August Giudo Luchow was born in Hannover, Germany. He emigrated to America at age 23 in 1879. He purchased a restaurant in 1882 which soon became famous for food and imported German Beer. He rose such in prosperity so as to become one of America's largest importers around the turn of the 20th century, with a branch office in Chicago. His business survived until Prohibition shut it down.
At age 65 and suffering from ill health Luchow applied for a passport (for which this picture was taken) then boarded a steamer for Germany. He stayed their for one year, the length of term prescribed by the document. On the voyage over the Atlantic that was to ferry him back him to his now-dry adopted country, August Luchow died, just six days before his 67th birthday.