Ernst Baier

Ernst Baier (27 September 1905 in Zittau, Saxony, Germany – 8 July 2001 in Garmisch, Bavaria, Germany) was a German figure skater who competed in pair skating and single skating. He became Olympic pair champion in 1936 together with Maxi Herber. The duo also won several World and European championships.

Olympic medal record
Figure skating
Gold medal – first place 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Pairs
Silver medal – second place 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Singles
Ernst Baier
Herber and Baier at the 1934 World Championships
Born(1905-09-27)27 September 1905
Zittau, German Empire
Died8 July 2001(2001-07-08) (aged 95)
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
Figure skating career
Country Germany
Retired1941
Medal record
Representing  Germany
Men's Figure skating
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Singles
World Championships
Silver medal – second place1933 ZürichSingles
Silver medal – second place1934 StockholmSingles
Bronze medal – third place1931 BerlinSingles
Bronze medal – third place1932 MontrealSingles
European Championships
Silver medal – second place1931 St. MoritzSingles
Silver medal – second place1932 ParisSingles
Silver medal – second place1933 LondonSingles
Bronze medal – third place1935 St. MoritzSingles
Bronze medal – third place1936 BerlinSingles
Pairs Figure skating
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Pairs
World Championships
Gold medal – first place1936 ParisPairs
Gold medal – first place1937 ViennaPairs
Gold medal – first place1938 BerlinPairs
Gold medal – first place1939 BudapestPairs
Bronze medal – third place1934 HelsinkiPairs
European Championships
Gold medal – first place1935 St. MoritzPairs
Gold medal – first place1936 BerlinPairs
Gold medal – first place1937 PraguePairs
Gold medal – first place1938 St. MoritzPairs
Gold medal – first place1939 LondonPairs

Ernst Baier skated for the club Berliner SC.[1] He also enjoyed success as a single skater and won silvers at the European, World and Olympic games in singles.

Skating with Herber, he won seven national titles, five European titles, and four World titles, in addition to their Olympic gold. The pair performed several side-by-side jumps, including side-by-side Axel jumps at the 1934 Championships, likely the first side-by-side Axels competed by a pair at an ISU championship.[2]:120–121 They also developed a 'Baier lift', which was similar to a twist lift but lacking a release of Herber into the air.[2]:135

Herber and Baier married after their skating career ended in 1940. They had three children and divorced in 1964. After World War II they skated in ice shows; they created their own, which was later sold to Holiday on Ice.[3] He also worked as an architect and coach.[4]

On 15 May 1965 he married the Swedish figure skater Birgitta Wennström (born 10 November 1935 in Enskede, Stockholm, Sweden) known by the stage name "Topsy" from Holiday on Ice together with her partner Steve. They had a daughter in 1968, but divorced in 1973.

Some years later he remarried Maxi Herber, but they later divorced again.

Results

(men's singles)

Event 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938
Winter Olympic Games5th2nd
World Championships3rd3rd2nd2nd
European Championships7th5th2nd2nd2nd3rd3rd
German Championships2nd1st1st1st1st1st1st

(pairs with Maxi Herber)

Event 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941
Winter Olympic Games1st
World Championships3rd1st1st1st1st
European Championships1st1st1st1st1st
German Championships1st1st1st1st1st1st1st

Further reading

  • E.R. Hall & T.D. Richardson – Champions all: camera studies by E.R. Hall (Frederick Muller, 1938)
  • Richardson T.D – Modern Figure Skating (Methuen, 1938)

References

  1. "Deutsche Eiskunstlauf Meisterschaften". sport-record.de. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
  2. Stevens, Ryan (2022). Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps.
  3. "Maxi Herber". Olympics.com.
  4. "Baier skates into Olympic history". Olympics.com.
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