Ruth Langer (swimmer)

Ruth Langer, was an Austrian swimmer who competed both nationally and internationally. Langer was born on 21 May 1921,[1] and brought up in a Jewish family in Vienna, Austria.[2]

Career

Austria

Langer won several national titles, beginning at 14 when she held the Austrian records for the 100m & 400m freestyle, and winning the Austrian championship that year.[2]

Langer was selected for the Austrian Olympic Team, due to compete in the 1936 Summer Olympics. She refused to participate, along with Judith Deutsch and Lucy Goldner,[3] as a protest against the Nazi regime in Germany and Austria and their anti-semitism at the time saying; "We do not boycott Olympia, but Berlin".[2]

Langer was banned from competing in Austria for two years as a result of her refusal,[3] and later a lifetime ban after Austria was annexed by Germany; a ban which was not lifted until 1995.[2]

United Kingdom

Langer escaped from Austria to Italy in 1938, arriving in England during 1939. She competed in, and won, the last Thames long-distance British championship race the same year; but after the outbreak of the second world war, she was initially treated as an "enemy alien". She was allowed to return to normal life shortly afterwards, marrying John Lawrence in 1944 and raising a son and daughter with him.[2]

References

1. Wechsler, Bob (2008). "May 21". Day by day in Jewish sports history. KTAV Pub. House. p. 142. ISBN 1602800138. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
2. Litsky, Frank (1999-06-06). "Ruth Langer Lawrence, 77, Who Boycotted '36 Olympics". The New York Times Company. New York Times. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
3. The Imperial War Museum (2018-06-20). "The 1936 Berlin Olympics". Imperial War Museum. Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 30 October 2018.