Gustl Berauer
Encyclopedia
Gustav "Gustl" Berauer (5 November 1912 - 18 May 1986) was an ethnic German
Czechoslovak
nordic combined
skier who competed in the 1930s. He was born in Petzer, Bohemia
, Austro-Hungarian Empire, which is now known as Pec pod Sněžkou, Czech Republic
.
At the 1936 Winter Olympics
in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
, Berauer finished 14th in the Nordic combined, 21st in the 18 km cross-country event and was part of the Czechoslovak team that finished 5th in the 4 x 10 km relay.
His real strength lay in the Nordic combined
. He won a gold medal
in that individual event at the 1939 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
in Zakopane
while competing for Nazi Germany
in the wake of Czechoslovakia
being annexed in late 1938. It was the first German world champion in Nordic skiing. At the World Championships in 1941 in Cortina d'Ampezzo
, he was able to successfully defend his title. The World Championship, associated with the International Ski Federation
(FIS), was officially cancelled in 1946.
During World War II
Berauer was a Sergeant in the Gebirgsjägern (mountain troops). After the war he was incapable of returning to his sport due to a serious injury on the Eastern Front. From 1963 to 1975 he was the Chairman of the FIS Committee "Nordic combined". In 1986, Berauer died in Schliersee
, Bavaria
, Germany
.
Ethnic German
Ethnic Germans historically also ), also collectively referred to as the German diaspora, refers to people who are of German ethnicity. Many are not born in Europe or in the modern-day state of Germany or hold German citizenship...
Czechoslovak
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
nordic combined
Nordic combined
The Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in both cross-country skiing and ski jumping.- History :While Norwegian soldiers are known to have been competing in Nordic skiing since the 19th century, the first major competition in Nordic combined was held in 1892 in Oslo at the...
skier who competed in the 1930s. He was born in Petzer, Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
, Austro-Hungarian Empire, which is now known as Pec pod Sněžkou, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
.
At the 1936 Winter Olympics
1936 Winter Olympics
The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1936 in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. Germany also hosted the Summer Olympics the same year in Berlin...
in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a mountain resort town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the Oberbayern region, and the district is on the border with Austria...
, Berauer finished 14th in the Nordic combined, 21st in the 18 km cross-country event and was part of the Czechoslovak team that finished 5th in the 4 x 10 km relay.
His real strength lay in the Nordic combined
Nordic combined
The Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in both cross-country skiing and ski jumping.- History :While Norwegian soldiers are known to have been competing in Nordic skiing since the 19th century, the first major competition in Nordic combined was held in 1892 in Oslo at the...
. He won a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in that individual event at the 1939 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
1939 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1939 took place February 11-19, 1939 in Zakopane, Poland. This was the Polish city's second time hosting the championships after having done so in 1929...
in Zakopane
Zakopane
Zakopane , is a town in southern Poland. It lies in the southern part of the Podhale region at the foot of the Tatra Mountains. From 1975 to 1998 it was in of Nowy Sącz Province, but since 1999 it has been in Lesser Poland Province. It had a population of about 28,000 as of 2004. Zakopane is a...
while competing for Nazi Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in the wake of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
being annexed in late 1938. It was the first German world champion in Nordic skiing. At the World Championships in 1941 in Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo is a town and comune in the southern Alps located in Veneto, a region in Northern Italy. Located in the heart of the Dolomites in an alpine valley, it is a popular winter sport resort known for its ski-ranges, scenery, accommodations, shops and après-ski scene...
, he was able to successfully defend his title. The World Championship, associated with the International Ski Federation
International Ski Federation
The International Ski Federation, known by its name in French, Fédération Internationale de Ski is the main international organisation for ski sports...
(FIS), was officially cancelled in 1946.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Berauer was a Sergeant in the Gebirgsjägern (mountain troops). After the war he was incapable of returning to his sport due to a serious injury on the Eastern Front. From 1963 to 1975 he was the Chairman of the FIS Committee "Nordic combined". In 1986, Berauer died in Schliersee
Schliersee
Schliersee is a small town and a municipality in the district of Miesbach in Bavaria in Germany. It is named after the nearby Lake Schliersee....
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.