Ferdinand SCHMITZ

Ferdinand Schmitz was a West German wrestler who competed in the bantam- and featherweight class. In 1938 came in third at the Europeans and the following was second both in Greco-Roman and freestyle. In 1951 he finished fifth at the World Championships and at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics he participated in both styles, finishing sixth in the Greco-Roman style and seventh in the freestyle. Schmitz won two Greco-Roman national titles in 1938 and 1939, and six freestyle titles in 1940-41, 1943 and 1949-51. By occupation, Schmitz was a railway worker and was the half-brother of 1952 Olympic team-mate Heini Nettesheim.