Wolfgang Schaper

Wolfgang Schaper’s father was sculptor Fritz Schaper (1841-1919). Wolfgang studied painting and sculpture from 1916-20 at the Academy of Arts in Berlin, and then designed primarily sports figures in the New Objectivity style of the 1920s. He died in 1930 only 35 years old, at the late-following of a martial injury from World War I, which resulted in the amputation of his right leg.

Today, the 2.50 m larger than life bronze figure of the Discus Thrower stands near the stadium terraces in Berlin. Originally it was set up north of the stadium near the sports fields southwest of the “House of Sports”. The statue was donated in 1927 by the cigarette manufacturer Phillips Reemtsma for the “German University of Physical Education”. No picture could be retrieved showing his statue of the marvelous 1920s runner The track athlete Dr. Peltzer running.