 Between 1953 and 1955 Schürer was employed in the Finance and Planning department of the powerful Party Central Committee.Between 1955 and 1958 he spent much of his time in Moscow where he attended the , emerging with a degree.Between 1958 and 1960 he was deputy departmental leader of the Department of Party Central Committee's Planning, Finance and Technical Department, taking over from Fritz Müller as head of the department in 1960.