Hamburg, Germany
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Notes on the history of Pro-Wrestling in Hamburg
Over a long period, Hamburg was an important city for professional wrestling in middle Europe
The modern era started with troupes of athletes and strongmen like "Hercules" Johann Carl von Eckenberg who appeared in Hamburger Berg around 1734 as a strongman. Hamburger Berg later became the popular St. Pauli part of Hamburg with lots of varieté’s and theatres.
During the mid to late 1870s the professional wrestling scene started in Hamburg with the likes of Emil Naucke, one of the first German professionals. At that time the circus of Albert Salamonsky (1876) and Ernst Renz (1878) stayed in Hamburg and presented wrestling shows. In 1879 the first German athletic club was founded in Hamburg (“Wandsbeker Athleten Club”).
During the early 1880s Carl Abs moved into the German wrestling scene and became the most influential wrestler in Germany of the late 19th century. He trained John Pohl, later named “Abs II”, and Heinrich Eberle.
During the 1890s and early 1900s the second generation of German professionals emerged on the scene: Pohl, Heinrich Eberle, Michael Hitzler, Jakob Koch, Georg Strenge, Hans Schwarz Sr., Ernst Siegfried and Heinrich Weber were on top of the list. In the year 1900, Hamburg saw the first professional wrestling tournament in Graeco-Roman style that was won by Kara Ahmed. From that moment until World War I Hamburg was the most important place for professional wrestling in Germany.
In 1901 Georg Lurich won the World Lightweight Championship managed by another important figure from Hamburg named Heinrich Niemann, who appeared also as a referee at the tournaments.
Every year a huge tournament with a lot of big names from Europe was held in Hamburg and in the year of 1912, it saw seven tournaments. At that time during the mid to the late 1910s Fred Marcussen and Paul “Westergaard” Schmidt became two of the popular wrestlers in Hamburg and northern Germany. Both were multiple time winners of the Hamburg tournaments. The major venues for wrestling in Hamburg were the Circus Busch, the Flora-Theatre and Eden-Theatre.
During the 1930s Paul Westergaard held a lot of huge tournaments in Hamburg. He and Rudolf Zurth were the top managers of tournaments in Germany at that time. There was also wrestling in Hamburg during the period of World War I (1916) and World War II.
During the early 1940s Otto Draber held some small tournaments that lasted for three days. Herbert Audersch, Bruno Mosig, the Grüneisen Brothers and Hans Schwarz Jr. were the top stars of that period. In the late 1940s the German wrestling scene was reorganized mainly in Hamburg with the likes of Paul Westergaard, Otto Draber, Gustl Kaiser and Georg Thumser.
In 1947 the German wrestling alliance IBV (Internationaler-Berufsringkämpfer-Verband) was founded in Hamburg. Paul Westergaard was the president from 1950 until 1959, Gustl Kaiser was the most important promoter of this organization.
The next big period started with the tournaments ran by promoter Sven Hansen in 1973. Every year Sven Hansen held a huge tournament at Hamburg’s Heiligengeistfeld. Hansen retired in 1995.
In more recent years the Nordisch Fight Club (NFC) and Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw) promoted wrestling Hamburg.
Over a long period, Hamburg was an important city for professional wrestling in middle Europe
The modern era started with troupes of athletes and strongmen like "Hercules" Johann Carl von Eckenberg who appeared in Hamburger Berg around 1734 as a strongman. Hamburger Berg later became the popular St. Pauli part of Hamburg with lots of varieté’s and theatres.
During the mid to late 1870s the professional wrestling scene started in Hamburg with the likes of Emil Naucke, one of the first German professionals. At that time the circus of Albert Salamonsky (1876) and Ernst Renz (1878) stayed in Hamburg and presented wrestling shows. In 1879 the first German athletic club was founded in Hamburg (“Wandsbeker Athleten Club”).
During the early 1880s Carl Abs moved into the German wrestling scene and became the most influential wrestler in Germany of the late 19th century. He trained John Pohl, later named “Abs II”, and Heinrich Eberle.
During the 1890s and early 1900s the second generation of German professionals emerged on the scene: Pohl, Heinrich Eberle, Michael Hitzler, Jakob Koch, Georg Strenge, Hans Schwarz Sr., Ernst Siegfried and Heinrich Weber were on top of the list. In the year 1900, Hamburg saw the first professional wrestling tournament in Graeco-Roman style that was won by Kara Ahmed. From that moment until World War I Hamburg was the most important place for professional wrestling in Germany.
In 1901 Georg Lurich won the World Lightweight Championship managed by another important figure from Hamburg named Heinrich Niemann, who appeared also as a referee at the tournaments.
Every year a huge tournament with a lot of big names from Europe was held in Hamburg and in the year of 1912, it saw seven tournaments. At that time during the mid to the late 1910s Fred Marcussen and Paul “Westergaard” Schmidt became two of the popular wrestlers in Hamburg and northern Germany. Both were multiple time winners of the Hamburg tournaments. The major venues for wrestling in Hamburg were the Circus Busch, the Flora-Theatre and Eden-Theatre.
During the 1930s Paul Westergaard held a lot of huge tournaments in Hamburg. He and Rudolf Zurth were the top managers of tournaments in Germany at that time. There was also wrestling in Hamburg during the period of World War I (1916) and World War II.
During the early 1940s Otto Draber held some small tournaments that lasted for three days. Herbert Audersch, Bruno Mosig, the Grüneisen Brothers and Hans Schwarz Jr. were the top stars of that period. In the late 1940s the German wrestling scene was reorganized mainly in Hamburg with the likes of Paul Westergaard, Otto Draber, Gustl Kaiser and Georg Thumser.
In 1947 the German wrestling alliance IBV (Internationaler-Berufsringkämpfer-Verband) was founded in Hamburg. Paul Westergaard was the president from 1950 until 1959, Gustl Kaiser was the most important promoter of this organization.
The next big period started with the tournaments ran by promoter Sven Hansen in 1973. Every year Sven Hansen held a huge tournament at Hamburg’s Heiligengeistfeld. Hansen retired in 1995.
In more recent years the Nordisch Fight Club (NFC) and Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw) promoted wrestling Hamburg.
Notes by Ronald Großpietsch.
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Pre-1900
1900-1909
1910-1919
1940-1949
1950-1957
1960-1969
1970-1979
1980-1989
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