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Georg Lurich
Georg Lurich circa 1895
Born	April 22, 1876(1876-04-22) Väike-Maarja, Governorate of Estonia, Russian Empire
Died	January 20, 1920 Armavir, Governorate of Stavropol
Debut	1895

Georg Lurich (22 April 1876 - 20 January 1920) was an Estonian Greco-Roman wrestler and strongman of the early 20th century who defeated the American world wrestling champion and title holder Frank Gotch in Kansas City in 1913. Lurich was also the trainer of fellow countryman wrestler and weightlifter Georg Hackenschmidt.

Early life

Born on April 22, 1876 in the village of Väike-Maarja in Lääne-Viru County, Estonia, Lurich began participating in sporting activities at an early age. From 1895 to 1920 Lurich performed in wrestling matches throughout the Russian Empire and Europe.

In 1895 Lurich became the first Estonian to set world weightlifting records. The Estonian public eagerly attended his matches and Lurich's popularity in his homeland soared. From 1897 to 1898 Lurich toured Estonia and his successes helped popularize athletics in Estonia and dozens of athletic clubs were established. In 1896, Lurich befriended an 18-year old fellow countryman by the name of Georg Hackenschmidt and began to train the young man. Hackenschmidt would later go on to create a name for himself in weightlifting and wrestling.

Lurich's popularity in Estonia also helped galvanize the move toward Estonian independence and instilled a sense of nationalist pride among the people. Estonia was at that time occupied by tsarist Russia, and many higher ranking Estonian officials and intellectuals touted Lurich's accomplishments as proof of the "unbreakable Estonian spirit".

Georg Lurich in a circa 1900 - 1905 postcard posed to show his incredible physique.

Travel abroad

Prior to World War I, Lurich, along with friend and fellow Estonian wrestler Aleksander Aberg travelled to the United States to perform for American audiences. Lurich performed in free-style wrestling matches in the United States of America between 1913 and 1917. Lurich cemented his name in the US by defeating American world wrestling champion and title holder Frank Gotch in Kansas City in 1913.

After returning home via Japan, China and Russia in 1917 they arrived in Estonia in the autumn. They participated in a wrestling tournament in the capital city of Tallinn that remained unfinished due to the approach of German troops. The two athletes went to Saint Petersburg and on to southern Russia. The Russian Civil War meant an end to work in Saint Petersburg and Moscow. It seemed better in the southern region, which was controlled by the White Army. However, the war spread and the men had to flee further inside Russia. They were halted in a far corner of southern Russia in a village named Armavir and the two men would become stranded in the village. Their initial aim was to leave Russia across the Black Sea by boat.

Things took a dramatic turn in Armavir at the beginning of 1920. The front reached them, the town passed from hand to hand in battles several times, many civilians perished, and there were masses of funerals. A warm winter brought about an epidemic of typhoid fever. Due to the continuing war, medical aid was difficult to obtain. Lurich fell ill first and could not be rescued, dying on January 22, 1920. Aberg had also become infected with typhus, but managed to defeat the illness. Aberg rushed his recovery, caught pneumonia, and died on February 15, 1920. The wrestlers were buried in one grave in Armavir German cemetery.

Legacy

Following Georg Lurich's death on January 20, 1920 at the age of 43, many Estonians began embellishing his accomplishments with such voracity that Lurich's legend began taking on an almost mythological light. Folk tales abounded in rural Estonia and continue to years after Lurich's death. The following excerpt is an example of a Georg Lurich folk tale that has become popular amongst residents of Väike-Maarja, Estonia and was transcribed by Estonian author Kalle Voolaid:

"One hot and sunny summer day Lurich had been sitting on a hill slope in Väike-Maarja and when the heat was becoming too much for him, he ran down into the valley to freshen himself up with cool spring water. While running he hit his foot against a rock and fell on all fours on the stone. Then he stood up, went to the spring, put his feet and hands in the spring and washed with spring water. That is where he got the great strength, he had taken that rock against which he had hit his foot, and played with it as if it were a potato. That rock is said to be still there on the edge of Väike-Maarja memorial hill, covered with moss."

So impressive to his countrymen, Lurich remains one of the most beloved figures in Estonia to this day. Large tour groups now visit Lurich's memorial stone in Väike-Maarja on Aia Street.

References

Kodavere pajatused by Mall Hiiemäe (1978) Tallinn: Eesti Raamat.

Eesti raskejõustiku ajaloost by Georg Kristjanson (1973) Tallinn: Eesti Raamat.

Lurich Ameerikas by Voldemar Veedam (1981) Toronto: Oma Press Ltd.

External links

• The Phenomenon of an Athlete - Georg Lurich from a historical figure to the hero of folk tales
• Georg Lurich at the Eesti Välisministeerium
• John Rauer's "The Web's Best of Amateur Wrestling"
• Väike-Maarja Vald Internet Tour
• Classic Bodybuilders
• Georg Hackenschmidt's thoughts on Georg Lurich: [1]
• Biographical data- Sport-Club LURICH 02 e.V. in Berlin
• New York City Wrestling Results - 1915.
• New York City Wrestling Results - 1916.
• "WRESTLER TOFALOS LOSES FIRST BOUT; George Lurich Throws Undefeated Greek Grappler in International Match.". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=980CE6D71239E333A25750C2A9679D946496D6CF. Retrieved 2008-08-08.  
• "WRESTLER HURT IN BOUT.; George Lurich Receives Painful Injury in Contest with Zbysko.". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9902E6DC1E3AE733A2575AC1A9609C946496D6CF. Retrieved 2008-08-08.