Dr. Ivan Joseph Martin Osiier (December 16, 1888 – December 23, 1965), was a

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

Olympic medalist, and world champion, fencer who fenced foil, épée, and saber.Ivan Osiier Bio, Stats, and Results , Olympics at Sports-Reference.com
/ref> He was given the

Olympic Diploma of Merit The Olympic Diploma of Merit was an award given by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to recognise outstanding services to sports or a notable contribution to the Olympic Games. By 1974, the last time the awards were granted, just 58 peop ...

during his career. He is also one of only five athletes who have competed in the Olympics over a span of 40 years.

Personal life

Osiier was born in

Copenhagen, Denmark Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

, and was Jewish. His parents were Martin Moses Meyer Osiier (1861-1933) and Hanne Henriette Ruben (1865-1922). He was married to

Ellen Osiier Ellen Osiier (13 August 1890 – 6 September 1962) was a Danish foil fencer. Osiier was born in Hjørring, Nordjylland, Denmark. The 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris was the first Olympic Games to feature women's fencing. Osiier, then 33, wo ...

, who became the first female Olympic fencing champion by winning the women's foil at the

1924 Summer Olympics The 1924 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1924), officially the Games of the VIII Olympiad (french: Jeux de la VIIIe olympiade) and also known as Paris 1924, were an international multi-sport event held in Paris, France. The op ...

. He attended the secondary school Borgerdydskolen (The School of Civic Virtue) in Copenhagen, and later studied medicine. He was a surgeon at Garrison Hospital in Copenhagen in 1915-17. He later served as a physician. He was forced to flee Denmark during the

Nazi occupation of Denmark The German invasion of Denmark (german: Operation Weserübung – Süd), was the German attack on Denmark on 9 April 1940, during the Second World War. The attack was a prelude to the invasion of Norway (german: Weserübung Nord, 9 April – 10 ...

due to his being Jewish, and went to Sweden where he worked at Saint Göran Hospital.

Fencing career

Championships

At fencing competitions in Denmark, Osiier won 25 events between 1913 to 1929. In fencing competitions for Scandinavia, Osilier won 13 events between 1921 to 1933.

Olympics

Osiier first competed at the

1908 Summer Olympics The 1908 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the IV Olympiad and also known as London 1908) were an international multi-sport event held in London, England, United Kingdom, from 27 April to 31 October 1908. The 1908 Games were ori ...

and continued to appear in consecutive Olympics up to 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 ...

. During the

1912 Summer Olympics The 1912 Summer Olympics ( sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1912), officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad ( sv, Den V olympiadens spel) and commonly known as Stockholm 1912, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, be ...

, Osiier finished in second during the epee event. Osiier withdrew from 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 ...

, as did Danish Jewish wrestler (and 1932 Olympic silver medalist)

Abraham Kurland Abraham Kurland (10 June 1912 – 14 March 1999) was a Danish Olympic silver medalist wrestler. Kurland won 12 Denmark championships from 1932-49, won a silver medal in lightweight Greco Roman wrestling at the 1932 Olympics and a gold medal i ...

. He is one of only four athletes who have competed in the Olympics over a span of 40 years, along with sailors

Magnus Konow Magnus Andreas Thulstrup Clasen Konow (1 September 1887 – 25 August 1972) was a Norwegian sailor who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics, in the 1912 Summer Olympics, in the 1920 Summer Olympics, in the 1928 Summer Olympics, in the 1936 Summe ...

Paul Elvstrøm Paul Bert Elvstrøm (25 February 1928 – 7 December 2016) was a Danish yachtsman. He won four Olympic gold medals and twenty world titles in a range of classes including Snipe, Soling, Star, Flying Dutchman, Finn, 505, and 5.5 Metre. ...

Durward Knowles Sir Durward Randolph Knowles (2 November 1917 – 24 February 2018) was a sailor and Olympic champion from the Bahamas. He won the gold medal in the Star class at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, together with Cecil Cooke.

and showjumper

Ian Millar Ian Millar, CM (born 6 January 1947) is a Canadian Equestrian Team athlete for show jumping. He is a two-time winner of the Show Jumping World Cup, and an Olympic silver medalist. Due to his longevity and accomplishments, he is often nicknamed ...

. Apart from competitions, Osiier worked for the Denmark Fencing Federation as their leader. The

was given to Osiier during his career.

Hall of Fame

Osiier was inducted into the

International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame ( he, יד לאיש הספורט היהודי, translit=Yad Le'ish HaSport HaYehudi) was opened July 7, 1981 in Netanya, Israel. It honors Jewish athletes and their accomplishments from anywhere around ...

in 1986.

References

External links

Olympic record

Jewish Sports Legends bio

Jews in Sports bio

IMDB bio

{{DEFAULTSORT:Osier, Ivan 1888 births 1965 deaths Danish male fencers Jewish male épée fencers Jewish male foil fencers Jewish male sabre fencers Jewish Danish sportspeople Olympic fencers of Denmark Olympic silver medalists for Denmark Olympic medalists in fencing Fencers at the 1908 Summer Olympics Fencers at the 1912 Summer Olympics Fencers at the 1920 Summer Olympics Fencers at the 1924 Summer Olympics Fencers at the 1928 Summer Olympics Fencers at the 1932 Summer Olympics Fencers at the 1948 Summer Olympics International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame inductees Medalists at the 1912 Summer Olympics