Franz Stahr Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

Franz Stähr

Posted on Tuesday, July 31st, 2018 by John Wood

Here’s a rare look at Franz Stähr, the great early lifter from Vienna. Stähr was a member of the Osman Trio and one of the first men to ever put 200 lbs. overhead with one hand. At an exhibition on December 9, 1885, Stähr “put up” from the shoulder to overhead (what we would today call a push press) a 109 lb. dumbbell twenty five times! It’s not hard to see from this photo that he was a man of immense power.

The Osman Trio

Posted on Wednesday, November 19th, 2014 by John Wood

Three great strongmen formed the act known as the Osman Trio. From left to right: Wilhelm Turck was a butcher by trade who became the World’s Weightlifting Champion in 1898. He could perform a two-hands anyhow dumbbell lift of 279 1/4 pounds, a 140 lb. dumbbell in the right hand, and a 139 1/4 lb. dumbbell in the left. Georges Jagendorfer was a very popular strongman who performed with Cooke’s Circus. Franz Stahr was one of the first strongmen to lift 200 pounds overhead with one hand. The trio often used elaborate stage weights and costumes in their performances around Europe. There were several different lineups of the Osman Trio over the years.