Hans-Johann FÄRBER

The West German coxed fours placed 12th at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. The crew did not start in the B-final due to the illness of two crew members. Cox Stefan Armbruster rowed together with Niko Ott, Peter Berger, Udo Brecht and Hans-Johann Färber of RV Neptun Konstanz and also earned the 1968 West German national title.

In 1967 Färber and Brecht won the national title with the coxless pairs, and also a bronze medal at the Europeans. Färber then won the lone West German rowing gold medal at the 1972 München Olympics with only Brecht staying in the crew. This crew – called Bullenvierer (Bull’s fours) – won the two intervening European Championships and the World Championships between Mexico City and München.

In 1974 the German Rowing Association and its chief coach assembled a new crew with Färber and Benter remaining from Bullenvierer. They won a bronze at the Worlds the same year and the national title in 1975. Färber then won another bronze at the 1975 Worlds and added a bronze medal in coxed fours at the 1976 Montréal Games.

Färber trained as a butcher, but later became a professional soldier during his sports career. After his retirement he headed the Regional Olympic Center in München for many years. Beginning in 2001 he managed Tierpark Hellabrunn.