Gustav Flatow

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games • Non-starter
SexMale
Full nameGustav Felix•Flatow
Used nameGustav•Flatow
Born7 January 1875 in Kościerzyna, Pomorskie (POL)
Died29 January 1945 in Terezín, Ústecký kraj (CZE)
AffiliationsBerliner Turn-Verein von 1850
NOC Germany
Medals OG
Gold 2
Silver 0
Bronze 0
Total 2

Biography

Gustav Flatow was less gifted as a gymnast than his older cousin Alfred, but was also an active cyclist. At the 1896 Olympics, he likely served as a pace maker in some of the track cycling events. In his own events, he won two titles with the German team, but failed to achieve top performances individually. After their return home, most team participants were excluded from the reactionary German Gymnastics Association as they were “involved in a sporting event dedicated to internationalism.” The winning teams were banned from national competitions in Berlin.

A Jew, Flatow left Germany for the Netherlands shortly after Hitler’s appointment as chancellor in 1933. Even after the German occupation of his new home country, he went undetected for long. He was eventually captured on New Year’s Eve 1943 and – despite protests of various Dutch and German sports officials (including fellow 1896 Olympian Kurt Doerry) – deported to the Theresienstadt concentration camp. He died there a little more than a year later. Since 1987, the German Gymnastics Federation awards the Flatow Medal, remembering both Alfred and Gustav, to be awarded for excellent all-around performances.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1896 Summer Olympics Artistic Gymnastics (Gymnastics) GER Gustav Flatow
Horse Vault, Men (Olympic) AC
Parallel Bars, Men (Olympic) AC
Parallel Bars, Teams, Men (Olympic) Germany 1 Gold
Horizontal Bar, Men (Olympic) AC
Horizontal Bar, Teams, Men (Olympic) Germany 1 Gold
Rings, Men (Olympic) AC
Pommelled Horse, Men (Olympic) AC
Athletics GER Gustav Flatow
High Jump, Men (Olympic) DNS
Pole Vault, Men (Olympic) DNS
1900 Summer Olympics Artistic Gymnastics (Gymnastics) GER Gustav Flatow
Individual All-Around, Men (Olympic) =102

Olympic family relations

Special Notes