At the age of 18 Gottfried von Meiss decided to pursue the study of economics and also joined his native Switzerland’s Air Force. Within seven years he had achieved the rank of captain as well as a high degree of proficiency in foil fencing. He attended his first summer Olympics in 1936, reaching the second round of both the individual and team foil events. His sporting endeavors were interrupted by World War II, where he served with distinction in a variety of leadership and instructor roles, culminating in his appointment as head of intelligence for the Swiss Air Force. Following the conflict he left the military and took up a job as a technical director for Swissair in 1946, but left in 1952 to found his own consulting firm. During his time at Swissair he attended his second summer Olympics in 1948, but was eliminated in the opening round of the team foil tournament. He held a doctorate in economics from the University of Zurich and was named as an Officer of the British Empire in recognition of his business achievements in the United Kingdom. Like his brother, the famous adventurer Hans von Meiss-Teuffen, Gottfried was also an avid sailor.
Switzerland