František Erben

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František Erben
František Erben in 1907
Personal information
Born(1874-11-27)27 November 1874
Prague-Žižkov, Austria-Hungary
Died9 June 1942(1942-06-09) (aged 67)
Prague, German-occupied Czechoslovakia
Gymnastics career
DisciplineMen's artistic gymnastics
Country
represented		Bohemia Bohemia
ClubŽižkov Sokol
Medal record
Representing  Bohemia
World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
Gold medal – first place 1907 Prague High Bar
Gold medal – first place 1907 Prague Pommel Horse
Gold medal – first place 1907 Prague Team
Gold medal – first place 1911 Turin Team
Silver medal – second place 1909 Luxembourg Team
Silver medal – second place 1909 Luxembourg High Bar
Bronze medal – third place 1907 Prague All-Around
Bronze medal – third place 1907 Prague Parallel Bars
Bronze medal – third place 1909 Luxembourg Rings

František Erben (27 November 1874 – 9 June 1942) was a gymnast, trainer, and educator from Bohemia, in what is now the Czech Republic. Erben made his international competitive debut at the 1900 Paris Summer Olympics where he finished in 32nd place.[1]

He took part in the third-ever World Championships in 1907, where the Bohemian team made its auspicious debut and started their several-decades-long tradition of great success at World and Olympic competition in the sport of artistic gymnastics. He took bronze in the overall competition, behind his compatriot Josef Čada and Frenchman Jules Rolland. Bohemia also took gold in the team competition, and Erben took gold in both the horizontal bar and pommel horse and bronze in the parallel bars. At the next World Championships, in 1909, the Bohemian team won silver, behind France. At the next World Championships, Erben won silver on the horizontal bar and bronze on the rings.

In addition to his competitive sporting career, Erben was also a very respected[2]: 252, 329  and highly sought-after instructor. Against other competing applicants from other countries and systems, such as Germany and Sweden, Erben was chosen by the Russian Government to be a gymnastics teacher at their military academies and "in 1909...was designated teacher of gymnastics at the military academy in Petrograd...Russia.".[2]: 99  Previously, Česká Obec Sokolská, or COS (Czech Sokol Organization) hired him as a traveling instructor for their organization. During World War I, he joined the Czechoslovak Legion and returned to Czechoslovakia after the war. In May 1925, Erben, described as a "teacher [who] had no equal" was hired as the Director of Sokol instructor schools, concurrent with the opening of Palác Michny z Vacínova (Michna Palace from Vacínov), more currently and simply known as Tyršův dům (Tyrš House).[2]: 267 

On page 133 of the official report for the 1900 Paris Olympics, Erben was apparently erroneously listed as being from "Zirkow",[3] rathern than the Zizkov section of Prague. (As competitors in this event were identified in the Official Olympic Report by surname only, a book published in 1998 further detailing the results of all competitors at these 1900 Olympics helps confirm, on page 262 of that book, that this was, indeed, František Erben of Bohemia.)[4] Zirkow is a municipality on the German island of Rügen, which is the Northeastern-most landmass in Germany, located just off the coast of the Northeastern-most state of Mecklenburg - Western Pomerania. At those 1900 Paris Summer Olympics in the Men's Gymnastics Individual All-Around standings, Erben finished in a 3-way tie for 32nd place with 2 French gymnasts. This was the 2nd-highest 3-way tie (among several) in the competition, after the highest 3-way tie, for 23rd place, which consisted of a Swiss gymnast with 2 French gymnasts.[3]

Despite having suffered several strokes later in life,[2]: 321  and being 67 years old, Erben, an active member of Sokol organization, was executed by Nazi Germans at the Kobylisy Shooting Range in Prague, following the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich by the members of Czech resistance.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "František Erben". Olympedia. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d Dusek, Peter Paul Jr. (1981). Marie Provaznik: Her Life and Contributions to Physical Education. University of Utah.
  3. ^ a b Merillon, M.D., ed. (1900). "Exposition Universelle Internationale de 1900 A Paris: Concours Internationaux D'Exercices Physiques et de Sports" [International Universal Exhibition of 1900: International Competitions in Physical Exercise and Sports (1900 Official Olympic Report)] (in French). Paris: National Printing Office (of France). p. 133. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
  4. ^ Mallon, Bill (1998). The 1900 Olympic Games, Results for All Competitors in All Events, with Commentary. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. ISBN 0-7864-0378-0.
  5. ^ Profile at CoJeCo.cz
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