As a super-heavyweight, the great German Weightlifter Josef Strassberger won the Gold Medal at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympic Games. He came back four years later to beat his winning total although by the 1932 Los Angeles Games it was only good enough for Bronze. Strassberger set six World Records during his career including his best press of 300 pounds which he accomplished in 1935.
Josef Manger was a great German heavyweight lifter during the 1930’s He burst on the scene with a Silver medal at the 1934 European championships following that up with a Gold medal in that contest a year later. From there, he also won gold at the 1936 Olympic games held in Berlin, Germany and the 1937 and 1938 World Championships. Manger was a six-time lifting champion of Germany and set 20 World records over the course of his career (although only 11 were recognized as official.) At the 1936 Olympics, Manger totalled an Olympic Record 410 kg. (132.5 kg pres, 122.5 kg snatch and 155 kg C&J)
Anton Gietl was a German weightlifter who won the Gold in the 1937 German championships and, later that year, the Bronze medal at the World Weightlifting Championship in the light heavyweight class. Gietl placed in the top five of the German weightlifting championships eight times in 1929 through 1949 ~ a pretty impressive feat in itself. Gietl’s specialty was the one-arm snatch, setting a world mark with 90 kg in 1933 (notably with his left arm.)
German weightlifter Manfred Rieger, competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics, as heavyweight in 1964 and 1968 and super heavyweight in 1972. Rieger never finished higher than fourth at the Olympics, but he did win seven German weightlifting championships. Above is a snap from the 1967 championship where Rieger set a new German record with a 520 kg total (which surpassed his previous best by 15 kilograms.)
Berg-Hantel barbells and plates were the inspiration for all modern Olympic sets. Here, A. Wiedmer, the Lightweight National Champion of Germany in 1924 and 1925, shows how it’s done in winning this early contest.
Rudolf Ismayr, seen here in mid-clean with what looks like to be about 265 pounds, won the Gold Medal at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California where he totaled 345 kg in the Middleweight class. Four years later, Ismayr was chosen to read the Olympic Oath at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany (at which he took the Silver Medal with a 352.5 kg total.)
Rudolf Ismayr, seen here in mid-clean with what looks like to be about 265 pounds, won the Gold Medal at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California where he totaled 345 kg in the Middleweight class. Four years later, Ismayr was chosen to read the Olympic Oath at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany (at which he took the Silver Medal with a 352.5 kg total.)
Josef Strassberger
