Regions of Poland

The country now known as Poland did not exist as such before 1918. It formed part of the Austrian, Russian, and German Empires.
The "Commonwealth of Poland and Lithuania" was partitioned in 1772, 1793 and 1795 between Prussia, Austria and Russia.
Napoleon created a "Duchy of Warsaw", which after 1815 was again divided between Russia, Prussia and Austria.
In 1920, a new Polish nation was born.
After 1945, Poland gained territories not previously held by them.

Russian Poland

After 1815, Poland was a Kingdom within the Russian Empire (Congress Poland), but this status was rescinded in 1832. Poland was an integral part of the Russian Empire.

Olympians born between 1832 and 1918 in the Russian part of what is now Poland:

(cities of Warsaw)

Representing Russia between 1896 and 1912:

Representing Poland after 1920:

Region of (Southern) East Prussia

Eastern Prussia had been a part of Prussia since it was the heart of the first Duchy of Prussia in 1525. It became a Kingdom in 1701. The area was an integral part of Prussia, later Germany, until 1945, when it was divided between the Soviet Union (modern-day Kaliningrad) and Poland.

Olympians born before 1945 in Southern East Prussia, who represented Germany:

  1. (16954) Gustav Casmir (GER/FEN/1904-06)
  2. (5640) Alfred Goeldel-Bronikoven (GER/SHO/1912)
  3. (690.2) Horst Goeldel-Bronikoven (GER/SHO/1912)
  4. (4.320) Fredy Müller (GER/ATH/1928)
  5. (538.0) Herbert Schibukat (GER/ICH/1936,52)
  6. (6000) Erwin Blask (GER/ATH/1936)
  7. (9600) Hans Woellke (GER/ATH/1936)
  8. (128.0) Dieter Niess (GER/ICH/1952)
  9. (2093) Otto Rothe (GER/EQE/1952-56)
  10. (320.0) Bruno Guttowski (GER/ICH/1956)
  11. (320.0) Reiner Kossmann (GER/ICH/1956)
  12. (968.0) Leo Pohl (GER/ATH/1956)
  13. (4.000) Klaus Porbadnik (GER/ATH/1956)
  14. (8000) Hans Grodotzki (GER/ATH/1960)
  15. (1015) Jochen Reske (GER/ATH/1960)
  16. (79.13) Harry Lempio (GER/BOX/1960)
  17. (740.1) Günter Lyhs (GER/GYM/1960-64)
  18. (3200) Karl-Heinz Hopp (GER/ROW/1960)
  19. (1300) Bruno Splieth (GER/ROW/1960-64)
  20. (3350) Horst-Günther Gregor (gdr-GER/1964-68)
  21. (164.0) Dieter Mietz (frg-GER/FOO/1972)

Royal Prussia

Royal Prussia was what the Prussians called the Northern part of Poland, which they received after the first partition of Poland in 1772. It did not include the city of Danzig (Gdansk) which remained Polish at that tume.

Gdansk

Danzig remained Polish after the first partition of Poland, but it became German at the second partition, in 1793.
After 1918, Danzig became a free city, not belonging to either Germany or Poland.
After 1945, Danzig became Polish, under the name Gdańsk.

Representing Germany:

  1. (3707) Gustav Flatow (GER/GYM/1896-1900)
  2. (56.80) Karl Bechler (GER/ATH/1908)
  3. (762.2) Arthur Hoffmann (GER/ATH/1908)
  4. (910.7) Max Herrmann (GER/ATH/1912)
  5. (100.0) Benno Wandolleck (GER/SHO/1912)
  6. (6264) Emil Hirschfeld (GER/ATH/1928-32)
  7. (4800) Hans Eller (GER/ROW/1932)
  8. (6.000) Helmuth Naudé (GER/MOP/1932)
  9. (9638) Ursula Happe (GER/SWI/1952-56)
  10. (2400) Heinz Schattner (GER/WEI/1952)
  11. (861.0) Ulrich Kienast (GER/BOX/1956)
  12. (13512) Helga Haase (GER/SSK/1960-64)
  13. (-3.64) Siegfried Lefanczik (GER/ATH/1960)
  14. (144.0) Hermann Salomon (frg-GER/ATH/1960-68)
  15. (600.0) Rosemarie Springer (GER/EQD/1960)
  16. (6.000) Wolfgang Schillkowski (GER/ATH/1964)
  17. (2460) Dieter Hoffmann (gdr-GER/ATH/1964-68)
  18. (1722) Jürgen Schlegel (gdr-GER/BOX/1964-68)
  19. (800.0) Harry Zörnack (gdr-GER/HAN/1972)
  20. Klaus Konzorr GERFRG DIV 1964—1972 22 September 1940 Gdańsk, Pomorskie (POL)

Western Pomerania

The name Pomerania comes from a Slavic word for "Land at the Sea". In 1815 it became a province of the Kingdom of Prussia, which would integrate into the German Empire The eastern part of the province became Polish after 1945. The inhabitants of this area, mostly German speaking, left for the remaining German Territories to the West and were replaced by Polish speakers. The area is now divided between two Polish Vojvodships: Western Pomerania (Zachodniopomorskie) and Pomerania (Pomorskie). Western Pomerania lies to the east of the other parts of the former province of Pomerania, which now lie in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state of Germany.

Olympians born before 1945 in the Province of Pommern:

(In Zachodniopomorskie Province of Poland)

Representing Germany:

  1. (0.555) Robert Sennecke (GER/ATH/1906)
  2. (400.0) Irmintraut Schneider (GER/SWI/1928)
  3. (96.00) Fritz Köpke (GER/ATH/1928)
  4. (150.0) Wilhelm Ladewig (GER/ATH/1928)
  5. (975.0) Alfred Krohn (GER/ROW/1928)
  6. (513.0) Erwin Wegner (GER/ATH/1932-36)
  7. (2400) Werner Seelenbinder (GER/WRG/1936)
  8. (11300) Heinz Pollay (GER/EQD/1936,52)
  9. (20.40) Heinz Beyer (GER/ROW/1952)
  10. (-4.40) Horst Mann (GER/ATH/1956)
  11. (-7.60) Günter Havenstein (GER/ATH/1960)
  12. (1560) Manfred Hinze (GER/ATH/1960-64)
  13. (500) Willi Mehlberg (GER/CAS/1960)
  14. (3000) Günter Lörke (GER/CYR/1960)
  15. (1694) Gundi Theuerkauff (frg-GER/FEN/1960-72)
  16. (60.00) Hans-Joachim Mars (GER/SHO/1960)
  17. (1.280) Inge Lieckfeldt (GER/SSK/1964)
  18. (6.400) Hans Jürgen Todt (frg-GER/MOP/1968)
  19. (0.384) Rudolf Hager (gdr-GER/SHO/1968)
  20. (960.0) Detlef Thorith (gdr-GER/ATH/1972)
  21. Manfred Ewald GDR 1971—1990
  22. Meinhard Nehmer GDR BOB 1976—1980
(In Pomorskie Province of Poland)

Representing Germany:

  1. (3707) Gustav Flatow (GER/GYM/1896-1900)
  2. (1280) Max Vetter (GER/ROW/1912)
  3. (160.0) Georg Warsow (GER/CYR/1912)
  4. (320.0) Heiner Thielemann (GER/HOC/1952)
  5. (1600) Paul Schmidt (GER/ATH/1956-60)
  6. (400.0) Dieter Bogatzki (GER/1964)
  7. (287.0) Wolfgang Barthels (GER/FOO/1964)
  8. (19.20) Klaus Ampler (gdr-GER/CYR/1968)
  9. (1.500) Hartmut Puls (gdr-GER/1968)
  10. Franz Nikodem GER HOK 1956 22 March 1932 Kwidzyn, Pomorskie (POL)
  11. Richard Nowakowski GDR BOX 1976—1980 27 September 1955 Sztum, Pomorskie (POL)
  12. (3200) Karl-Heinz Prudöhl (gdr-GER/ROW/1976)

Eastern Brandenburg

The Neumark was one of the regions of the Province of Brandenburg, itself part of the Kingdom of Prussia which was a member state of the German Empire.
The Eastern part of this region became Polish after 1945. Its territory is now in the Lubusz Voivodeship of Western Poland.
The inhabitants of this area, mostly German speaking, left for the remaining German Territories to the West and were replaced by Polish speakers.

Olympians born before 1945 in Eastern Brandenburg:

(In Lubuskie Province of Poland)

Representing Germany:

  1. (3602) Paul Wiesner (GER/SAI/1900)
  2. (4160) Paul Malisch (GER/SWI/1912)
  3. (100.0) Heinrich Hoffmann (GER/SHO/1912)
  4. (75.23) Max Bromme (GER/ART/1928-32)
  5. (24.00) Hermann Hänchen (GER/ATH/1928)
  6. (1280) Herbert Müller (GER/HOC/1928)
  7. (2660) Erich Natusch (GER/SAI/1952-56)
  8. (21.52) Inge Fuhrmann (GER/ATH/1956)
  9. (2400) Manfred Steinbach (GER/ATH/1956-60)
  10. (0.017) Heinz Wolfram (GER/SSK/1960)
  11. (3120) Günter Siegmund (GER/BOX/1960)
  12. (6.000) Horst Bergmann (GER/WRF/1960)
  13. (60.00) Alfred Döring (GER/ATH/1964)
  14. (96.00) Rudolf Langer (GER/ATH/1964)
  15. (23.09) Heilwig Jacob (GER/ATH/1964)
  16. (2000) Jürgen Schröder (GER/ROW/1964)
Representing East Germany
  1. (666.0) Wolfgang Müller (gdr-GER/EQD/1968-72)
  2. (7750) Klaus-Dieter Ludwig (gdr-GER/ROW/1972,80)
Representing West Germany
  1. (1600) Detlev Kittstein (frg-GER/HOC/1968-72)

Lower Silesia

A part of Prussia, later Germany, which became Polish after 1945. The inhabitants of this area, mostly German speaking, left for the remaining German Territories to the West and were replaced by Polish speakers.

Olympians born before 1945 in the Province of Schlesien:

(Dolnośląskie)

Representing Germany:

  1. (874.0) Rudolph Wolken (GER/WRF/1904)
  2. (1050) Adolf Böhm (GER/CYR-CYT/1906)
  3. (3970) Bruno Götze (GER/CYT-CYR/1906-08)
  4. (2251) Richard Katzer (GER/CYT/1908)
  5. (180.0) Richard Rösler (GER/SWI/1908)
  6. (12800) Walter Bathe (GER/SWI/1912)
  7. (0.014) Walther Binner (GER/SWI/1912)
  8. (400.0) Georg Kunisch (GER/SWI/1912)
  9. (164.0) Hermann Plaskuda (GER/FEN/1912)
  10. (160.0) Oswald Rathmann (GER/CYR/1912)
  11. (7188) Fritz Bauer (GER/ROW/1928-36)
  12. (65.18) Willy Jaeckel (GER/ART/1928-32)
  13. (25.02) Wolf Röhricht (GER/ART/1928)
  14. (4612) Helmut Körnig (GER/ATH/1928-32)
  15. (-5.60) Kurt Schneider (GER/ATH/1928)
  16. (2560) Joachim Karsch (GER/ART/1932)
  17. (-7.96) Franz Barsicke (GER/ATH/1936)
  18. (250.0) Wolfgang Heimlich (GER/SWI/1936)
  19. (160.0) Herbert Leupold (GER/CCS/1936)
  20. (3840) Josef Miner (GER/BOX/1936)
  21. (3200) Günther Ortmann (GER/HAN/1936)
  22. (2400) Karl Schwitalle (GER/WEI/1936)
  23. (0.083) Werner Primm (GER/ART/1936)
  24. (3841) Herbert Klein (GER/SWI/1952-56)
  25. (2460) Herbert Koschel (GER/ATH/1952-56)
  26. (1600) Vera Kummerfeld (GER/ATH/1960)
  27. (840.0) Bärbel Fuhrmann (GER/SWI/1960)
  28. (24.00) Peter Laufer (GER/ATH/1960)
  29. (1562) Werner Dittrich (gdr-GER/WEI/1960-72)
  30. (32.50) Peter Wallach (GER/ATH/1964)
  31. (6001) Klaus Beer (gdr-GER/ATH/1964-68)
  32. (9840) Hans-Joachim Walde (frg-GER/ATH/1964-72)
  33. (60.00) Rosemarie Schubert (GER/ATH/1964)
  34. (1280) Manfred Geisler (GER/FOO/1964)
  35. (287.0) Horst Weigang (GER/FOO/1964)
  36. (9696) Rudolf Vesper (gdr-GER/WRG/1964-68)
  37. (835.2) Dieter Speer (gdr-GER/BIA/1968-72)
  38. (64.00) Helmut Gerlach (frg-GER/CCS/1968)
  39. (100.0) Barbara Barthel (frg-GER/CCS/1968)
  40. (0.300) Alfred Winkler (frg-GER/NOC/1968-72)
  41. (-2.43) Werner Girke (frg-GER/ATH/1968)
  42. (70.40) Horst-Rüdiger Magnor (frg-GER/ATH/1968-72)
  43. (-2.60) Klaus Neumann (gdr-GER/ATH/1968)
  44. (717.5) Majo Stenzel (frg-GER/CYT/1968)
  45. (75.00) Rudolf Franz (gdr-GER/CYT/1968)
  46. (-5.20) Ulrich Vité (gdr-GER/EQE/1968)
  47. (257.8) Harry Fiedler (gdr-GER/FEN/1968-72)
  48. (32.00) Eckhard Wallossek (gdr-GER/HOC/1968)
  49. (9600) Dieter Grahn (gdr-GER/ROW/1968-72)
  50. (960.0) Helmut Artelt (gdr-GER/SHO/1968)
  51. (2800) Wolfgang Webner (gdr-GER/VOL/1968-72)
  52. (800.0) Rainer Zimmermann (gdr-GER/HAN/1972)
  53. (800.0) Klaus Weiß (gdr-GER/HAN/1972)
  54. (328.5) Klaus Hennig (gdr-GER/JUD/1972)
  55. (960.0) Willi Gabriel (frg-GER/ARC/1976)
  56. Herbert Obst CAN FEN 1972 26 June 1936 Strzegom, Dolnośląskie (POL)
  57. Jochen Opitz GER HOK 1964 31 May 1941 Zarzysko, Dolnośląskie (POL)
  58. Horst Stemke USA FTB 1972 5 March 1942 Lubin, Dolnośląskie (POL)

Olympians born before 1945 in the Province of Schlesien:

(Śląskie)

Representing Germany:

  1. (96.00) Erich Stoschek (GER/ATH/1928)
  2. (65.60) Otto Przywara (GER/SWI/1936)
  3. (1.601) Berthold Slupik (GER/MOP/1952)
  4. (998.4) Georg Miske (GER/WEI/1956-60)
  5. (520.0) Siegfried Schubert (GER/ICH/1960-64)
  6. (-2.96) Helmut Klöpsch (GER/BIA/1964)
  7. (600.0) Gunther Spielvogel (frg-GER/ATH/1968)
  8. (9601) Dieter Kottysch (frg-GER/BOX/1968-72)
  9. (0.160) Peter Gorewski (gdr-GER/SHO/1972-76)
  10. Georg Wieczisk GDR 1986 20 July 1922 Gliwice, Śląskie (POL)

Posen

After 1815, the area that Napoleon had taken from Prussia to be incorporated into the Duchy of Warsaw, reverted to Prussia. They were to form an autonomous region called the Grand Duchy of Posen. After 1848 however, this became simply the Province of Posen. In 1919, the area became part of the newly created Polish Republic.

Olympians born between 1848 and 1918 in the Province of Posen:

(cities of Posen = Poznan, Bromberg = Bydgoszcz)

Representing Germany between 1896 and 1912:

Representing Poland after 1920:

  1. (1920) Franciszek Bronikowski (POL/ROW/1928)
  2. (1920) Edmund Jankowski (POL/ROW/1928)
  3. (1920) Leon Birkholc (POL/ROW/1928)
  4. (1920) Bernard Ormanowski (POL/ROW/1928)
  5. (1920) Bolesław Drewek (POL/ROW/1928)

Krakow

When the Duchy of Warsaw was partitioned in 1815, the city of Krakow was near the three-country point of Prussia, Austria and Russia. A "Free City" was created, controlled by the three powers. In 1846 this Free City was annexed by Austria and became the Grand Duchy of Krakow.

Galicia

The southern part of Poland (also called Galicia) became Austrian after 1772. It did not revert to the Napoleonic Duchy of Warsaw and remained Austrian until 1918.

Olympians born between 1772 and 1918 in the Austrian part of Poland:

(cities of Lodz)

Representing Austria between 1896 and 1912:

Representing Poland after 1920:

Written 2017-07-03 - last modified 2022-11-30

This page is part of the site "Full Olympians" by Herman De Wael. See here for a full Introduction.