Schünemann, Bernardo Einrich (1911–1983)

Bernardo Einrich Schünemann contributed more than 35 years as an administrator to the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Brazil and 26 years as manager of the Brazil Publishing House.

Bernardo Einrich Schünemann was born on October 14, 1911, in the city of Curitiba in the state of Paraná, Brazil. The son of Guilherme Schünemann and Olga Reimann, he was raised in an Adventist home “where the struggle for survival was part of the family's daily life.” In order to earn a living, his father worked as a caramel maker in the candy line of business, and his mother was a seamstress. However, their poverty did not lessen their interest in the Church's mission. Before Bernardo was born, his parents dedicated him to God, hoping that in the future he would become a missionary. He completed his primary education at Colégio Progresso, a German educational institute located in the city of Curitiba. Although it was 3 km from their home, it had the advantage of not teaching classes on Saturdays.¹

Influenced by his friendship with Siegfried Kümpel, a church worker at the Paraná-Santa Catarina Mission, he abandoned his pretension to become an architect in 1927, deciding to study Theology at Brazil College (today UNASP-SP). In order to raise funds, he worked for almost two years in his uncle's garage, managing to save enough resources to pay for one semester of college. On arriving there, knowing about this situation, Director George B. Taylor gave him a scholarship in which, for exchange, Bernardo would work in the maintenance area. In addition, Bernardo canvassed during vacations. Besides studying theology, he also attended Business classes, and in 1930, he was invited to work in the institution's office. He graduated in 1932 as the speaker of his class.²

At the beginning of 1933, he accepted a call to serve at the North East Mission office headquartered in the city of Recife in the state of Pernambuco.³ Before leaving, he married Adele, the daughter of Guilherme and Sofia Malsbenden, with whom he was a friend since childhood. The ceremony took place on February 23, 1933, at the Curitiba Adventist Church, officiated by Pr. Henrique Stoehr.⁴

They left for Recife in March 1933; however, their stay was shortened by a sad episode. At the end of the year, their newborn first daughter passed away due to health problems, mainly related to the local climate. This great disappointment and the hot climate also made Bernardo sick, so at the beginning of 1934, they returned to Curitiba and waited for a new job proposal.⁵ This happened in May when he was appointed as an assistant to the treasurer of the São Paulo Conference. While serving in this field, their second daughter, Noelir (Relindes), was born.⁶

In 1935, Bernardo was appointed as secretary-treasurer of the Rio Grande do Sul Mission. During this period, he supervised the construction of the field’s new administrative headquarters besides leading the Publishing department and occupying the interim presidency in the absence of the acting president. Meanwhile, their third child was born, Elinar (Waldyr).⁷

Bernardo served in this field until December 1941 when he accepted a call to be the treasurer of Brazil Publishing House (CPB), which was at the time located in the city of Santo André in the state of São Paulo. He took the position vacated by the retired Augusto Pages.⁸

After nine years of dedicated work, in 1950, he represented the Brazilian Adventist publisher as a delegate at the General Conference Assembly held in San Francisco, California, U.S.A. The following year, on January 3, 1951, Bernardo was appointed as the general manager of CPB, replacing Pr. Domingos Peixoto, who was called to another field. He occupied this position for 26 years, successfully facing many administrative and financial challenges.⁹

He was ordained into the ministry on January 24, 1953.¹⁰ Under his leadership, the CPB industrial area was modernized with the acquisition of new graphic equipment that significantly increased the quality and speed of the printing sector. The implementation of the offset system gave the publisher the ability to simultaneously print thousands of sheets per hour.¹¹

Amid this new reality, an expansion of the physical space became necessary. During his tenure, two expansions were made - one in 1956, and the other in 1968 - adding up almost seven thousand square meters to the graphic park. As a result, new aisles were built for the printing and paper storage, the book shipping and administration section, and the maintenance department in addition to a library and a recreational area.¹²

In terms of the editorial branch, the children's newspaper Nosso Amiguinho was launched in 1952, and the Arts department was created, comprising the designers Heber Matos, Henrique Kaercher, and Antônio Rios. In order to assist the editors, he oversaw the construction of a library with an extensive collection for research. During his administration, he also encouraged the translation of many Ellen G. White books into Portuguese and focused great attention on the canvassing work.¹³ He was known to work until late at night in order to solve administrative problems and to care for the well-being of the employees.¹⁴

Schünemann worked at CPB until his retirement in March 1977, when Wilson Sarli assumed the general direction of the publishing house. In August of the same year, he moved to the vicinity of UNASP campus São Paulo and began to attend the nearby Adventist Church of Itapecerica da Serra, assisting as a Sabbath School and baptismal class teacher. Three years later, his health started to deteriorate, and on August 20, 1983, he passed away in the city of São Paulo at the age of 72. The funeral service was conducted by Pastor Enoque de Oliveira, and he was buried in the cemetery of Água Verde in Curitiba in the state of Paraná.¹⁵

Bernardo Einrich Schünemann contributed more than 35 years as an administrator to the SDA Church in Brazil in the northeast states, São Paulo, and Rio Grande do Sul. Manager of the Brazil Publishing House for 26 years, he is remembered for the growth the publisher experienced under his leadership.¹⁶

Sources

Lessa, Rubens S. Casa Publicadora 100 anos. Tatuí, SP: Casa Publicadora Brasileira, 2000.

“Obra de publicações perde um de seus grandes vultos.” Revista Adventista 78, no. 10 (October 1983).

“Pastor Schünemann, 44 Anos de Relevantes Serviços.” Revista Adventista (February 1977).

Schünemann, Haller E. “Bernado Schünemann.” Monograph, Brazil College, 1984.

Westcott, H. B. “Mudanças e Acréscimos de Obreiros na União Este Brasileira uma obra em desenvolvimento.” Revista Adventista 28, no. 5 (May 1933).

Notes

1. Rubens S. Lessa, “Casa Publicadora 100 anos” (Tatuí, SP: Casa Publicadora Brasileira, 2000), 83; “Obra de Publicações Perde um de Seus Grandes Vultos,” Revista Adventista 78, no. 10 (October 1983): 26-28; Haller E. Schünemann, “Bernado Schünemann” (Monograph, Brazil College, 1984), 1-3.↩

2. Schünemann, “Bernado Schünemann,” 3-6; “Obra de Publicações Perde um de Seus Grandes Vultos,” Revista Adventista, 26-28.↩

3. “Obra de Publicações Perde um de Seus Grandes Vultos,” Revista Adventista, 26-28; Schünemann, “Bernado Schünemann,” 6; H. B. Westcott, “Mudanças e Acréscimos de Obreiros na União Este Brasileira uma obra em desenvolvimento,” Revista Adventista 28, no. 5 (May 1933): 13.↩

4. Schünemann, “Bernado Schünemann,” 7-8.↩

5. Ibid., 8-10.↩

6. Ibid., 10; “Pastor Schüenemann, 44 Anos de Relevantes Serviços,” Revista Adventista (February 1977): 31.↩

7. Ibid., 11-13.↩

8. “Pastor Schüenemann, 44 Anos de Relevantes Serviços,” Revista Adventista, 31; “Obra de Publicações Perde um de Seus Grandes Vultos,” Revista Adventista, 26-28; Rubens S. Lessa, “Casa Publicadora 100 anos” (Tatuí, SP: Casa Publicadora Brasileira, 2000), 82-83; Schünemann, “Bernado Schünemann,” 14.↩

9. “Obra de Publicações Perde um de Seus Grandes Vultos,” Revista Adventista, 26-28; Schünemann, “Bernado Schünemann,” 16-17; Lessa, “Casa Publicadora 100 anos”, 182.↩

10. “Pastor Schüenemann, 44 Anos de Relevantes Serviços,” Revista Adventista, 31.↩

11. Schünemann, “Bernado Schünemann,” 21, 26-28.↩

12. Ibid.; “Obra de Publicações Perde um de Seus Grandes Vultos,” Revista Adventista, 26-28.↩

13. Ibid., 26-28; Schünemann, “Bernado Schünemann,” 19-23.↩

14. “Pastor Schünemann, 44 Anos de Relevantes Serviços,” Revista Adventista, 31.↩

15. “Obra de Publicações Perde um de Seus Grandes Vultos,” Revista Adventista, 26-28; Schünemann, “Bernado Schünemann”, 25-29.↩

16. “Pastor Schünemann, 44 Anos de Relevantes Serviços,” Revista Adventista, 31.↩