennale, Italy. 1958–1960: Professorship at the
Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg (University of Fine Arts) in Hamburg, Germany. 1959: Participates in the
documenta II in Kassel, Germany, as well as the V.
São Paulo Art Biennial, Brazil. First solo exhibit in New York at the
Samuel M. Kootz Gallery. 1962: Travels to Libya and Tunisia. Summer stay in Anguillara, Lago di Bracciano, Italy. 1963: Solo exhibit as German contribution to the VII.
São Paulo Art Biennial, Brazil. Travels to Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru and Bolivia. Once again summer stay in Anguillara, paintings that originated during the stay are shown in the Galeria La Medusa in Rome. 1964: Participates in the
documenta III in Kassel, Germany. 1965: Travels through Yugoslavia, to Montenegro, the Herzegovina, and Bosnia. 1966–77: Professorship at the
Academy of Fine Arts, Karlsruhe. 1967–68: Guest professorship at the
Minneapolis School of Art, Minneapolis, USA. In Minneapolis, a series of works on paper are created. This series called Minneapolis Suite was exhibited at the Lefebre Gallery in New York and at the Galerie de Montréal in Montréal, Canada. Extensive travels through the USA. 1969: Winter stay on the Island of Djerba in Tunisia. Here, the Djerba gouaches were created over the course of the following years. 1971: Since 1971, frequent stays on Ibiza during spring and summer. 1974: Autumn stay in Cunardo, Lago Maggiore where the first ceramics are created in Ceramica Ibis. 1975: Winter stay on Djerba, Tunisia. 1980: Travels through Tunisia and winter stay in Hammamet. 1983: Travels to Marocco where Suite Maroc, encompassing 36 pages, is created. 1985: Guest of Honor of the German Academy of Rome,
Villa Massimo, Italy. 1988: In October 1988, a 10-day stay in Irak. Design and creation of a ceramic wall in the new building of the
Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia. 1991: Guest professorship at the Concorso Superiore Internazionale del Disegno of the Fondazione Antonio Ratti, Como, Italy. 1996: Schumacher designs a and mosaic wall for the
Colosseo (Rome Metro) in Rome, Italy. 1998: Commission for mural in the
Reichstag building, Berlin (executed in 1999). 1999: Member of the Academy of the Arts of Saxony (
Sächsische Akademie der Künste), Dresden, Germany. Publication of the book 'GENESIS' with 18 Serigraphies in the edition Har-El, Jaffa/Israel. ==Awards==