Max Danz

Max Danz paid his own expenses to Los Angeles, as he had not been nominated. At the 1930 University Games he won a bronze in the 800 m, a silver in the 4 x 400 m and a gold medal in the Olympic relay. At that event in 1933 he won two silvers in the 800 m and the Olympic relay. Domestically he won three national titles in the 400 m, the 4 x 400 m relay (both 1929), and the 3 x 1000 m relay (1931).

After World War II Danz was a pioneer sports administrator, helping rebuild sports education in the destroyed West Germany. In 1946 he initiated the first national athletics championships in West Germany. He later became one of the leading German sports officials and was a founding member of the National Olympic Committee of the FRG and the German Sports Federation DSB (Deutscher Sport Bund), and was President of the German Athletics Federation DLV from 1946-70, until the “Affair May.” He was also a member of the Council of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) from 1956-81. In 1951 Danz received the Hanns-Braun Memorial Award, in 1982 the Olympic Order in Silver, and in 1989 the Great Cross of Merit with Star and Sash. From 1952-76 he was the Chef de Mission of the (West) German Olympic Teams.

Danz held numerous other national and international posts and honors, as follows: 1962 – awarded the IAAF Veterans Nobility; 1964-81 – Chairman of the IAAF Medical Committee; 12 December 1964 – founding member of the German Carl Diem Institute; 1970-79 – member of the European Athletics Association Council; 1976-81 – Vice-President of the IAAF; 1976 – Vice President of the DSB; 1980-81 – member of the IAAF Medical Committee; 8 February 1979 – appointed as an EAA Honorary Member; 2 September 1981 – made IAAF Honorary Vice President; 8 March 1993 – awarded the IAAF Gold Badge.

Personal Best: 800 – 1:52.6 (1934).