German Rieckehoff
Encyclopedia
Germán Rieckehoff was a President of the Puerto Rican Olympic Committee.
. He was raised in a homestead
owned by his parents. His parents, who were descendents of Germans
who settled in the island, were poor farmers (Jíbaros) who provided him with his basic needs and a good education. A relative, Carlos Vélez Rieckehoff, was an important leader of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party
and he followed the cause of independence himself.
Rieckehoff was an athletic youth and when young he was an expert swimmer. In 1947, Rieckehoff founded an association of Viequenses to fight the presence of the U.S. Navy
on the island of Vieques. He enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico
where he earned his law degree. It was during his university years that he became involved with the Puerto Rican Olympic Committee, eventually becoming the president of the Committee.
boycotted the Olympic Games
celebrated in Moscow, Russia. Rieckehoff was against the boycott because he believed that politics should not get involved with sporting events. He was, therefore, denied economic support from the local government. Rieckehoff did however, manage to send one athlete to represent Puerto Rico. Alberto Mercado
, became the only United States
citizen to participate in the 1980 Olympics in the boxing
event.
, headed by then governor Carlos Romero Barceló
, withheld economic support from the athletic delegation headed to Cuba
, where the Central American and Caribbean Games were going to be held. The Puerto Rican Olympic Committee, under the leadership of Rieckehoff, had to appeal directly to the people for donations and were able to send the delegation.
Rieckehoff oversaw the construction of the "Olympic Village" in Carolina
for the VIII Pan American Games, held in Puerto Rico in 1979 and he also oversaw the construction of the Albergue Olímpico
(Olympic Hostel) in Salinas
. He donated the land for the establishment of the "Regional Development Center".
, Switzerland
and at the International Olympic Committee
headquarters, he requested that the 2004 Olympic Games be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico
. He pointed out that the success of the Pan American Games held in the island had proved that Puerto Rico had the facilities capable of holding an event such as the Olympics. The Committee took his request into consideration but, after some years of studying the situation, decided for Athens
, Greece
to hold the games instead.
Rieckehoff indicated in a speech that he feared that sports professionals were gaining more control than the partisans of the Olympics. He also believed that the salaried professionals and administrators automatically thought that they knew what was best for the Olympics, when in reality the partisans were the ones with the proper knowledge.
On September 2, 1997, Germán Rieckehoff was in Lausanne, Switzerland when he fell ill. He was rushed on an ambulance plane
with his wife, Irma Gonzlez, a sports leader in her own right, and son Germán, but died on the flight. His remains were returned to Puerto Rico, where he received a hero's funeral. He was survived by his wife, Irma, who died on May 3, 2006, their children, Angelita, Germán and Juan Adolfo Rieckehoff.
) was renamed and is now known as the "Germán Rieckehoff Albergue Olympico", which also houses his gravesite, where his remains lie along with those of his wife. There is also a Germán Rieckehoff High School in Vieques and one in Virginia
. On August 16, 2003 the Puerto Rican Legislature passed Law # 182 which established the "Germán Rieckehoff Sampayo Medal" of the Puerto Rican Legislative Assembly for excellence in sports. The medal is to be presented annually the sportsperson whose local or international accomplishments have helped keep the image of Puerto Rican sports among the best.
Author Raul Mayo Santana wrote Rieckehoff's biography in a book titled "El Juguete Sagrado: Germán Rieckehoff Sampayo Vida y leyenda"
Early years
Rieckehoff, (birth name: Germán Rieckehoff Sampayo), born in Vieques, Puerto RicoVieques, Puerto Rico
Vieques , in full Isla de Vieques, is an island–municipality of Puerto Rico in the northeastern Caribbean, part of an island grouping sometimes known as the Spanish Virgin Islands...
. He was raised in a homestead
Smallholding
A smallholding is a farm of small size.In third world countries, smallholdings are usually farms supporting a single family with a mixture of cash crops and subsistence farming. As a country becomes more affluent and farming practices become more efficient, smallholdings may persist as a legacy of...
owned by his parents. His parents, who were descendents of Germans
German immigration to Puerto Rico
German immigration to Puerto Rico increased when German businessmen immigrated to Puerto Rico during the early part of the 19th century. However, it was the economic and political situation in Europe during the early 19th century plus, the fact that the Spanish Crown issued the Royal Decree of...
who settled in the island, were poor farmers (Jíbaros) who provided him with his basic needs and a good education. A relative, Carlos Vélez Rieckehoff, was an important leader of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party
Puerto Rican Nationalist Party
The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party was founded on September 17, 1922. Its main objective is to work for Puerto Rican Independence.In 1919, José Coll y Cuchí, a member of the Union Party of Puerto Rico, felt that the Union Party was not doing enough for the cause of Puerto Rican independence and he...
and he followed the cause of independence himself.
Rieckehoff was an athletic youth and when young he was an expert swimmer. In 1947, Rieckehoff founded an association of Viequenses to fight the presence of the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
on the island of Vieques. He enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
where he earned his law degree. It was during his university years that he became involved with the Puerto Rican Olympic Committee, eventually becoming the president of the Committee.
Puerto Rican Olympic Committee
In 1980, the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
boycotted the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
celebrated in Moscow, Russia. Rieckehoff was against the boycott because he believed that politics should not get involved with sporting events. He was, therefore, denied economic support from the local government. Rieckehoff did however, manage to send one athlete to represent Puerto Rico. Alberto Mercado
Alberto Mercado
Alberto Mercado was a Jr. Featherweight boxer who was on the verge of fighting for a world title at least twice in his career....
, became the only United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
citizen to participate in the 1980 Olympics in the boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
event.
The Barceló incident
In 1982, the Government of Puerto RicoGovernment of Puerto Rico
The Government of Puerto Rico is a republican form of government subject to U.S. jurisdiction and sovereignty. Its current powers are all delegated by the United States Congress and lack full protection under the United States Constitution...
, headed by then governor Carlos Romero Barceló
Carlos Romero Barceló
Carlos Antonio Romero Barceló is a Puerto Rican politician who served as the fifth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the second governor to be elected from the New Progressive Party and also Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico from 1993 to 2001, making him one of the more successful...
, withheld economic support from the athletic delegation headed to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, where the Central American and Caribbean Games were going to be held. The Puerto Rican Olympic Committee, under the leadership of Rieckehoff, had to appeal directly to the people for donations and were able to send the delegation.
The Albergue Olimpico (Olympic Hostel)
Carolina, Puerto Rico
Carolina is a city located in the northern part of Puerto Rico, bordering the Atlantic Ocean; it lies north of Gurabo and Juncos; east of Trujillo Alto and San Juan; and west of Canóvanas and Loíza. Carolina is spread over 12 wards plus Carolina Pueblo...
for the VIII Pan American Games, held in Puerto Rico in 1979 and he also oversaw the construction of the Albergue Olímpico
Albergue Olímpico
The Albergue Olímpico German Rieckehoff Sampayo or Olympic Hostel is an athletic training and recreational center located in Salinas, Puerto Rico. It is the most complete sports center in Puerto Rico used by professional athletes and by the general public for health, educational, and recreational...
(Olympic Hostel) in Salinas
Salinas, Puerto Rico
Salinas is a small municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico located in the southern coast of the island, south of Aibonito and Cayey; southeast of Coamo, east of Santa Isabel; and west of Guayama...
. He donated the land for the establishment of the "Regional Development Center".
Later years
In the late 1980s, Rieckehoff traveled to LausanneLausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and at the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
headquarters, he requested that the 2004 Olympic Games be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. He pointed out that the success of the Pan American Games held in the island had proved that Puerto Rico had the facilities capable of holding an event such as the Olympics. The Committee took his request into consideration but, after some years of studying the situation, decided for Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
to hold the games instead.
Rieckehoff indicated in a speech that he feared that sports professionals were gaining more control than the partisans of the Olympics. He also believed that the salaried professionals and administrators automatically thought that they knew what was best for the Olympics, when in reality the partisans were the ones with the proper knowledge.
On September 2, 1997, Germán Rieckehoff was in Lausanne, Switzerland when he fell ill. He was rushed on an ambulance plane
MEDEVAC
Medical evacuation, often termed Medevac or Medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to the wounded being evacuated from the battlefield or to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of an accident to receiving medical facilities using...
with his wife, Irma Gonzlez, a sports leader in her own right, and son Germán, but died on the flight. His remains were returned to Puerto Rico, where he received a hero's funeral. He was survived by his wife, Irma, who died on May 3, 2006, their children, Angelita, Germán and Juan Adolfo Rieckehoff.
Honors and recognitions
In his honor, the Albergue Olympico (Salinas, Puerto RicoSalinas, Puerto Rico
Salinas is a small municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico located in the southern coast of the island, south of Aibonito and Cayey; southeast of Coamo, east of Santa Isabel; and west of Guayama...
) was renamed and is now known as the "Germán Rieckehoff Albergue Olympico", which also houses his gravesite, where his remains lie along with those of his wife. There is also a Germán Rieckehoff High School in Vieques and one in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. On August 16, 2003 the Puerto Rican Legislature passed Law # 182 which established the "Germán Rieckehoff Sampayo Medal" of the Puerto Rican Legislative Assembly for excellence in sports. The medal is to be presented annually the sportsperson whose local or international accomplishments have helped keep the image of Puerto Rican sports among the best.
Author Raul Mayo Santana wrote Rieckehoff's biography in a book titled "El Juguete Sagrado: Germán Rieckehoff Sampayo Vida y leyenda"
Further reading
- "El Juguete Sagrado: Germán Rieckehoff Sampayo Vida y leyenda"; Author: Raul Mayo Santana ; Publication Date: January 2000; ISBN 1563282011
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- German immigration to Puerto RicoGerman immigration to Puerto RicoGerman immigration to Puerto Rico increased when German businessmen immigrated to Puerto Rico during the early part of the 19th century. However, it was the economic and political situation in Europe during the early 19th century plus, the fact that the Spanish Crown issued the Royal Decree of...
- Carlos Vélez RieckehoffCarlos Vélez RieckehoffCarlos Vélez Rieckehoff , was the President of the New York chapter of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party in the 1930s. In the 1990s Rieckehoff was among the protesters who protested against the United States Navy's use of his birth place, the island of Vieques, as a bombing range. He stood in...