Paul Anspach
Encyclopedia
Paul Anspach was a Belgian épée and foil
fencer
.
Anspach competed in four Olympiad
s for the Belgian fencing team (1908, 1912, 1920 and 1924).
, Belgium on 1 April 1882.
Anspach, who was Jewish, began his athletic career as a soccer player. He died in his sleep in Brussels
, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale, Belgium on 28 August 1981.
Anspach's first Olympic appearance was at the 1908 London Games, where he competed in both the team and individual épée events. Belgium captured the silver medal
in the team competition; Anspach won 10 of his 15 bouts. He then competed in the individual competition, reaching the finals (he won his 2nd round and semifinal pool), where he finished 5th overall. He also competed in the sabre competition, where he made it as far as the 2nd round.
At the 1912 Stockholm
Olympics, he captured gold medal
s in both the individual and team épée competitions. Among his teammates were his brother Henri Anspach
, famed artist Jacques Ochs
, and Gaston Salmon
. In the individual event, he won 6 of 7 matches to capture the gold (his only loss was to British fencer Edgar Seligman
). Anspach also reached the semifinals in the individual foil event, before being eliminated (he finished 12th overall).
Anspach's next Olympic competition was the 1920 Antwerp Games (there were no Olympics in 1916 due to World War I
), where he won a silver medal in the team épée competition. His final Olympiad was the 1924 Paris Games, where he competed in the individual épée and reached the finals, but finished in 9th place. In team épée, Anspach again competed in the finals and Belgium finished in 2nd place, winning the silver medal.
In 1951, Anspach became the first recipient of the Taher Pacha Trophy (founded in 1950 by H.E. Mohammed Taher Pacha, member of the IOC for Egypt. It is to awarded
annually by the IOC to an Athlete whose "general merit and career justify the award of a special distinction in the name of Olympism.")
In 1976, Anspach was awarded the Silver Medal of the Olympic Order
. For the 1976 Summer Olympics
in Montreal, the Comités d'organisation des Jeux Olympiques (COJO) invited Anspach to take part in the ceremony for the transmission of the Flame from Athens
to Ottawa
. Unfortunately his doctors felt that the journey from Brussels to Athens and back would be too tiring for the ninety-year-old Belgian, who, however, said he was "honored and moved by this very special invitation".
in 1906.
In 1913, he was one of the founders of the International Fencing Association ("Fédération Internationale d'Escrime
", or FIE). He served as its Secretary-General, before serving as its President from 1932 until 1939 (when it was suspended for the duration of World War II
) , and then from 1946 until 1950.
In 1914, he sat as Secretary at the Paris Olympic Congress, where he dealt with the technical side of the Congress. In 1914, along with the Marquess of Chasseloup-Laubat he drew up the rules for Fencing as an Olympic sport.
Foil (fencing)
A foil is a type of weapon used in fencing. It is the most common weapon in terms of usage in competition, and is usually the choice for elementary classes for fencing in general.- Components:...
fencer
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
.
Anspach competed in four Olympiad
Olympiad
An Olympiad is a period of four years, associated with the Olympic Games of Classical Greece. In the Hellenistic period, beginning with Ephorus, Olympiads were used as calendar epoch....
s for the Belgian fencing team (1908, 1912, 1920 and 1924).
Early life
Anspach was born in BurchtZwijndrecht, Belgium
Zwijndrecht is both a village and a municipality located in the Flemish province of Antwerp, in Belgium. As well as Zwijndrecht proper, the municipality includes the villages of Burcht. As of January 1, 2006, Zwijndrecht had a total population of 18,231....
, Belgium on 1 April 1882.
Anspach, who was Jewish, began his athletic career as a soccer player. He died in his sleep in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale, Belgium on 28 August 1981.
Olympics
He was captain of the Belgian National Épée team from 1909–28.Anspach's first Olympic appearance was at the 1908 London Games, where he competed in both the team and individual épée events. Belgium captured the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
in the team competition; Anspach won 10 of his 15 bouts. He then competed in the individual competition, reaching the finals (he won his 2nd round and semifinal pool), where he finished 5th overall. He also competed in the sabre competition, where he made it as far as the 2nd round.
At the 1912 Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
Olympics, he captured 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...
s in both the individual and team épée competitions. Among his teammates were his brother Henri Anspach
Henri Anspach
Henri Anspach was a Belgian épée and foil fencer.-Olympic fencing Career:Anspach, who was Jewish, was a member of the Belgian fencing team at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, and won a gold medal in the team épée competition...
, famed artist Jacques Ochs
Jacques Ochs
Jacques Ochs , was a Jewish Belgian artist and épée and foil fencer.-Early years, and art study:Ochs was Jewish, and was born in Nice, France. His family moved to Liège, Belgium, in 1893. Ochs studied art there at the Royal Academy of Art in Liège, graduating 1903. He won the Donnay Prize that year...
, and Gaston Salmon
Gaston Salmon
Gaston Salmon was a Belgian épée, foil, and sabre fencer. He was Jewish.-Olympic fencing career:Salmon represented Belgium at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, competing in three events, winning a gold medal in team épée....
. In the individual event, he won 6 of 7 matches to capture the gold (his only loss was to British fencer Edgar Seligman
Edgar Seligman
-External links:****...
). Anspach also reached the semifinals in the individual foil event, before being eliminated (he finished 12th overall).
Anspach's next Olympic competition was the 1920 Antwerp Games (there were no Olympics in 1916 due to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
), where he won a silver medal in the team épée competition. His final Olympiad was the 1924 Paris Games, where he competed in the individual épée and reached the finals, but finished in 9th place. In team épée, Anspach again competed in the finals and Belgium finished in 2nd place, winning the silver medal.
In 1951, Anspach became the first recipient of the Taher Pacha Trophy (founded in 1950 by H.E. Mohammed Taher Pacha, member of the IOC for Egypt. It is to awarded
annually by the IOC to an Athlete whose "general merit and career justify the award of a special distinction in the name of Olympism.")
In 1976, Anspach was awarded the Silver Medal of the Olympic Order
Olympic Order
The Olympic Order is the highest award of the Olympic Movement, created by the International Olympic Committee in May 1975 as a successor to the Olympic Certificate previously awarded. The Olympic Order originally had three grades , although the bronze grade was retired in 1984...
. For the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
in Montreal, the Comités d'organisation des Jeux Olympiques (COJO) invited Anspach to take part in the ceremony for the transmission of the Flame from 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...
to Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. Unfortunately his doctors felt that the journey from Brussels to Athens and back would be too tiring for the ninety-year-old Belgian, who, however, said he was "honored and moved by this very special invitation".
Belgian Olympic Committee and International Fencing Association
He contributed to the formation of the Belgian Olympic CommitteeBelgian Olympic Committee
The Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee , abbreviated to COIB or BOIC, is the National Olympic Committee for Belgium. It was founded in 1906 and the administrative seat is located in Brussels.-List of presidents:...
in 1906.
In 1913, he was one of the founders of the International Fencing Association ("Fédération Internationale d'Escrime
Fédération Internationale d'Escrime
Fédération Internationale d'Escrime is the international governing body of Olympic fencing. It was founded on November 29, 1913 in Paris, France. Today, its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland...
", or FIE). He served as its Secretary-General, before serving as its President from 1932 until 1939 (when it was suspended for the duration of 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...
) , and then from 1946 until 1950.
In 1914, he sat as Secretary at the Paris Olympic Congress, where he dealt with the technical side of the Congress. In 1914, along with the Marquess of Chasseloup-Laubat he drew up the rules for Fencing as an Olympic sport.