Ivan Joseph Martin Osiier
Encyclopedia
Dr. Ivan Joseph Martin Osiier, (December 16, 1888 – December 23, 1965), was a Danish fencer from Copenhagen
. Osiier was also a physician.
, epee, and sabre
. He won the Danish foil championship in 1913, 1915, 1917–19, 1923–24, and 1927–29. He was also the national épée champion in 1915–17, 1927–28, and the sabre champion in 1913, 1916–20, 1922–23, 1928–29.
Osiier began his athletic career as an oarsman, and achieved considerable renown in the sport before he turned to fencing, and served as the longtime head of the Denmark Fencing Federation.
between 1908 and 1948. He boycotted the 1936 Berlin
Games, to protest against the Nazis.
Osiier won his only Olympic medal in 1912, a silver in Individual Epee, at the Stockholm
Games.
Osiier was one of very few athletes to receive the Olympic Diploma of Merit.
He first competed in the 1908 London
Olympics, reaching the 2nd round in the individual épée competition (he finished 18th), while Denmark lost in the team competition to France and Great Britain.
Osiier competed in the Stockholm
Olympiad in 1912 in all three fencing weapons (foil, épée, and sabre), and won the only medal of his Olympic career. In the individual épée, he finished in 2nd place to capture the silver medal
by winning five of seven matches in the finals (Belgian fencer Paul Anspach
won the gold medal). At Stockholm, Osiier also was eliminated in the 1st round of both the individual and team sabre competitions. In individual foil, he advanced to the semifinals before being eliminated, and finished 20th.
His next Olympic competition took place in 1920 at the Antwerp Games because the Olympics were cancelled in 1916 due to World War I
. There, he competed in three events, and made the finals in all three. He finished in 4th place in the team foil event, 6th place in team sabre, and 8th in the individual foil event.
At the 1924 Paris
Olympics, Osiier competed reached the finals in individual foil by winning his pool in the first 4 rounds. In the finals, he was victorious in only one bout (out of six), and finished in 6th place. He also finished in 6th place in individual sabre after winning two of seven matches in the final pool (he again won all his earlier pools). In the team events, Denmark reached the semifinals in foil before losing to Italy and Belgium, and were eliminated in the quarterfinals in épée.
At the Paris Games women’s fencing made its debut, and his wife Ellen Osiier
won the gold medal for Denmark at the age of 33 without losing a single bout.
At the 1928 Amsterdam
Olympics, Osiier competed in five fencing events (every event Denmark entered). In the individual sabre competition, he reached the semifinals. In individual foil, he won his elimination pool, but was again eliminated in the semifinals after finishing 5th in his pool. Denmark was eliminated in the quarterfinals in team foil, but not because of Osiier, who won 16 of 20 bouts in the competition. In épée he got no further than the semifinals. Denmark was eliminated in the first round of the team épée, although Osiier won five of his eight bouts.
Osiier competed in five events again at the 1932 Los Angeles
Olympics. The Danish épée team reached the semifinals before they were eliminated by the United States, despite Osier winning all four of his bouts (the match ended 8–8, but the U.S. had fewer touches received and therefore won). He reached the finals in the team foil event, and placed 4th after Denmark lost to Italy (4–12), France (6–10), and the United States (7–9). Osier also competed in the individual foil and reached the semifinals before being eliminated. In the sabre events, Osier reached the final and placed 7th overall, while the Danish team lost to Hungary (1–11) in the first round (Osiier registered Denmark's only victory in the match).
At the age of 60, Osiier returned to Olympic competition once more, in 1948 at the London
Games, 40 years after first participating in the Olympics. He fenced in only one event, the team épée, and Denmark was eliminated in the first round, but the fact that Osiier competed at all, is a testament to one of the greatest athletes in Olympic history.
in 1986.
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. Osiier was also a physician.
Danish National Championships
Osiier won a total of 25 Danish National Championships in all 3 fencing weapons — foilFoil (fencing)
A foil is a type of weapon used in fencing. It is the most common weapon in terms of usage in competition, and is usually the choice for elementary classes for fencing in general.- Components:...
, epee, and sabre
Sabre
The sabre or saber is a kind of backsword that usually has a curved, single-edged blade and a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger...
. He won the Danish foil championship in 1913, 1915, 1917–19, 1923–24, and 1927–29. He was also the national épée champion in 1915–17, 1927–28, and the sabre champion in 1913, 1916–20, 1922–23, 1928–29.
Osiier began his athletic career as an oarsman, and achieved considerable renown in the sport before he turned to fencing, and served as the longtime head of the Denmark Fencing Federation.
Scandinavian Championships
He was also Scandinavian Foil titleholder in 1920–21, 1923, 1927, 1929, and 1931; he was Épée Champion in 1920; and he was Sabre Champion in 1921, 1923, 1927, 1929, 1931, and 1933.Olympics
Osiier represented Denmark in 7 Olympic GamesOlympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
between 1908 and 1948. He boycotted the 1936 Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
Games, to protest against the Nazis.
Osiier won his only Olympic medal in 1912, a silver in Individual Epee, at the Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
Games.
Osiier was one of very few athletes to receive the Olympic Diploma of Merit.
He first competed in the 1908 London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Olympics, reaching the 2nd round in the individual épée competition (he finished 18th), while Denmark lost in the team competition to France and Great Britain.
Osiier competed in the Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
Olympiad in 1912 in all three fencing weapons (foil, épée, and sabre), and won the only medal of his Olympic career. In the individual épée, he finished in 2nd place to capture the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
by winning five of seven matches in the finals (Belgian fencer Paul Anspach
Paul Anspach
Paul Anspach was a Belgian épée and foil fencer.Anspach competed in four Olympiads for the Belgian fencing team .-Early life:Anspach was born in Burcht, Belgium on 1 April 1882....
won the gold medal). At Stockholm, Osiier also was eliminated in the 1st round of both the individual and team sabre competitions. In individual foil, he advanced to the semifinals before being eliminated, and finished 20th.
His next Olympic competition took place in 1920 at the Antwerp Games because the Olympics were cancelled in 1916 due to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. There, he competed in three events, and made the finals in all three. He finished in 4th place in the team foil event, 6th place in team sabre, and 8th in the individual foil event.
At the 1924 Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
Olympics, Osiier competed reached the finals in individual foil by winning his pool in the first 4 rounds. In the finals, he was victorious in only one bout (out of six), and finished in 6th place. He also finished in 6th place in individual sabre after winning two of seven matches in the final pool (he again won all his earlier pools). In the team events, Denmark reached the semifinals in foil before losing to Italy and Belgium, and were eliminated in the quarterfinals in épée.
At the Paris Games women’s fencing made its debut, and his wife Ellen Osiier
Ellen Osiier
Ellen Osiier was a Danish foil fencer.At the 1924 Paris Olympic Games, women’s fencing made its debut as Osiier won the gold medal at the age of 33 without losing a single bout....
won the gold medal for Denmark at the age of 33 without losing a single bout.
At the 1928 Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
Olympics, Osiier competed in five fencing events (every event Denmark entered). In the individual sabre competition, he reached the semifinals. In individual foil, he won his elimination pool, but was again eliminated in the semifinals after finishing 5th in his pool. Denmark was eliminated in the quarterfinals in team foil, but not because of Osiier, who won 16 of 20 bouts in the competition. In épée he got no further than the semifinals. Denmark was eliminated in the first round of the team épée, although Osiier won five of his eight bouts.
Osiier competed in five events again at the 1932 Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
Olympics. The Danish épée team reached the semifinals before they were eliminated by the United States, despite Osier winning all four of his bouts (the match ended 8–8, but the U.S. had fewer touches received and therefore won). He reached the finals in the team foil event, and placed 4th after Denmark lost to Italy (4–12), France (6–10), and the United States (7–9). Osier also competed in the individual foil and reached the semifinals before being eliminated. In the sabre events, Osier reached the final and placed 7th overall, while the Danish team lost to Hungary (1–11) in the first round (Osiier registered Denmark's only victory in the match).
At the age of 60, Osiier returned to Olympic competition once more, in 1948 at the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Games, 40 years after first participating in the Olympics. He fenced in only one event, the team épée, and Denmark was eliminated in the first round, but the fact that Osiier competed at all, is a testament to one of the greatest athletes in Olympic history.
Hall of Fame
Osiier, who was Jewish, was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of FameInternational Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame was opened July 7, 1981, in Netanya, Israel. It honors Jewish athletes and their accomplishments from anywhere around the world....
in 1986.
See also
- List of athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games
- List of select Jewish fencers