Friedrich Traun facts for kids
Traun in 1907
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| Full name | Friedrich Adolf Traun | |||||||||||||
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| Country (sports) |  German Empire |
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| Born | 29 March 1876 Wandsbek, German Empire |
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| Died | 11 July 1908 (aged 32) Wandsbek, German Empire |
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Medal record
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Friedrich Adolf "Fritz" Traun (born March 29, 1876 – died July 11, 1908) was a talented German athlete and tennis player. He came from a wealthy family and is best known for winning a gold medal in men's doubles tennis at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.
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Fritz Traun's Early Life and Education
Fritz Traun was born in 1876 into a rich family in Hamburg, Germany. His father, Heinrich Traun, owned a company that made natural rubber. Later, his father became a "senator" in Hamburg, which meant he was an important local government official.
In 1885, Fritz started studying chemistry at Dresden University of Technology. That same year, he showed his athletic talent. He competed in a track and field event and won a race that was about half a mile long.
Olympic Glory in Athens
In 1896, Traun traveled to Athens, Greece, to compete in the very first modern Olympic Games. He took part in two different sports: track and field and tennis.
In the 800-meter running race, Traun finished third in his first heat, which meant he did not move on to the final race.
He also played in the tennis tournament. In the singles competition, he lost his first match to John Pius Boland from Great Britain. Boland later went on to win the gold medal in singles.
However, for the doubles tennis tournament, Traun teamed up with his opponent, John Pius Boland! Together, they were a strong team. They won their first match against two Greek brothers. Then, they had a bye, meaning they didn't have to play in the semifinals.
In the final match, Traun and Boland played against two Greek players. Traun and Boland won, earning Fritz Traun an Olympic gold medal!
In 1897, Traun continued to show his athletic skills. He competed in a track-and-field event in Germany. There, he became the first German athlete to jump over 6 meters in the long jump.
Later Life and Career
In 1899, Fritz Traun finished his university studies and earned a special degree called a Doctor of Science. His research paper, which was about chemistry, received the highest possible grade.
After his studies, Traun worked as a scientist at a famous university in Paris, France, called the Sorbonne. He worked there for two years.
Then, he decided to join his father's rubber manufacturing company. In 1902, he went on a business trip to the United States to visit the company's office there.
Health Challenges and New Paths
The winter after his trip to the U.S., Fritz Traun became ill with tuberculosis, a serious lung disease. To help him recover, he spent time in a hotel in Augusta, Georgia, in the spring of 1903, before returning to Germany.
Because he didn't fully get better, he spent many of the next years at health spas in the Alps mountains, like St. Moritz and Davos.
During this time, he also started a new career. He became a sports journalist, writing about sports, and an organizer of sports events. In 1906, he was the director of the German Open Tennis Championships in Hamburg. The next year, in 1907, he was the referee for the same tournament.
Marriage and Final Years
In 1907, Fritz Traun met Friedel Preetorius during an event called Kiel Week. Friedel was the daughter of a rich businessman. The following March, in 1908, Fritz and Friedel got married in Hamburg. For their honeymoon, they drove all the way to Algiers in Friedrich's car.
After their trip, the couple lived in a fancy hotel in Hamburg. Sadly, Fritz Traun died on the morning of July 11, 1908, at the age of 32. He was buried in his family's grave at the Ohlsdorf Cemetery.
