Rudolf Piowaty

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Rudolf Piowaty (born April 28, 1900 in Brno , † January 29, 1978 in Paris , Canada ) was a Czechoslovak swimmer of Jewish origin. He took part in sporting events of the Jewish gymnastics and sports club Makabi in Czechoslovakia and was one of the most famous Jewish athletes in the country in the interwar period : he was the country's multiple champion in various swimming disciplines. He took part in the Czechoslovak resistance from 1939 to 1945.

Life

Rudolf Piowaty was born after his parents moved back to Brno from Vienna. After attending a technical high school and brief military service (March to November 1918) without any frontline experience, he devoted himself to his sporting career.

After the establishment of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia in 1939, Piowaty left his homeland in 1942: he traveled to Germany, came to Lake Constance and swam to Switzerland. There he worked in various positions at the League of Nations in Geneva, including in the Czechoslovak press department and in the listening service. In 1944 he was sent to London and served in the Czechoslovak army in exile . After he returned to Czechoslovakia in mid-November 1945, he worked for a short time in the army, after which he was again involved in sports clubs in Brno. After the communist seizure of power in 1948, he emigrated with his family to Canada, where he worked in the furniture trade .

Athletic career

After his military service, Rudolf Piowaty began to devote himself intensively to swimming in the Makabi Brno club. He achieved the first significant successes relatively quickly:

  • In 1921 he became Czechoslovakian champion in the distances 4100 m, 500 m and 1500 m freestyle swimming as well as in the relay swimming 4 × 50 m.
  • after the swimmers separated from the Makkabi Brno club and founded their own club, Bar Kochba Brno, he also became an official of the club.
  • In 1922 he was again multiple national champion in 400 m and 1500 m free swimming and 400 m breaststroke and relay swim 4 × 200 m; In the 400 m and 1500 m free swimming disciplines, he set national record times.
  • In 1923 he achieved the championship title in the distance of 200 m breaststroke (with a new national record) and in the relay swimming 3 × 100 m individual medley.
  • due to these successes Piowaty was nominated for the Olympic Games 1924, where he started in the disciplines 200 m breaststroke and in relay swimming 4 × 200 m freestyle swimming; in both he reached the semi-finals
  • His last successes include the Czechoslovak championship titles in 1925 in 100 m and 200 m breaststroke and relay 3 × 100 m swimming medley in 1925.

He achieved all titles from 1922 onwards as a member of the Bar Kochba club in Brno.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Peter Bučka: Židovští sportovci v předválečném Československu , publication of the Židovská obec Brno ( Brno Jewish Community), online at: www.zob.cz/vzdelavani / ...
  2. ↑ Rudolf Piowaty , short biography of the server Encyklopedie Brna, online at: encyklopedie.brna.cz / ...
personal data
SURNAME Piowaty, Rudolf
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Czechoslovak swimmer of Jewish origin
DATE OF BIRTH April 28, 1900
PLACE OF BIRTH Brno
DATE OF DEATH January 29, 1978
Place of death Paris , Canada