Hans-Joachim Hannemann was a member of the German bronze medal-winning coxed eights at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The three leading boats, USA, Italy and Germany crossed the line virtually together with just one second separating first from third but victory went to the USA, with Italy second. The Nazi leaders were not amused and left immediately.
The same year, the boat from RG Wiking Berlin won the German Championship, and Hannemann was also a runner-up with Gerhard Völs, Werner Loeckle and Herbert Schmidt in the coxless fours. Hannemann won several more German titles. In 1938 he was the eights champion, coxless pairs and coxed eights champion in 1941, coxed fours in 1944, and in 1947 was coxless fours champion. In 1938 he won his only European title with the coxed eights. Hannemann later became a sports administrator, rowing coach, and international referee. He was president of RG Wiking Berlin from 1950-52.
Germany