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Karl Schäfer (born May 17, 1909 in Vienna, died April 23, 1976 in Vienna) was an Austrian figure skater and Olympic champion.
Karl Schäfer was born not far from the artificial ice rink of Eduard Engelmann Jr. in Vienna-Hernals. When he was 11 years old, the figure skating coach Rudolf Kutzer first recognized his talent. In 1923 he participated in an ice show in Hernhals as "Rosenkavalier".
Schäfer was talented in other ways as well. He played the violin very well, and was also Austrian breaststroke champion several times.
After the end of his figure skating career in 1936 he moved for a couple of years to the United States and worked there as a coach. In 1938 he opened a sport store in Vienna. In 1940 he and Herta Wächter (also a figure skating coach) founded the "Karl-Schäfer-Eisrevue" (Karl Schäfer Ice Revue).
In 1943 he became an actor and was the star of the movie "Der weiße Traum" (The White Dream), which was produced on Engelmann's ice rink in Vienna-Hernals.
After the World War II Schäfer participated in rebuilding the Engelmann's ice rink, and from 1946 on he coached young skaters there.
Between 1956 and 1962 he moved again to the U.S. to work as a figure skating coach. From 1962 he returned as a coach to Vienna-Hernals and lived and worked there until he died.
He was married to Christine Engelmann, the youngest daughter of Eduard Engelmann Jr.
Results in figure skating
Olympic Winter Games
World Championships
- 1927 – 3rd place
- 1928 – 2nd place
- 1929 – 2nd place
- 1930 – 1st place
- 1931 – 1st place
- 1932 – 1st place
- 1933 – 1st place
- 1934 – 1st place
- 1935 – 1st place
- 1936 – 1st place
European Championships
- 1927 – 3rd place
- 1928 – 2nd place
- 1929 – 1st place
- 1930 – 1st place
- 1931 – 1st place
- 1932 – 1st place
- 1933 – 1st place
- 1934 – 1st place
- 1935 – 1st place
- 1936 – 1st place
See also
Navigation
1909 births | 1976 deaths | Austrian figure skaters | Figure skaters at the 1928 Winter Olympics | Figure skaters at the 1932 Winter Olympics | Figure skaters at the 1936 Winter Olympics
"Karl Schäfer"