Emil Ketterer

Sprinter Emil Ketterer started at the 1912 Stockholm Olympic Games in the 100 metres but had to retire in the heats due to an injury. He set two world records\: 100 metres with 10.5 in 1911 and the sprint relay one year later. In 1935 he was awarded the Hanns-Braun-Gedächtnispreis (Memorial Award).

After his athletic career ended, Ketterer studied medicine at the University of München. In 1924 Ketterer joined the Sturmabteilung (SA) (storm troopers), and in 1925 entered the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiter Partei (NSDAP – Nazi Party) becoming, in 1929, president of the disciplinary section of the National Socialists’ Medical Association. In 1933 he became Chief of the Medical Corps Organization, leader of the German Medical Association, and was a SA Group Leader within the headquarters of the Highest SA Governance. While working with these medical organizations he was known to be a strong proponent of the euthanasia programs carried out on disabled persons. On 30 June 1934 Ketterer witnessed the overthrow and arrest of Ernst Röhm, which was personally done by Adolf Hitler. This occurred in the spa hotel Hanselbauer in Bad Wiessee, where Röhm, head of the SA, was then staying for recreational purposes under Ketterer’s supervision as his personal doctor. Röhm was executed two nights later on the Night of the Long Knives, by order of Heinrich Himmler. Ketterer himself escaped arrest only due to the intercession of SA-Obergruppenführer Viktor Lutze, who was Röhm’s designated successor in Hitler’s entourage. In 1937 Ketterer resigned from the Medical Corps Organization.

Ketterer served as treasurer of the Deutscher Sportbund für Athletik (DSBfA) from 1933-34, and from 1936-45 was president of TSV München 1860. Ketterer was also the father-in-law of the President of the German Employer Association, Hanns Martin Schleyer, who was murdered by the Red Army Faction (RAF – Baader-Meinhof Group/Gang) in 1977.

Personal Best: 100 – 10.5 (1911); 200 – 23.1 (1910).