Waldemar Konrad von Zedtwitz (May 8, 1896 – October 5, 1984) was a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

-born American

bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...

player and administrator.

Life

Von Zedtwitz was born in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

, Germany. His mother was Mary Elizabeth Breckinridge Caldwell, daughter of American businessman William Shakespeare Caldwell, one of

Louisville 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. ...

's first millionaires by the late 1850s, and sister of Mary Gwendoline, Marquise des Monstiers-Mérinville. His father was Baron Moritz Curt von Zedtwitz, a German diplomat who belonged to the old Zedtwitz noble family, which rose under the

Electorate of Saxony The Electorate of Saxony, also known as Electoral Saxony (German: or ), was a territory of the Holy Roman Empire from 1356–1806. It was centered around the cities of Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz. In the Golden Bull of 1356, Emperor Charles ...

. His parents were married in June 1890. His father died in a boating accident on August 18, 1896, when he was just three months old. He was educated at Berlin and

Bern german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese , neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen , website ...

, and later served in the German cavalry during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. He became a naturalized American citizen. He was a

lexicographer Lexicography is the study of lexicons, and is divided into two separate academic disciplines. It is the art of compiling dictionaries. * Practical lexicography is the art or craft of compiling, writing and editing dictionaries. * Theoreti ...

and linguist. Von Zedtwitz was a keen backgammon player, winning a major tournament at age 82. He lived for 47 years in New York City before relocating to Hawaii in 1977. He died in Hawaii in 1984. He was friends with Harold Vanderbilt, the inventor of

contract bridge Contract bridge, or simply bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard 52-card deck. In its basic format, it is played by four players in two competing partnerships, with partners sitting opposite each other around a table. Millions o ...

, and became an early and enthusiastic competitor and promoter of the game, including a tour of Europe. Von Zedtwitz was 1932 president of the American Bridge League, one of the organizations whose merger established the

American Contract Bridge League The American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) is a governing body for contract bridge in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda. It is the largest such organization in North America having the stated mission ''"to promote, grow and sustain th ...

(ACBL) in 1937. The ACBL credits him with saving it by his emergency service as president in 1948 and 1949. He was a founder of the World Bridge Federation.

ACBL Hall of Fame

Von Zedtwitz was inducted into its hall of fame by ''

The Bridge World ''The Bridge World'' (TBW), the oldest continuously published magazine about contract bridge, was founded in 1929 by Ely Culbertson. It has since been regarded as the game's principal journal, publicizing technical advances in bidding and the pla ...

'' in 1966, which brought the number of members to nine. They were made founding members of the

ACBL Hall of Fame This list is a compilation of contract bridge players, writers, administrators and personalities who have been recognized for their skills, achievements or contributions to the game as identified by various specific sources. People recognized by ...

in 1995. ; von Zedtwitz Award The ACBL Hall of Fame established the von Zedtwitz Award to be given to living or deceased individual(s) who have achieved prominence in the game of bridge and have an outstanding tournament record but who may not have been in the limelight for a significant period of time. Each year, as many as two recipients may be selected by the Hall of Fame Committee whenever deemed appropriate.

Bridge accomplishments

Honors

* ACBL Hall of Fame, 1966"Induction by Year"
''Hall of Fame''. ACBL. Retrieved 2014-12-04.

Wins

North American Bridge Championships North American Bridge Championships (NABC) are three annual bridge tournaments sponsored by the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL). The "Spring", "Summer", and "Fall" NABCs are usually scheduled in March, July, and November for about eleven da ...

(20) **

Master Individual The Master Individual national bridge championship was held at the fall American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship (NABC); it was held from 1931 until 1960 after which it was discontinued. Trophy The event was co ...

(1) 1936 **

von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs The Von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship (NABC). Usually called simply the "Life Master Pairs" or "LM Pairs", this is a six-ses ...

(1) 1930 **

Wernher Open Pairs The Wernher Open Pairs national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship (NABC). Typically starting on the Tuesday of the NABC, the Wernher Open Pairs is a four session ma ...

(1) 1946 **

Fall National Open Pairs The National Open Pairs was the first national bridge championship for open pairs and was held at the fall American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship (NABC) as a four-session matchpoint (MP) pairs event. History In ...

(2) 1928, 1937 ** Vanderbilt (3) 1930, 1932, 1940 ** Barclay Trophy (1) 1948 **

Spingold The Spingold national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship (NABC). The Spingold is a knock-out team event that attracts the top contract bridge players in the world. T ...

(1) 1930 **

Masters Team of 4 Master or masters may refer to: Ranks or titles * Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans * Grandmaster (chess), National Maste ...

(1) 1937 **

Chicago Mixed Board-a-Match The Mixed Board-a-Match Teams is a bridge competition held at the summer American Contract Bridge League The American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) is a governing body for contract bridge in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda. It ...

(4) 1940, 1942, 1945, 1965 **

Reisinger The Reisinger national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship (NABC). The Reisinger is a board-a-match event. History The event is contested for the Reisinger Trophy ( ...

(2) 1932, 1945 **

(3) 1941, 1947, 1953

Runners-up

(2) 1933, 1939 **

(2) 1938, 1953 **

(3) 1933, 1942, 1955 ** Vanderbilt (6) 1937, 1938, 1943, 1945, 1946, 1960 **

(1) 1933 **

(1) 1936 **

Mitchell Board-a-Match Teams The Mitchell Board-a-Match Teams national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championships, North American Bridge Championship (NABC). It is an open four session board-a-match event ...

(1) 1952 **

(3) 1933, 1935, 1956 **

(7) 1930, 1933, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1964 **

(5) 1940, 1945, 1949, 1950, 1963

Notes

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:von Zedtwitz, Waldemar K. 1896 births 1984 deaths American contract bridge players American lexicographers Linguists from the United States Zedtwitz, Waldemar Zedtwitz, Waldemar Sportspeople from New York City 20th-century linguists 20th-century lexicographers