Soke Schuhmacher's credentials and reputation are world renown.
In 1972 he began his experience of studying, training, researching,
teaching, and performing several styles, and systems of Martial Arts.
Grown up in Frankfurt ~ Germany, his Martial Arts career began
as a little boy with Jiu-Jitsu, Karate, and Judo under the legendary
Grandmaster Heinz Guenther, who was after Senior Grandmasters
Erich Rahn, and Alfred Rhode, the second highest ranked
Judo / Jiu-Jitsu expert in Europe.
He is the founder of "Four Water Boxing", "Oh-Do-Kwan-Hap-Ki-Do",
five other styles / systems of Martial Arts, as well ten different global
non-profit Martial Arts organizations, including the "International
Council of Higher Martial Science Education", which is a worldwide
institution for a better control of higher Martial Arts levels, and ranks.
Therefore he also created several unique higher martial science
degrees, like the "Senator", "Minister", "Ambassador", and "Diplomat",
to keep the retention of high ranking black belts, and to motivate,
properly train, and certify Martial Arts Instructors.
Additionally he holds to his credit, the creation of the scientific
street defense system called "PROGRESSIVE HAPKIDO” (1992).
Prof. Schuhmacher spends considerable time,
and effort preparing his Progressive Hap-Ki-Do program.
This program growed out of over 17 years learning, practicing,
and teaching the Japanese-Korean system of Hap-Ki-Do.
His Hap-Ki-Do instructors since 1975 were Song-Il-Hak,
Sou-Bong-Kim (Father of Hap-Ki-Do in Europe), Yu-Un-Son,
and Young-Um-Kim (both direct students of Soke Choi),
as well Yang-Seung-Woo (Europe's highest ranking H.K.D.
Grandmaster at that time). In 1984 Klaus trained
under Chi-Han-Jae in Offenbach, Germany.
In 1989 he was one of the founders of the "Deutsche H.K.D. Föderation",
and trained privately with Yoo-Kyung-Soon in Kassel.
Eventually he received additional lessons in Kum-Do,
Taekwondo, Tang-Soo-Do, and other Korean Martial Arts
styles from several different Grandmasters in Asia, and the U.S.A.
Grandmaster Schuhmacher introduced original Hap-Ki-Do
to Thailand (1983), to Costa Rica (1996), to Yemen (2006),
to Bangladesh (2008), and to Timor-Leste in 2019.
Since 2022 he teaches in cairo
the father of Hap-Ki-Do
in Egypt, Grandmaster Mohamed Abdel Salam Farag.
In 1995 he was elected as the chairman of the oldest,
international open Martial Arts organization, the
"World Martial Arts League", which was first chartered in
1953.
In 1989 he organized the last legendary
European Martial Arts Championships
near by Frankfurt ~ Germany ~ Europe, where many
Black Belts, and Masters, from over 36 countries took part.
In 1998 he hosted the 1st international Martial Arts Hall of Fame ever
held in Europe, and is responsible for bringing some of the greatest
Martial Arts Grandmasters, and legends to Germany, such as:
O'Sensei Philip S. Porter ~ One of the highest ranking Judo Grandmaster in the world 10. Dan, and father of modern Judo in the U.S.A.,
author of international Judo requirements for competition, and testing.
Prof. Rico Guy ~ One of the world's leading Kendo, and Iaido experts!
Dr. D. P. Hutton ~ One of the world's best knife fighting experts !
Prof. Amin Sami Hassan ~ Founder of Goju-Taichi-Qi-Gong
Sigung Tim Wolfe ~ One of the fastest Close quarter combat fighters,
and Grandmaster of Black Panther Combat Gung-Fu !
Grandmaster Peter Chong ~ Direct student of Mas Oyama !
Grandmaster Kenneth Lewis ~ Father of Kung-Fu of the Bahamas !
Prof. C. J. Krieger ~ One of the world's best Aiki-Jutsu experts !
Dr. Germon M. Smith ~ Grandmaster of African Martial Arts!
Some of the honors he received are:
"Special medal from the Philippine Sports Commission"(2001)
Award for Continuance of Excellence in the Preservation of MA by the
"Action Martial Arts Magazine Hall of Fame & Spirit Awards", U.S.A.
"Award as one of the World's best Martial Artists" by the
H.R. I.M.A.A. 1st Worldwide Hall of Fame in 2003 !
Commendation for "Oustanding Meritorious Service" as a
"Warrior & Pioneer", at the "Hall of Heroes" of the
"International Armed Services Judo & Jujitsu A." (2015)
Some of his Martial Arts properties are:
World champion in Soft Style Weapon Forms 1986
European champion in Soft Style Weapon Forms 1986
22 times Grand Champion in Kata /Forms and Weapons
In 1987 he was a member of the A.F.M.A. US Team at a
World Championships in Austria
In the mid-80´s he studied Thaiboxing in Thailand
Between 1983-1987 he was a member of an international Show team,
and performed over 270 Martial Arts demonstrations all over in Europe.
Martial Arts ranks, levels and qualifications
Mr. Schuhmacher holds honorary philosophy doctorates in different fields
of Martial Science, including a Doctorate in Hap-Ki-Do Philosophy for his
establishment of the educational Oh-Do-Kwan-Hap-Ki-Do System in 1986.
Klaus also was the first Non-Asian person world-wide,
who received a 10th Dan in Hap-Ki-Do (1997) !
All his multiple ranks, and qualifications are certified, recognized,
as well official registered by nearly 100 different Martial Arts
organizations / institutions, from over 22 countries. Some of them
are very high ranks in Chinese Wu-Shu / Kung-Fu, and Karate,
Ho-Shin-Do, Gum-Do, Tang-Soo-Do, Ju-Jitsu, Okinawan Karate
(Tamiya-Kaishin-Ryu & Goju-Ryu), Aiki-Jitsu, as well high
degrees in Okinawa Kobudo, Judo, etc.
Klaus is the successor of Chinese "Ba-Zhong-Chuan-Fa", which he
started to study in 1973 under the supervision of the great Sigung
Wong-Ying-Kui. Until today, he is representing this system as the
only person in the Western Hemisphere. Additionally he learned
several other styles & systems of Chinese Martial Arts.
As one of the first non-Chinese Martial Artists, he also competed
in a big Wushu tournament in China in the early eighties.
Klaus also was the first who brought the Yip-Man (Hong-Kong style)
of Wing-Chun Kung-Fu to Yemen in 2006, to Bangladesh in 2008,
and to Timor-Leste in 2019.
Since 1975 he also studies traditional Chinese medicine,
and philosophy in Europe, Asia, and the U.S.A.
Soke Schuhmacher is currently labouring to complete his books
"The Complete Chinese Martial Arts Factbook", and
"The Ultimate Hap-Ki-Do Factbook".
Soke Schuhmacher is one of a few Germans, and one of only a handful
other Europeans who gives seminars world-wide since the early 80`s.
Since 1981, he taught different styles, and systems of Martial Arts
in seminars, and private consultations to people in the Caribbean,
the Middle East, Costa Rica, the U.S.A., Asia, all over Europe,
and also gave over 100 demonstrations outside of Europe.
He also is a Philippines certified Instructor for Stickfighting
(Minos-Perez Kali), which he practice since 1983.
Klaus is certified as a "Senior Instructor for Military Close Quarter
Combat Tactics", and as a "Master Defense Tactics Trainer"
for his many years of teaching U.S. Special Forces, Army, and
Airforce personal during their stay in Germany.
Since 1981 he taught Presidential Bodyguards, members of the
Special Force, Army, Navy, Air Force, CIA, FBI, Police, and has
given seminars, as well as private consultations all over the U.S.A,
Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, Latin, and Central America.
Over the years Soke Schuhmacher met / trained with some
of the best legendary Grand Masters in the Martial Arts like:
Ernest Lieb, Lou Thesz, Kum Sung Woo, Chang-Hwa Park,
Johnny Kuhl, Ken Eubanks, Robert F. Edwards, Reno Moralez,
Chuck Merriman, George Dillman, Jason Lau, Mike Anderson,
Anthony T. Goh, Michael De Pasquale Sr., Gary Alexander.
He also had the opportunities to receive instruction during some of
the most prestigious camps, and seminars worldwide, from experts
such as Soke Ed Parker, Prof. Peter Urban, O'Sensei Phillip Porter,
Soke D.P. Hutton, to name just a few.
His passion for the martial arts made him travel to nearly 70 countries !
Besides over 35 Hall of Fame inductions, Klaus was honored by the
world's leading publication on Korean martial arts "TaeKwonDo
Times Magazine" in their 30th anniversary edition, as the
This made him the first German, and European, who ever
received a Hall of Fame induction, by one of the top three
international Martial Arts magazines world-wide !
His goal in life is to touch people's lives, encouraging them to be strong
in mind, body, and spirit. He supports human rights worldwide, and
believes in standing up against any kind of discrimination, and injustice.