Poul Hartmann

Poul Hartmann coxed the boat of the Nykøbing Falster Roklub in the coxed fours, inriggers. This class, which was particularly common in Scandinavia at the time, with the dinghy attached to the gunwale (Inriggers), was contested at the 1912 Olympics only. The Danish boat benefited from a bye in the semi-final. In the final on the following day, they beat the Swedish boat from Stockholm by 12 seconds. Later, Allert moved to København (Copenhagen) and founded a rowing club in his Bagsværd neighbourhood.

While at least three rowers in the team were blacksmiths, they were called “Smedeholdet” (Blacksmith team) although Hartmann was a bookbinder, like his father, and still worked in his own business at the age of 90. The team won the Nordic championships in 1910 and 1911 and Danish trials for the Olympics in June 1912. A few days after their triumph at the Olympics, the crew won their third Nordic championship at the same venue.

Poul Hartmann was on the board of Nykøbing Falster Roklub for over 40 years and was awarded the Danish Rowing Association’s golden badge for his services in 1948. He got married to Bertha Augusta Hartmann (née Jørgensen) in 1913. Hartmann was a member of a masonic lodge