Heinz Lorenz

Heinz Lorenz, born in what is now Litoměřice in the Czech Republic, worked in München during World War II as a design engineer for the German automobile company BMW. He emigrated after the war to Geretsried, Bavaria, where he established a company for wooden and plastic toys, which became well-known for the wood construction toy Baufix. In 2010 the company, long since managed by his son Alexander, was closed after six decades. Alexander became a sprinter as well and Heinz’s daughter, Catharina, was a middle-distance runner, with both successful at the national level. Heinz Lorenz competed for Czechoslovakia at the 1936 Berlin Olympics in the 4x400 relay, but the team was eliminated in the heats. He later participated at the German Championships in 1943, 1946 and 1947 with limited success.

Personal Best: 400 – 49.9 (1936).