Hans Zierold

German freestyle swimmer Hans Zierold, born in Zeitz in East Germany, was the first world class male swimmer from the former GDR. He finished fifth with the 4x200 freestyle mixed German relay team at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and also finished fifth in the individual 400 event. Four years later in Roma he placed seventh with the 4x200 relay.

In 1957 he became the target of a propaganda action against him by East German sports officials caused by his “Star Attitudes”. He then defected from West Berlin to Hamburg in 1958. In 1960, he became a subject of controversy, when the West German officials refused to allow Zierold to participate in qualification competitions for the mixed German team in Leipzig, East Germany. The competitions then were relocated to Sweden and Zierold was able to qualify. Later he immigrated to Switzerland, where he also supervised the national team from 1965 to 1968. His daughter Claudia swam internationally for Switzerland.

Zierold was the East German 400 freestyle champion in 1956, and in 1957 was the 400 and the 1,500 freestyle, and 4x200 freestyle relay champion. After moving to West Germany he was national champion in the 200, 400 and 1,500 freestyle in 1958, the 200 and 1,500 freestyle in 1959, and finally in the 200 butterfly in 1960.