Georges Nagelmackers

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameGeorges Lambert Casimir•Nagelmackers
Used nameGeorges•Nagelmackers
Born24 June 1845 in Liège, Liège (BEL)
Died10 August 1905 in Villepreux, Yvelines (FRA)
AffiliationsCercle de l'Union artistique, Paris (FRA)
NOC Belgium
Medals OG
Gold 1
Silver 0
Bronze 0
Total 1

Biography

George Nagelmackers competed at the 1900 Paris Olympics in the four-in-hand competition in equestrianism, winning a gold medal with one of his two teams. Born to a wealthy family, Nagelmackers traveled to the United States as a youth, studying train systems, especially Pullman cars. On returning to Europe he developed a plan to install such sleeper cars on European trains, which he published as “Project d’Installation de wagons-lits sur les chemins de fer du continent.”

In 1873 Nagelmackers founded Georges Nagelmackers & Company, which he later renamed as Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (CIWL). He also started Compagnie Internationale des Grands Hotels, which built and operated luxury hotels along his train routes.

Among the trains that Nagelmackers operated was the famous Orient Express. The companies that he formed eventually became the well-known travel agency, Carlson Wagon-lit Travel, which was, for many years, the official travel agency of the IOC.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1900 Summer Olympics Equestrian Driving (Equestrian) BEL Georges Nagelmackers
Four-In-Hand Competition, Open (Olympic) 1 Gold
Four-In-Hand Competition, Open (Olympic) AC