Franz Sondinger

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameFranz Peter Hugo Paul •Sondinger
Used nameFranz•Sondinger
Other namesFelix Dhünen
Born5 January 1896 in Germersheim, Rheinland-Pfalz (GER)
Died8 December 1939 in Berlin, Berlin (GER)
NOC Germany
Medals OG
Gold 1
Silver 0
Bronze 0
Total 1

Biography

Felix Dhünen was the writing pseudonym of the actor, stage and artistic director Franz Sondinger. Sondinger first lived as a sculptor in Munich and later in Italy, then in Naumburg / Saale. In the 1920s he was an actor and director in Berlin, where he became director of the Renaissance Theater in 1930. From 1933, he also taught at the Max Reinhardt School for acting. Besides his theatre work, he wrote as Felix Dhünen and became known primarily for his 1934 play Uta von Naumburg. He died of a sepsis at the age of only 43.

At the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Sondinger won the gold medal in the category Lyric Works with his poem Der Läufer (The Runner). The poem reports about the messenger who announced the victory to Athens after the battle of Marathon. This story was the basis for the marathon run at Olympic Games. The poem was printed in 1939 in Hamburg.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1936 Summer Olympics Art Competitions GER Felix Dhünen
Literature, Lyric Works, Open (Olympic) 1 Gold