Albert Wolff (July 13, 1906 – June 14, 1989) was an American Olympic foil and épée fencer. Wolff was born in

Barr, Bas-Rhin Barr (; in Alsatian ''Borr'') is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in the Alsace region of north-eastern France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Barrois'' or ''Barroises''. The commune has been awarded "three flowers" by the ...

, France, and was Jewish.Richard D. Mandell
''The Nazi Olympics''
/ref> He later lived in

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...

, in the United States.Wolff, Albert – Museum Of American Fencing
/ref>

Biography

Wolff qualified for the French Olympic Team but boycotted the

1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (German: ''Olympische Sommerspiele 1936''), officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad (German: ''Spiele der XI. Olympiade'') and commonly known as Berlin 1936 or the Nazi Olympics, were an international multi-sp ...

in Berlin, Germany, withdrawing from France's national team on principle because he was a Jew. He said: "I cannot participate in anything sponsored by Adolf Hitler, even for France."29 October 1948
''Jewish Post''. He fought in the

French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed For ...

during World War II, and was awarded the

Croix de Guerre The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...

by France for bravery during fierce fighting on the

Maginot Line The Maginot Line (french: Ligne Maginot, ), named after the French Minister of War André Maginot, is a line of concrete fortifications, obstacles and weapon installations built by France in the 1930s to deter invasion by Germany and force the ...

. The Germans captured him and put him in a Jewish war camp. Wolff escaped, and made it to Portugal, and then to the United States in 1941. He joined the

US Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

, and returned to Europe, fighting the Germans. After the war was over, he petitioned the Amateur Fencers League of America (AFLA) to allow him to fence in the US National Fencing Championships. He was AFLA individual national épée champion in 1946. He competed for the United States at the age of 42 in the

1948 Summer Olympics The 1948 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XIV Olympiad and also known as London 1948) were an international multi-sport event held from 29 July to 14 August 1948 in London, England, United Kingdom. Following a twelve-year hiatus ca ...

in London in individual and team épée, and at the age of 46 in the

1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics ( fi, Kesäolympialaiset 1952; sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1952), officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad ( fi, XV olympiadin kisat; sv, Den XV olympiadens spel) and commonly known as Helsinki 1952 ( sv, Helsin ...

in Helsinki in team épée. His fencing club was the Louisville Fencers. In 1948, he was Athlete of the Year in Kentucky. He won a gold medal in team foil, and a silver medal in team épée, at the 1951 Pan American Games. Wolff died at the age of 82 in

Scottsdale, Arizona , settlement_type = City , named_for = Winfield Scott , image_skyline = , image_seal = Seal of Scottsdale (Arizona).svg , image_blank_emblem = City of Scottsdale Script Logo.svg , nick ...

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wolff, Albert 1906 births 1989 deaths People from Barr, Bas-Rhin People from Louisville, Kentucky People from Alsace-Lorraine American male foil fencers American male épée fencers Olympic fencers of the United States 1936 Summer Olympics Fencers at the 1948 Summer Olympics Fencers at the 1952 Summer Olympics Pan American Games medalists in fencing Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States Fencers at the 1951 Pan American Games French Army soldiers Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France) United States Army personnel of World War II Jewish American sportspeople Jewish male épée fencers Jewish male foil fencers Jewish military personnel Jewish French sportspeople 20th-century American Jews French emigrants to the United States Sportspeople from Bas-Rhin Medalists at the 1951 Pan American Games

Biography

See also

References

External links