Martin Lauer
Martin Lauer ( born January 2, 1937 in Cologne ) is a former German track and field athlete, Olympic champion and crooner.
- 4.1 Singles
- 4.2 LPs
- 4.3 CDs
Life
The 1.86 m wide and 76 kg athlete, member of the sports club ASV Köln, was successful in the decathlon and as a hurdler on the 110-meter distance. As one of the few Europeans of the 16 - time German champions could break through this route in the phalanx of the United States, which were almost overpowering until then.
At the Olympic Games in Melbourne in 1956, he was fourth on 110 -meter hurdles and fifth in the decathlon.
On July 7, 1959, one year ahead of his compatriot Armin Hary, he scored in the Letzigrund within three quarters of an hour in two runs three world records. First, he set a best time of 13.2 s over the hurdles sprint distances of 110 yards and 120 yards ( 109.73 meters), before he 's reached the best time in the 200 - meter hurdles track at 22.5, after the previously defeated American Willie May had asked for a rematch. His world record in the 110 meter hurdles existed until July 6, 1973.
Olympic Games 1960
At the 1960 Olympics in Rome, he traveled with health problems since he was able to train due to a periostitis of the ankle is limited, so he had to give up a double - start the 110-meter hurdles and the decathlon. Nevertheless, he joined his best discipline to, the hurdles on the 110 meters and finished fourth as four years earlier. In the 4 x 100 - meter relay team, he won the gold medal at the side of Bernd Cullmann, Armin Hary and Walter Mahlendorf in world record time.
In his hometown, he went to the games in medical treatment; him three syringes have been prescribed, he asked for because of the upcoming exam work in Munich, where he studied mechanical engineering. But It turned out that one of the injections administered was not sufficient sterilized, which led to blood poisoning and almost to the amputation of his leg. There was a nearly a year of stay in the hospital, at the same time marked the end of active sports career. This period also saw the accidental death of his former girlfriend, who was killed after a visit to his hospital bed on the highway at Augsburg with his brother Fredy, who years later died of the consequences of accidents fell.
Career as a pop singer
The necessary treatments, but especially the processes due to the doctors fault against the insurance company of the hospital brought him into financial difficulties, so that he was still in the hospital began with the writing of lyrics in order to make money. "I was known as a singing athletes. Always had a guitar under his arm ... " Completely exhausted in dispute with the hospital, he finally agreed to a settlement, who gave him a compensation of 45,000 Mark zusprach that the costs are not covered in his own words by far.
During his hospital stay was Lauer music producer and songwriter Kurt Feltz get tape recordings. This was enthusiastic, and Lauer signed after his release in January 1962 signed a contract with the successful label Polydor. In the same month the pictures were taken to his first single Sacramento. With this and nine other titles in country style Lauer was regularly represented in the German charts until 1966. A total of about six million of his records, with titles such as taxi to Texas, The Last Rose of prairie or If I were a Cowboy ', sold. In several television shows he appeared together with well-known artists, including Lou van Burg, Udo Jürgens and Peter Alexander.
His career also
At the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 1964, he worked as a journalist and worked, after he had finished his studies in mechanical engineering as a graduate engineer, a specialist for the sodium-cooled nuclear reactors, as he conceived, for example, the fast breeder reactor in Kalkar with. He also worked on the design of the first microcomputer and was responsible for the introduction of electronic timekeeping at the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972. Other fields of Lauer were the management of an investment company, as well as his work as a business consultant and columnist of various newspapers. From 1973 he worked for Triumph-Adler, from 1976 as general manager. In the meantime - 1983-1986 - he worked as a project manager for computer and office technology source. From 1986 until his retirement in 1988, he was again active and responsible for the business major customers at Triumph -Adler. For many years he helped to organize the internationally renowned sports festival of the ASV Köln.
Private
Lauer is married and lives in Lauf an der Pegnitz since his graduation. He has a son (born 1970 ), who started for Quelle Fürth as a track and field athlete, and a daughter. Martin Lauer is involved in Athletics Club LG running Pegnitzgrund for the next generation. In Lauf an der Pegnitz Lauer was a member of the City Council.
Sporting successes
- Eight German youth championship titles, including five in a single Championship
- In 1958 he was European champion in the 110 m hurdles.
- 29-30. August 1959, Martin Lauer in Dusseldorf with 7955 points a German decathlon record at the German Championships on
Book
Discography
Singles
LPs
- Taxi to Texas ( 1985, Bear Family Records)
CDs
- Taxi to Texas ( 1989, Bear Family Records)
Awards
- In 1959, Lauer was voted " Sportsman of the Year ".
- In 2008 he was honored with the Bavarian sports award in the category " Sporting Life works".
- 2011 induction into the Hall of Fame of German sport.