Germany at the 1896 Summer Olympics

Germany competed at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. The Germans were the third most successful nation in terms of both gold medals (6 plus 1 as part of a mixed team) and total medals (13). Gymnastics was the sport in which Germany excelled. The German team had 19 athletes. The Germans had 75 entries in 26 events (of which 48 entries were in the 8 gymnastics events), taking 13 medals.

Germany at the
1896 Summer Olympics
Flag of the German Empire
IOC codeGER
NOCGerman Olympic Sports Confederation
Websitewww.dosb.de (in German, English, and French)
in Athens
Competitors19 in 6 sports
Medals
Ranked 3rd
Gold
6
Silver
5
Bronze
2
Total
13
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
Other related appearances
1906 Intercalated Games
 Saar (1952)
 United Team of Germany (1956–1964)
 East Germany (1968–1988)
 West Germany (1968–1988)

Medalists

German team at sailing
Medal Name Sport Event Date
 Gold Hermann WeingärtnerGymnastics Men's horizontal bar April 9
 Gold Alfred FlatowGymnastics Men's parallel bars April 10
 Gold Conrad Böcker, Alfred Flatow, Gustav Flatow,
Georg Hilmar, Fritz Hofmann, Fritz Manteuffel,
Karl Neukirch, Richard Röstel, Gustav Schuft,
Carl Schuhmann, Hermann Weingärtner
Gymnastics Men's team parallel bars April 9
Men's team horizontal bar April 9
 Gold Carl Schuhmann Gymnastics Men's vault April 9
Wrestling Men's Greco-Roman April 11
 Silver Fritz HofmannAthletics Men's 100 m April 10
 Silver August von GödrichCycling Men's road race April 12
 Silver Alfred FlatowGymnastics Men's horizontal bar April 9
 Silver Hermann Weingärtner Gymnastics Men's pommel horse April 9
Men's rings April 9
 Bronze Fritz HofmannGymnastics Men's rope climbing April 10
 Bronze Hermann WeingärtnerGymnastics Men's vault April 9

Athletics

Hofmann's silver medal in the 100 metres was the only medal earned by the German athletes, though they finished 4th or 5th an additional 4 times.

Track and road
Athlete Events Heat Final
Result Rank Result Rank
Fritz Hofmann 100 m 12.6 2 Q 12.2
Friedrich Traun 13.5 3 Did not advance
Kurt Doerry Unknown 5 Did not advance
Fritz Hofmann 400 m 58.2 2 56.7 4
Kurt Doerry Unknown Unknown Did not advance
Friedrich Traun 800 m 2:13.4 3 DNS
Carl Galle 1500 m n/a 4:39.0 4
Kurt Doerry 110 m hurdles Unknown Unknown Did not advance
Field Events
Athlete Events Final
Result Rank
Fritz Hofmann High jump 1.55 5
Carl Schuhmann Long jump Unknown Unknown
Fritz Hofmann Triple jump Unknown Unknown
Carl Schuhmann Unknown 5
Fritz Hofmann Shot put Unknown Unknown
Carl Schuhmann Unknown Unknown

Cycling

Germany's only cycling medal came in the long-distance road race.

Athlete Event Time / Distance Rank
Theodor Leupold Time trial 27.0 5
Joseph Rosemeyer 27.2 8
Joseph Rosemeyer Sprint DNF
Joseph Rosemeyer 10 km Unknown 4
Bernard Knubel 100 km DNF
Theodor Leupold DNF
Joseph Welzenbacher DNF
Joseph Rosemeyer DNF
Joseph Welzenbacher 12 hour race DNF
August von Gödrich Road race 3:42:18

Gymnastics

Germany dominated the gymnastics program, taking 5 of the 8 gold medals and medalling in each event.

German team at parallel bars
German team on horizontal bars
Athlete Apparatus/Place
PH R V PB HB
Alfred Flatow Unknown Unknown Unknown
Conrad Böcker Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown
Gustav Flatow Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown
Georg Hilmar Unknown n/a Unknown Unknown Unknown
Fritz Manteuffel Unknown n/a Unknown Unknown Unknown
Karl Neukirch Unknown n/a Unknown Unknown Unknown
Richard Röstel Unknown n/a Unknown Unknown Unknown
Gustav Schuft Unknown n/a Unknown Unknown Unknown
Carl Schuhmann Unknown 5 Unknown Unknown
Hermann Weingärtner Unknown
Athlete Event Result Rank
Fritz Hofmann Rope climbing 12.5
Team Event Rank
Germany Team parallel bars
Team horizontal bar

Tennis

Traun was defeated by Boland in the first round of the singles tournament. The two entered the doubles tournament as a pair, winning the gold medal in that competition as part of a mixed team; that medal is not counted for Germany.

Athlete Event First round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank
Friedrich Traun Singles  Boland (GBR)
L
Did not advance 8
Opponent nationWinsLossesPercent
 Great Britain010.000
Total010.000

Weightlifting

Schuhmann's lift was equal to that of the bronze medallist, but lifting form was used as a tie-breaker in the event.

Athlete Event Weight (kg) Rank
Carl Schuhmann Two hand lift 90 4

Wrestling

Schuhmann first faced Launceston Elliot, the one-handed lift weightlifting champion, defeating him fairly easily. He received a bye in the semifinals, to face Georgios Tsitas in the final match. That contest took two days, after it had been postponed on account of darkness 40 minutes into the first day. Schuhmann quickly won on the second morning.

Athlete Event Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank
Carl Schuhmann Greco-Roman  Elliot (GBR)
W
Bye  Tsitas (GRE)
W
Opponent nationWinsLossesPercent
Great Britain101.000
Greece101.000
Total201.000

References

  • Lampros, S.P.; Polites, N.G.; De Coubertin, Pierre; Philemon, P.J.; Anninos, C. (1897). The Olympic Games: BC 776 AD 1896. Athens: Charles Beck. (Digitally available at )
  • Mallon, Bill; Widlund, Ture (1998). The 1896 Olympic Games. Results for All Competitors in All Events, with Commentary. Jefferson: McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-0379-9. (Excerpt available at )
  • Smith, Michael Llewellyn (2004). Olympics in Athens 1896. The Invention of the Modern Olympic Games. London: Profile Books. ISBN 1-86197-342-X.
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