Stuhlmann was born and grew up in Hamburg where his father was an architect. He took a great interest in natural history while at school and went on to study natural sciences at Tübingen and Freiburg, earning his doctorate at the latter.
Born and raised in Hamburg, Stuhlmann's father being an architect there, he developed a strong passion for natural history while in school. He then studied natural sciences at both Tübingen and Freiburg, obtaining his doctoral degree from Freiburg.