Fritz Hofmann

Primarily, a track and field athlete, Fritz Hofmann also captained the German gymnastics team to two gold medals at the 1896 Olympics. He added a silver in the 100 m and a bronze in rope climbing. After their return home, most gymnastics team participants were excluded from the reactionary German Gymnastics Association as they were “involved in a sporting event dedicated to internationalism.” The winning teams were banned from national competitions in Berlin.

Unlike most of the competitors in Athens, Hofmann had achieved some success at other competitions, winning the so-called Continental Championships in the 100 and 440 y in 1893, and the 1893-94 German championships in the 100. He was also active in other sports, including cycling and rowing. Hofmann, who owned a sports store in Berlin, would reappear as the team captain of the German team at the 1900, 1904 and 1906 Olympics, while competing himself in the 1906 100 m dash.

Between 1904 and 1927, he served on the Imperial German Board for the Olympics (later Board for Physical Exercises), the precursor to the German NOC. Hofmann was the owner of a business dealing with sports articles, and also opened a “sports-bath” in Berlin with a partner, with whom he also edited a health magazine for some time.

Personal Bests: 100 – 11.1 (1893); 400 – 52.3 (1893); HJ – 1.75 (1892); TJ – unknown; SP – unknown.