The Most Famous
FENCERS from Germany
Top 9
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary German Fencers of all time. This list of famous German Fencers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.
1. Helene Mayer (1910 - 1953)
With an HPI of 51.29, Helene Mayer is the most famous German Fencer. Her biography has been translated into 22 different languages on wikipedia.
Helene Julie Mayer (20 December 1910 – 10 October 1953) was a German-born fencer who won the gold medal at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam, and the silver medal at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. She competed for Nazi Germany in Berlin, despite having been forced to leave Germany in 1935 and resettle in the United States because she was of Jewish descent. She did studies at American universities, and later returned to Germany in 1952 where she died of breast cancer. Mayer had been called the greatest female fencer of all time, and was named by Sports Illustrated as one of the Top 100 Female Athletes of the 20th Century, but her legacy remains clouded. At the Olympics in Berlin, where she was the only German athlete of Jewish origin to win a medal, she gave the Nazi salute during the medal ceremony and later said it might have protected her family that was still in Germany, in labor camps. Some consider her a traitor and opportunist, while others consider her a tragic figure who was used not only by Nazi Germany but by the International Olympic Committee and the American Olympic Association to prevent a boycott of the Games. After the Olympics, she returned to the United States and became a nine-time U.S. champion. She received citizenship in 1941 but returned to Germany in 1952. Mayer died the following year, leaving few interviews and little correspondence.
2. Ellen Preis (1912 - 2007)
With an HPI of 47.91, Ellen Preis is the 2nd most famous German Fencer. Her biography has been translated into 22 different languages.
Ellen Müller-Preis, née Preis, (6 May 1912 – 18 November 2007) was German-born Austrian Olympic-champion foil fencer. In 1949, she was named Austrian female athlete of the year.
3. Arnd Schmitt (1965 - )
With an HPI of 32.53, Arnd Schmitt is the 3rd most famous German Fencer. Her biography has been translated into 17 different languages.
Arnd Schmitt (born 13 July 1965 in Heidenheim an der Brenz) is a German fencer and Olympic champion in the épée competition. He won a gold medal in the individual épée and a team silver medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. He received an Olympic gold medal in épée team in 1992. Schmitt was inducted into Germany's Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.
4. Britta Heidemann (1982 - )
With an HPI of 31.12, Britta Heidemann is the 4th most famous German Fencer. Her biography has been translated into 26 different languages.
Britta Heidemann (born 22 December 1982) is a German épée fencer. In 2016, Heidemann became a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
5. Anja Fichtel (1968 - )
With an HPI of 30.44, Anja Fichtel is the 5th most famous German Fencer. Her biography has been translated into 18 different languages.
Anja Fichtel-Mauritz (born 17 August 1968, née Fichtel) is a retired German foil fencer. At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, she won in the individual and team competitions, and she won the individual competition of the World Championship in 1986 and 1990. She was winner of the World Championships in 1985, 1989, 1993 as a member of the national German team and second in team competition at the 1992 Summer Olympics. From 1986 until 1996 Fichtel held the title of German champion.
6. Peter Joppich (1982 - )
With an HPI of 29.60, Peter Joppich is the 6th most famous German Fencer. His biography has been translated into 20 different languages.
Peter Joppich (born 21 December 1982) is a German foil fencer. He is a five-time World Champion in Foil with four Individual titles and one Team title. Joppich won the gold medal in 2010 World Fencing Championships after beating Lei Sheng 15–11 at Championnats du Monde, Paris. He was also the winner of the World Fencing Championships in St Petersburg in 2007 after beating Andrea Baldini 15–9, Turin in 2006 after beating Baldini 15–14, and Havana in 2003. He won his first World Championship Individual Title when he was just 21 years old. Joppich credits his success to former German fencer and Olympic gold medallist Ulrich Schreck. For more than 10 years, Schreck instructed Joppich during the latter's training at the Federal Training Centre in Bonn. He has competed in five Olympic Games – Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio de Janeiro 2016, and Tokyo 2021. He finished sixth, fifth, eleventh, and twelfth respectively.
7. Benjamin Kleibrink (1985 - )
With an HPI of 29.33, Benjamin Kleibrink is the 7th most famous German Fencer. His biography has been translated into 22 different languages.
Benjamin Philip Kleibrink (born 30 July 1985, in Düsseldorf) is a German left-handed foil fencer, 2007 team European champion, two-time Olympian, two-time Olympic medalist, and 2008 Olympic champion.
8. Imke Duplitzer (1975 - )
With an HPI of 28.14, Imke Duplitzer is the 8th most famous German Fencer. Her biography has been translated into 16 different languages.
Imke Duplitzer (born 28 July 1975 in Karlsruhe) is a German épée fencer. Imke is a four time Olympian (2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012) where she placed 10th, 5th, 5th, and 29th respectively (in the individual competition). She also fenced in three team events at the Olympics, and at the 2004 Summer Olympics she won the silver medal in the team épée competition with Britta Heidemann and Claudia Bokel. During the 2006 World Fencing Championships, she won the bronze medal after beating Romania in the épée team event together with her teammates Claudia Bokel, Britta Heidemann and Marijana Markovic. She is also a two-time European Champion in the individual event (1999 & 2010) as well as being a part of the Gold medal-winning team in 1998. Duplitzer is openly lesbian.
9. Jörg Fiedler (1978 - )
With an HPI of 26.57, Jörg Fiedler is the 9th most famous German Fencer. His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.
Jörg Fiedler (also spelled Joerg; born 21 February 1978) is a German épée fencer, European champion in 2011 and 2013, and three-time team silver world medallist (1999, 2003, and 2005). Fiedler took part in the 2000 Summer Olympics, where he lost in the second round to Oleksandr Horbachuk. In the team event, Germany finished 5th. He won a bronze medal with Sven Schmid and Daniel Strigel in the team épée event at the 2004 Summer Olympics. In the 2012 Summer Olympics, he was defeated by South Korean Jung Jin-sun in the quarter-finals. In addition to his career as an athlete, Fiedler is also a fencing coach.
Pantheon has 9 people classified as fencers born between 1910 and 1985. Of these 9, 7 (77.78%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living fencers include Arnd Schmitt, Britta Heidemann, and Anja Fichtel. The most famous deceased fencers include Helene Mayer and Ellen Preis. As of April 2022, 1 new fencers have been added to Pantheon including Imke Duplitzer.
Living Fencers
Go to all Rankings
Arnd Schmitt
1965 - Present
HPI: 32.53
Britta Heidemann
1982 - Present
HPI: 31.12
Anja Fichtel
1968 - Present
HPI: 30.44
Peter Joppich
1982 - Present
HPI: 29.60
Benjamin Kleibrink
1985 - Present
HPI: 29.33
Imke Duplitzer
1975 - Present
HPI: 28.14
Jörg Fiedler
1978 - Present
HPI: 26.57
