Renée Sintenis

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexFemale
Full nameRenée (Renate Alice-)•Sintenis (-Weiß)
Used nameRenée•Sintenis
Born20 March 1888 in Kłodzko, Dolnośląskie (POL)
Died22 April 1965 in West-Berlin, Berlin (GER) 
NOC Germany
Medals OG
Gold 0
Silver 0
Bronze 1
Total 1

Biography

German sculptor Renée Sintenis, married to Emil Rudolf Weiss, a German typographer, graphic artist and poet, was known for her animal sculptures in bronze, terracotta and silver. She was 1.80 m tall, with an androgynous appearance, and dominating personality. After studying at the Berlin School of Applied Arts she stayed in Berlin. She became the first female sculptor accepted as a member of the Academy of Arts in Berlin (1931). She was the designer of the famous Berlin landmark, the Berlin Bear (1957). Sintenis also produced small sculptures of human acts. Her plastic runner Nurmi and her Soccer Player were often copied. With her Soccer Player she earned the bronze medal at the 1928 Art Competitions in the category Sculpturing, Statues. Her 40 cm high bronze sculpture created in 1927 was copied frequently. The original sculpture is kept in the Hamburger Kunsthalle. Her bronze statue of the Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi from the year 1926, which was submitted in 1928 according to the German catalog, but is missing in the international catalog, became world famous. She entered the 1932 Olympics with her bronze statue Polo Player. The first version of the 40 cm high sculpture from the year 1929 was designed a year earlier as “Richard Weininger Prize” of the Berlin Polo Club.

In 1934 Sintenis was excluded on racial reasons from the Academy of Arts. Many of her works could not be exhibited as they were considered “degenerate,” but she was later allowed to resume work. In 1945 her apartment and much of her work was destroyed due to a bomb raid. After the war, Sintenis taught as a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin. In 1988 the German Federal Post issued a stamp on the occasion of her 100th birthday.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1928 Summer Olympics Art Competitions GER Renée Sintenis
Sculpturing, Statues, Open (Olympic) 3 Bronze
Sculpturing, Statues, Open (Olympic) AC
1932 Summer Olympics Art Competitions GER Renée Sintenis
Sculpturing, Statues, Open (Olympic) AC

Olympic family relations