Schulmeister was born in Baden and raised as a shepherd. His father was a Lutheran minister.[2] Later in life he became a businessman and started a career as a smuggler at the "3, rue des Récollets" in Strasbourg, France, [2] and drifted into trading information as well as goods.[3] He was a spy for the Austrian Empire and the Holy Alliance, but was recruited by General Savary to spy for France. His information led to the French capture of Louis-Antoine-Henri de Bourbon and also contributed to the victory at Austerlitz.