Franz Ernst BECKERT

Franz Beckert, a German gymnast from Neustadt (Titisee), won the gold medal with the German team at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The twelve exercises were held outdoors in front of 20,000 spectators at Dietrich Eckart Stage, nowadays called Waldbühne. Individually his best result was a fifth place in the rings, and he finished 15th in the all-around. At the 1934 World Championships, he also finished fifth in the rings. The German team then won a bronze medal in the all-around. Beckert was captured by the Russians during World War II and was only released in 1949. After the war he was active as a coach at his home club.