Joachim (Jochen) BALKE

German swimmer Jochen Balke was sixth in the 200m breaststroke at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Two years later he became European Champion. Nationally, he won the German 200m breaststroke title in 1936, 1938, 1940 and 1941. He also set a new world record of 1:09.5 min in the 100m breaststroke in 1938, although the event was not officially contested at that time.

According to unconfirmed reports, Balke was sent to a punishment battalion in 1943 for combat fatigue, and was reported as missing in action in Veliky Novgorod, Russia, from January 1944. He was officially declared dead on 17 September 1957.