Otto Scheff
Encyclopedia
Otto Scheff, born Otto Sochaczewsky (December 12, 1889 October 26, 1956) was an Austria
n freestyle
swimmer, water polo
player, lawyer
, politician
, and sports official who competed in the 1906 Summer Olympics
, in the 1908 Summer Olympics
, and in the 1912 Summer Olympics
.
Scheff was born in Berlin
. He won a bronze medal in the 400 metre freestyle
event. He also competed in the 100 metre freestyle
race, but was eliminated in the semifinals. In the 1500 metre freestyle
competition he finished fourth in the final.
At the 1906 Summer Olympics
in Athens
he won the gold medal in the 400 metre freestyle
event and a bronze medal in the 1 mile freestyle
race. In the 4×250 metre freestyle relay
he was part of the Austrian team finishing in sixth place.
At the 1912 Summer Olympics
in Stockholm
he participated in the water polo tournament
as part of the Austrian team finishing in fourth place.
From 1945 to 1953 he was elected to the National Council of Austria
as a member of the Austrian People's Party
.
He also was vice president of the Austrian Olympic Committee
. He died at Maria Enzersdorf
in 1956.
His daughter Gertraud Scheff was already qualified for the 1940 Summer Olympics
in Tokyo
, when the games were cancelled.
Mödling
named a street Dr. Otto Scheff-Weg.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n freestyle
Freestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
swimmer, water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
player, lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, and sports official who competed in the 1906 Summer Olympics
1906 Summer Olympics
The 1906 Intercalated Games or 1906 Olympic Games were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in Athens, Greece. They were at the time considered to be Olympic Games and were referred to as the "Second International Olympic Games in Athens" by the International Olympic Committee...
, in the 1908 Summer Olympics
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
, and in the 1912 Summer Olympics
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
.
Scheff was born in 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...
. He won a bronze medal in the 400 metre freestyle
Swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics - Men's 400 metre freestyle
The men's 400 metre freestyle was one of six swimming events on the swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. Its distance was the median of the 3 individual freestyle event distances. It was the first time an event over 400 metres was held at the Olympics...
event. He also competed in the 100 metre freestyle
Swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metre freestyle
The men's 100 metre freestyle was one of six swimming events on the swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. It was the shortest of the three individual freestyle events, as the 50 yard freestyle had been dropped after its one appearance on the 1904 Summer Olympics programme...
race, but was eliminated in the semifinals. In the 1500 metre freestyle
Swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics - Men's 1500 metre freestyle
The men's 1500 metre freestyle was one of 6 swimming events on the swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. Its distance was the longest of the 3 individual freestyle event distances...
competition he finished fourth in the final.
At the 1906 Summer Olympics
1906 Summer Olympics
The 1906 Intercalated Games or 1906 Olympic Games were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in Athens, Greece. They were at the time considered to be Olympic Games and were referred to as the "Second International Olympic Games in Athens" by the International Olympic Committee...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
he won the gold medal in the 400 metre freestyle
Swimming at the 1906 Summer Olympics
At the 1906 Summer Olympics, only four swimming events were contested. Now called the Intercalated Games, the 1906 Games are no longer considered as an official Olympic Games by the International Olympic Committee.-Medal summary:-Medal table:...
event and a bronze medal in the 1 mile freestyle
Swimming at the 1906 Summer Olympics
At the 1906 Summer Olympics, only four swimming events were contested. Now called the Intercalated Games, the 1906 Games are no longer considered as an official Olympic Games by the International Olympic Committee.-Medal summary:-Medal table:...
race. In the 4×250 metre freestyle relay
Swimming at the 1906 Summer Olympics
At the 1906 Summer Olympics, only four swimming events were contested. Now called the Intercalated Games, the 1906 Games are no longer considered as an official Olympic Games by the International Olympic Committee.-Medal summary:-Medal table:...
he was part of the Austrian team finishing in sixth place.
At the 1912 Summer Olympics
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
in 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...
he participated in the water polo tournament
Water polo at the 1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, saw the fourth water polo tournament at Olympics. All games took place in the newly built swimming stadium in Djurgårdsbrunnsviken from July 7 to July 16, 1912.-Medal summary:...
as part of the Austrian team finishing in fourth place.
From 1945 to 1953 he was elected to the National Council of Austria
National Council of Austria
The National Council is one of the two houses of the Austrian parliament. According to the constitution, the National Council and the complementary Federal Council are peers...
as a member of the Austrian People's Party
Austrian People's Party
The Austrian People's Party is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Austria. A successor to the Christian Social Party of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is similar to the Christian Democratic Union of Germany in terms of ideology...
.
He also was vice president of the Austrian Olympic Committee
Austrian Olympic Committee
The Austrian Olympic Committee The Austrian Olympic Committee The Austrian Olympic Committee (Österreichisches Olympisches Comité (ÖOC in ) is the non-profit organization representing Austrian athletes in the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It was formally recognized by the IOC in 1912...
. He died at Maria Enzersdorf
Maria Enzersdorf
Maria Enzersdorf is a town in the district of Mödling in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. In addition, there are many castles and ruins in the forest surrounding Maria Enzersdorf...
in 1956.
His daughter Gertraud Scheff was already qualified for the 1940 Summer Olympics
1940 Summer Olympics
The anticipated 1940 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XII Olympiad and originally scheduled to be held from September 21 to October 6, 1940, in Tokyo, Japan, were cancelled due to the outbreak of World War II...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, when the games were cancelled.
Mödling
Mödling
Mödling is the capital of the Austrian district of the same name located approximately 14 km south of Vienna.The settlement dates back to the Neolithic. In medieval times, the town was the residence of a branch of the Babenberger family, as a result of which it received the nickname...
named a street Dr. Otto Scheff-Weg.