Rudolf Grüneisen
#PWHS #Bio #Biography #Wrestling #ProWrestling #Switzerland #Grüneisen #SwingStyle #Freestyle #GrecoRoman #GraecoRoman
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Rudolf Grüneisen was one of the strongest and most powerful wrestlers of the first half the 20th century. He won the World Middleweight Championship and other titles all while he represented his native country. He was born on September 4, 1887 in Thun (Kanton Bern, Central Switzerland) and was active in sports from his early in his childhood. Around 1900 Rudolf decided to become an amateur wrestler at the local Thun Athletic Club. It was the beginning of the "Grüneisen Era" in wrestling and athletics which lasted until 1983. That year his brother Gottfried closed the doors of the famous Zurich sports gym "Institute Grüneisen," after more than forty years.
Rudolf appeared in "Lutte Suisse" (Swing-Style) which was the main style of amateur wrestling in Switzerland. This style did not represent the Swiss professional scene, which was later called "Freistilringen" (Freestyle wrestling). Lutte Suisse was a kind of amateur freestyle wrestling, also the Graeco-Roman style was often used in Switzerland. Rudolf's native country had a longer tradition of freestyle than most of the other countries in central and eastern Europe. Although for a long period of time the classic Graeco-Roman wrestling style dominated the scene in Switzerland.
Rudolf's career received a major push when he was selected for the big 1902 Lutte Suisse tournament in Geneva (Kanton Schwingfest Genf). All the major wrestlers of the scene appeared in it. Rudolf reached the ninth place behind a huge class of Lutte Suisse wrestlers. Over the following years Rudolf went from success to success on his journey to become one of the best Lutte Suisse wrestlers. Following his military service, he left his home country and moved to Berlin where he became a member of the athletic club "Heros" (SC – Sports Club Heros). He trained his body intensively and was known as a powerful athlete. Rudolf spent a long portion of his life in Berlin until 1920.
In early 1910 rumors were loud in the Berlin amateur wrestling scene due to Rudolf's admittance as an amateur in a tournament for professionals held at Berlin's "Etablissement Buggenhagen." On January 16, 1910 he made his professional debut against Georg Altmann. The much heavier Altmann could not throw him in five minutes. That was the reason why he was admitted for the tournament. During this time Georg Altmann was a prominent figure in the local wrestling scene.
A highly exciting match between Jakob Koch and Albert Sturm ended in a draw in July 1910. The public became very angry and the location was totally demolished. A short time later professional wrestling was banned in Berlin until March 1912. With that Rudolf's professional career ended abruptly with the ban of professional wrestling by the president of the Berlin police force.
Rudolf returned back to the amateur wrestling scene, also because the local professional scene was not as successful as it had been before 1910. Only after the end of WWI did a new and successful era of wrestling starts in Berlin. In the meantime the name of Rudolf Grüneisen became synonymous in amateur wrestling. In early October 1910 he placed first in the heavyweight class at the 1910 tournament in Malmö, Sweden. Half a year later Rudolf reached the top of his amateur career by winning the European Heavyweight Championship at the Circus Beketow in Budapest, Hungary. On March 28, 1911 he won the final contest of the heavyweight class. It was an enormous success for him. The Vienna, Austria sports newspapers reported about his victory. That meant a lot during a time as the wrestling and weightlifting scene was dominated by wrestlers from Austria. After that Rudolf won some smaller amateur championships and retired from wrestling until 1919.
Maybe his name was forgotten for a few years, but he returned in July 1919. The powerful Rudolf Grüneisen rushed into the professional scene at Berlin's "Admiralspalast" against the likes of Georg Strenge and Willy Urbach. That year Berlin saw nine wrestling tournaments at different locations. The downfall was over and a new era started. In May 1920 Rudolf placed fourth at the Championship of Germany tournament held at Berlin's "Entertainment Palace Hasenheide." Now he became better known in the professional scene and received an offer from promoter, Felix Holthausen. Rudolf was booked by Holthausen for the next tournament season in the Netherlands beginning in June 1920. He traveled to Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Den Haag as a member of a troupe led by the professionals Marinus van Riel and Alphonse Steurs.
Back in Germany Rudolf was booked by the powerful German promoter, Carl Jänecke, for the "Carl-Abs-Memorial" tournament in Hamburg. During November 1920 he wrestled against the likes of Steurs, Urbach and Dick Shikat. Shikat defeated Grüneisen on November 28, 1920. In 1921 he started his long tour across Italy and North Africa which lasted until June 1924 (with interruptions in 1922). He appeared at the Milan European Heavyweight Championship tournament which was won by the old-timer, Karl Saft. Over the years Rudolf wrestled in the heavyweight, middleweight and lightweight classes winning different championships along the way. His first major success took place in 1922 when he won the European Middleweight Championship tournament in Palermo, Italy. In 1923 he traveled with the troupe of Ubaldo Bianchi and appeared in Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt.
Rudolf returned back to the European scene at the 1924 Budapest tournament which was won by Paul Westergaard-Schmidt. During the next 15 years Rudolf earned a reputation as one of the strongest and best technical wrestlers in European history. Carl Jänecke booked him for the Grand Prix of Munich which started on November 1, 1924. Rudolf used this opportunity to move to Munich. Like Hamburg, Munich the capital city of Bavaria was in an explosive era of German wrestling (1920-30s) with lots of tournaments at the Circus Krone, Colosseum and German-Theatre. The name Grüneisen became very well-known in the scene because Rudolf and his much younger brother Gottfried were booked by influential promoters like Jänecke, Rudolf Zurth, Hans Schwarz Sr., Adolf Reckling and Carl Weygold. Between 1920 and 1939 Rudolf appeared many times for Jänecke. In 1926 the young Gottfried Grüneisen charged onto the German professional wrestling scene pushed by his elder brother.
Rudolf's biggest opponents were Westergaard, Steurs, Urbach, Strenge, Salvador Chevalier, Fritz Kley, Jan Leskinowitsch, Willy Müller and polish wrestler Adam Sasorski. On August 12, 1931 Rudolf won the long Casino-Cup tournament in Freiburg, Germany, which lasted six weeks. The next year he reached the highest point of his career. August Brylla, one of the leading promoters in central Europe, ran the 1932 World Middleweight Championship tournament at the Munich Circus Krone. When his brother Gottfried could not fight in September and October 1932 due to illness, Rudolf stepped in for him and traveled to Munich. After two months the tournament at Circus Krone ended on December 8, 1932. Rudolf Grüneisen defeated Adam Sasorski in the final contest and won the World Middleweight Championship.
Occasionally he toured across his native country Switzerland (1922, '34, '35 and '36). During the 1930s Zurich was a major place for wrestling, much like Munich; Hamburg; Vienna; Warsaw and Breslau, Poland. After many years of absence the famous and popular Rudolf Grüneisen returned to the Swiss professional scene. On April 5, 1934 he defeated Giulio Travaglini in the final contest of the Zurich tournament. In 1936 and '37 he had a series of matches against one of Germany's most dominant wrestlers, Willi Müller, a former multiple time amateur champion. The Championship of Switzerland tournament at the Zurich Limmathaus ended on January 24, 1936. Rudolf lost the final contest against Willi Müller and placed second.
That was the last time Rudolf Grüneisen appeared in Switzerland. Shortly before World War II he retired from active wrestling after the 1939 Lübeck, Germany tournament. His brother Gottfried, a three time World Middleweight Champion, became a successful promoter in Zurich until the late 1950s. Both represented their country for decades in the professional wrestling scene across Europe. Rudolf Grüneisen supported his brother's famous sports gym until his own death on November 17, 1964 at the age of 77.
Rudolf Grüneisen was one of the strongest and most powerful wrestlers of the first half the 20th century. He won the World Middleweight Championship and other titles all while he represented his native country. He was born on September 4, 1887 in Thun (Kanton Bern, Central Switzerland) and was active in sports from his early in his childhood. Around 1900 Rudolf decided to become an amateur wrestler at the local Thun Athletic Club. It was the beginning of the "Grüneisen Era" in wrestling and athletics which lasted until 1983. That year his brother Gottfried closed the doors of the famous Zurich sports gym "Institute Grüneisen," after more than forty years.
Rudolf appeared in "Lutte Suisse" (Swing-Style) which was the main style of amateur wrestling in Switzerland. This style did not represent the Swiss professional scene, which was later called "Freistilringen" (Freestyle wrestling). Lutte Suisse was a kind of amateur freestyle wrestling, also the Graeco-Roman style was often used in Switzerland. Rudolf's native country had a longer tradition of freestyle than most of the other countries in central and eastern Europe. Although for a long period of time the classic Graeco-Roman wrestling style dominated the scene in Switzerland.
Rudolf's career received a major push when he was selected for the big 1902 Lutte Suisse tournament in Geneva (Kanton Schwingfest Genf). All the major wrestlers of the scene appeared in it. Rudolf reached the ninth place behind a huge class of Lutte Suisse wrestlers. Over the following years Rudolf went from success to success on his journey to become one of the best Lutte Suisse wrestlers. Following his military service, he left his home country and moved to Berlin where he became a member of the athletic club "Heros" (SC – Sports Club Heros). He trained his body intensively and was known as a powerful athlete. Rudolf spent a long portion of his life in Berlin until 1920.
In early 1910 rumors were loud in the Berlin amateur wrestling scene due to Rudolf's admittance as an amateur in a tournament for professionals held at Berlin's "Etablissement Buggenhagen." On January 16, 1910 he made his professional debut against Georg Altmann. The much heavier Altmann could not throw him in five minutes. That was the reason why he was admitted for the tournament. During this time Georg Altmann was a prominent figure in the local wrestling scene.
A highly exciting match between Jakob Koch and Albert Sturm ended in a draw in July 1910. The public became very angry and the location was totally demolished. A short time later professional wrestling was banned in Berlin until March 1912. With that Rudolf's professional career ended abruptly with the ban of professional wrestling by the president of the Berlin police force.
Rudolf returned back to the amateur wrestling scene, also because the local professional scene was not as successful as it had been before 1910. Only after the end of WWI did a new and successful era of wrestling starts in Berlin. In the meantime the name of Rudolf Grüneisen became synonymous in amateur wrestling. In early October 1910 he placed first in the heavyweight class at the 1910 tournament in Malmö, Sweden. Half a year later Rudolf reached the top of his amateur career by winning the European Heavyweight Championship at the Circus Beketow in Budapest, Hungary. On March 28, 1911 he won the final contest of the heavyweight class. It was an enormous success for him. The Vienna, Austria sports newspapers reported about his victory. That meant a lot during a time as the wrestling and weightlifting scene was dominated by wrestlers from Austria. After that Rudolf won some smaller amateur championships and retired from wrestling until 1919.
Maybe his name was forgotten for a few years, but he returned in July 1919. The powerful Rudolf Grüneisen rushed into the professional scene at Berlin's "Admiralspalast" against the likes of Georg Strenge and Willy Urbach. That year Berlin saw nine wrestling tournaments at different locations. The downfall was over and a new era started. In May 1920 Rudolf placed fourth at the Championship of Germany tournament held at Berlin's "Entertainment Palace Hasenheide." Now he became better known in the professional scene and received an offer from promoter, Felix Holthausen. Rudolf was booked by Holthausen for the next tournament season in the Netherlands beginning in June 1920. He traveled to Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Den Haag as a member of a troupe led by the professionals Marinus van Riel and Alphonse Steurs.
Back in Germany Rudolf was booked by the powerful German promoter, Carl Jänecke, for the "Carl-Abs-Memorial" tournament in Hamburg. During November 1920 he wrestled against the likes of Steurs, Urbach and Dick Shikat. Shikat defeated Grüneisen on November 28, 1920. In 1921 he started his long tour across Italy and North Africa which lasted until June 1924 (with interruptions in 1922). He appeared at the Milan European Heavyweight Championship tournament which was won by the old-timer, Karl Saft. Over the years Rudolf wrestled in the heavyweight, middleweight and lightweight classes winning different championships along the way. His first major success took place in 1922 when he won the European Middleweight Championship tournament in Palermo, Italy. In 1923 he traveled with the troupe of Ubaldo Bianchi and appeared in Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt.
Rudolf returned back to the European scene at the 1924 Budapest tournament which was won by Paul Westergaard-Schmidt. During the next 15 years Rudolf earned a reputation as one of the strongest and best technical wrestlers in European history. Carl Jänecke booked him for the Grand Prix of Munich which started on November 1, 1924. Rudolf used this opportunity to move to Munich. Like Hamburg, Munich the capital city of Bavaria was in an explosive era of German wrestling (1920-30s) with lots of tournaments at the Circus Krone, Colosseum and German-Theatre. The name Grüneisen became very well-known in the scene because Rudolf and his much younger brother Gottfried were booked by influential promoters like Jänecke, Rudolf Zurth, Hans Schwarz Sr., Adolf Reckling and Carl Weygold. Between 1920 and 1939 Rudolf appeared many times for Jänecke. In 1926 the young Gottfried Grüneisen charged onto the German professional wrestling scene pushed by his elder brother.
Rudolf's biggest opponents were Westergaard, Steurs, Urbach, Strenge, Salvador Chevalier, Fritz Kley, Jan Leskinowitsch, Willy Müller and polish wrestler Adam Sasorski. On August 12, 1931 Rudolf won the long Casino-Cup tournament in Freiburg, Germany, which lasted six weeks. The next year he reached the highest point of his career. August Brylla, one of the leading promoters in central Europe, ran the 1932 World Middleweight Championship tournament at the Munich Circus Krone. When his brother Gottfried could not fight in September and October 1932 due to illness, Rudolf stepped in for him and traveled to Munich. After two months the tournament at Circus Krone ended on December 8, 1932. Rudolf Grüneisen defeated Adam Sasorski in the final contest and won the World Middleweight Championship.
Occasionally he toured across his native country Switzerland (1922, '34, '35 and '36). During the 1930s Zurich was a major place for wrestling, much like Munich; Hamburg; Vienna; Warsaw and Breslau, Poland. After many years of absence the famous and popular Rudolf Grüneisen returned to the Swiss professional scene. On April 5, 1934 he defeated Giulio Travaglini in the final contest of the Zurich tournament. In 1936 and '37 he had a series of matches against one of Germany's most dominant wrestlers, Willi Müller, a former multiple time amateur champion. The Championship of Switzerland tournament at the Zurich Limmathaus ended on January 24, 1936. Rudolf lost the final contest against Willi Müller and placed second.
That was the last time Rudolf Grüneisen appeared in Switzerland. Shortly before World War II he retired from active wrestling after the 1939 Lübeck, Germany tournament. His brother Gottfried, a three time World Middleweight Champion, became a successful promoter in Zurich until the late 1950s. Both represented their country for decades in the professional wrestling scene across Europe. Rudolf Grüneisen supported his brother's famous sports gym until his own death on November 17, 1964 at the age of 77.
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Biography of Rudolf Grüneisen.
Author: Ronald Großpietsch.
Published: February 8, 2018.
Biography: #171.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Updated: November 17, 2019.
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Biography of Rudolf Grüneisen.
Author: Ronald Großpietsch.
Published: February 8, 2018.
Biography: #171.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Updated: November 17, 2019.