Gerhard von Hessert

Gerhard Rudolf Viktor von Hessert
Personal information
Nationality German
Born (1906-08-18)August 18, 1906
Freiburg im Breisgau, Grand Duchy of Baden, German Empire
Died October 22, 1994(1994-10-22) (aged 88)
Sport
Country Germany
Sport Bobsled
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s) 8:35:45 (1932)

Baron Gerhard Rudolf Viktor von Hessert (August 18, 1906 – September 22, 1994) was a German bobsledder who competed in the early 1930s.

Family

Von Hessert was born in Freiburg im Breisgau, the youngest of four siblings, in a family with political ties in Hesse. His uncle was first district attorney in Darmstadt.[1] His great-grandfather Dr. Franz Ferdinand von Hessert was leibarzt to Ludwig I and a vaccination pioneer. Dr. von Hessert conducted in the early 1800s the first cowpox inoculation trials in Hesse after Edward Jenner's vaccination advancements in England.[2][3]

Early life

Most of his childhood was spent in constant move due to the nature of his father's mining business.[4] He attended Darmstadt University and moved to New York in 1929 after making the journey aboard the RMS Franconia.

1932 Winter Olympics

Gerhard von Hessert and his team finished seventh and last in the four-man event at the 1932 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. Germany was conferred overall the bronze medal, same as in the 1928 Games. The event was won by the United States.[5]

Personal life

He married Cornelia Fitch Baekeland, granddaughter of Leo Baekeland, the inventor of Bakelite, in 1939. His wife had a minor role as an actress in the 1944 Rita Hayworth classic Cover Girl.[6]

External links

References

  1. ↑ Knodt, M. (1978) Ernst Ludwig Grossherzog von Hessen und Bei Rhein. Verlag H. L. Schlapp Darmstadt. Darmstadt. P. 383
  2. ↑ Creighton, C. (1889) Jenner and Vaccination: A Strange Chapter of Medical History Jenner. Swan Sonnenschein & CoP. London. P. 229
  3. ↑ Sahmland, I. (1997) Die Anfänge der Schutzimpfung in Gießen. Gießener Universitätsblätter. Jahrgang 30. Brühlsche Universitätsdrückerei Gießen. Gießen. P. 51-62
  4. ↑ Wills, W.H. (2006) The Anglo-African Who's Who and Biographical Sketchbook, 1907. Jeppestown Press. London. P. 373.
  5. ↑ Lattimer, G.M. (1932) III Olympic Games Winter Games, Lake Placid 1932. III Olympic Winter Games Committee. Lake Placid. P. 246.
  6. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1509098/
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