Felix Bürkner

Felix Bürkner was an active officer in the Royal Prussian Army and a dressage rider. He came in seventh in the individual dressage at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics on his horse King. Bürkner made a military career in the cavalry, rising to Oberst in 1940. He served in both World Wars and retired for age reasons in 1943. During World War II he was commander of the Heeresreit- und Fahrschule at Hannover and later at Potsdam-Krampnitz.

Bürkner was educated in riding in Göttingen and Hannover. In 1930 he founded the “German Riding School” in Berlin and prepared the German Dressage National Team for the 1936 Berlin Olympics, serving as team captain. After World War II he returned to Hannover educating horses for other riders. Bürkner won 14 German national titles. Together with Otto Lörke and conductor Friedrich Witeschnek, Bürkner founded the famous German School Quadrille which was revived for the Closing Ceremony of the Summer Olympics in München.