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Alfred Flatow

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For the Australian chess player, see Alfred Flatow (chess player).
Alfred Flatow
Personal information
Country representedGermany Germany
Born(1869-10-03)October 3, 1869
Danzig (Gdansk), Prussia
DiedDecember 28, 1942(1942-12-28) (aged 73)
KZ Theresienstadt
DisciplineMen's artistic gymnastics
Medal record
Men's artistic gymnastics
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1896 Athens Team parallel bars
Gold medal – first place 1896 Athens Team horizontal bar
Gold medal – first place 1896 Athens Parallel bars
Silver medal – second place 1896 Athens Horizontal bar

Alfred Flatow (October 3, 1869 – December 28, 1942) was a German gymnast. He competed at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens. He was Jewish.[1]

Flatow was a successful competitor in 1896. He won the parallel bars, was the runner-up in the horizontal bar, and was a member of the German team that took the gold medals in both the parallel bars and the horizontal bar team events. He also competed in the vault, pommel horse, and rings competitions. Flatow's cousin, Gustav Flatow, was also a member of the German gymnastics delegation in 1896.

After his return to Germany he and most of the other German gymnasts were suspended, because the Deutsche Turnerschaft (at this time the governing body of German gymnastics) boycotted the Olympic games with the reason that competing is "unGerman."

In 1903, Flatow assisted the founding of the Judische Turnerschaft, the historic and pioneering Jewish sports organization in Europe. A gymnastics teacher since 1890, he started writing books about his sport in the early 20th century. In 1933, Flatow was forced to "voluntarily" end his gymnastics club membership, as he was Jewish. He was prominently active in German gymnastics until expelled by the Nazis in 1936.[2] A co-founder of the Jewish Gymnastics Club, he was nevertheless honoured at the 1936 Olympics, where all German Olympic champions were invited.

Flatow emigrated from Germany to the Netherlands in 1938 due to Nazi persecution of Germany's Jewish community. The Netherlands was invaded by Nazi Germany in May 1940. On 3rd October 1942; Flatow was deported to Theresienstadt concentration camp in spite of appeals by the highly placed gymnastics official Christian Busch, where he died of starvation at the age of 73 before the end of the year.[3] His cousin Gustav Flatow was also a victim of the Holocaust; Alfred died in Theresienstadt Ghetto in December 28, 1942, Gustav on Jan 29, 1945.

Honours after death

Alfred and Gustav Flatow on a German stamp

In 1997 Berlin honoured Alfred and Gustav Flatow by renaming the Reichssportfeldstraße (a lane) near the Olympic Stadium to Flatowallee (Flatow-avenue). There is also the Flatow-Sporthalle (sports hall) at Berlin-Kreuzberg with a commemorative plaque for both. The Deutsche Post issued a set of four stamps to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the modern Olympic games. One of this stamps shows the Flatows.

See also

References

  1. ^ Taylor, Paul (2004). Jews and the Olympic Games: The Clash Between Sport and Politics – With a Complete Review of Jewish Olympic Medalists. Sussex Academic Press.
  2. ^ "Alfred Flatow article at Jewishsports.net".
  3. ^ Schaffer, Kay; Smith, Sidonie (2000). The Olympics at the Millennium: Power, Politics, and the Games. Rutgers University Press. pp. 60–62. ISBN 978-0-8135-2820-5. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
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