Georg Karl Julius Hackenschmidt (Russian: Георгий Георгиевич Гаккеншми́дт, romanized: Georgiy Georgiyevich Gakkenshmídt; 1 August 1877 – 19 February 1968), known in English-language publications as George Hackenschmidt, was an Estonian strongman, amateur and professional wrestler, writer, and sports philosopher. He is recognized as professional wrestling's first world heavyweight champion.
Hackenschmidt was the only professional wrestling champion who is not known to have taken part in fixed matches, which were pervasive even in his day.
Hackenschmidt began his professional career in Tallinn (Reval), Estonia (then part of the Russian Empire), and after an 1899 tournament in Paris was often referred in the media by the moniker "The Russian Lion". He lived most of his middle age and later life in London, England, becoming a British subject after the Second World War.
He is believed to be the creator of the professional wrestling version of the bear hug as well as the person who popularised the hack squat; additionally, Hackenschmidt is also attributed as the creator of the bench press. He was known for his impressive strength, fitness, and flexibility. Later in life, he wrote many books on physical culture, training and philosophy.
Hackenschmidt was born on 1 August 1877 (20 July [O.S. 8 July] 1877) in Tartu (Dorpat), Estonia, where he lived with his parents, Baltic German Georg Friedrich Heinrich Hackenschmidt (born 1847) and Ida Louise Johansson, who was of Estonian and Swedish descent. He had a younger brother, Bruno, and sister Alice. He later said that neither of his parents were particularly robust in stature or had any unusual physical characteristics, though his maternal grandfather was said to have been a huge and powerful man. His paternal grandfather, Christian Philipp Hackenschmidt, a Prussian dyer, accepted Russian citizenship with his wife in 1845; he died about 1881–1882.
From his earliest years, Hackenschmidt devoted himself to physical development, particularly at the local German Real school (Dorpater Realschule), where he took advantage of the gym. He excelled in gorodki, cycling, gymnastics, swimming, running, jumping and weightlifting. His feats of strength astounded his teachers, as he could lift a small horse off the ground and lift 276 pounds overhead one handed. In a wrestler's bridge, he could pull a 335-pound barbell from the floor to his chest and press it overhead, bridging on his neck. He set several records in weight lifting and was considered both the strongest and the best-developed man in the world.
Graduating from school in 1895, he started working at a large engineering factory in Tallinn (Reval) as a blacksmith's apprentice. He joined the city's Athletic and Cycling Club, becoming an ardent cyclist and winning prizes, but also developed a keen interest in wrestling and weight lifting. The turning point in his life came in 1896 when another Estonian, Georg Lurich, a Greco-Roman wrestler and strongman, toured in Tallinn with a small troupe, challenging any and all comers. Hackenschmidt took up the challenge and was beaten. German wrestler Fritz Konietzko came to Tallinn in 1897, and Hackenschmidt fared better.
In late 1897-early 1898, Hackenschmidt suffered a minor hand injury at the factory and consulted a doctor who was acquainted with Dr. Vladislav Krajewski, who was in the service of Emperor Nicholas II of Russia. Krajewski was the founder of the Saint Petersburg Athletic and Cycling Club, with Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich as president. While observing Hackenschmidt's arm, Krajewski noticed the athlete's physique and invited him to Saint Petersburg and offered to stay with him, as he saw in him the potential to become a professional wrestler. Krajewski trained Georg Lurich for some time and told Hackenschmidt that he had the potential to become the strongest man in the world.
Despite his parents' objections, Hackenschmidt left for Saint Petersburg in the spring of 1898. In 1898, Hackenschmidt trained at Krajewski's and was supported by Count Georges de Ribeaupierre. In April, the club organized a competition in weightlifting for the title of Russian champion, which Hackenschmidt won. In late April, in Saint Petersburg he defeated the French wrestler Paul Pons in 45 minutes. In preparation to performing in front of an audience, Krajewski sent Hackenschmidt to Riga, where he performed under an assumed name as a weightlifter and wrestler. During this period Hackenschmidt still noted his lack of wrestling technique, which he made up for with strength. In the summer of 1898, Hackenschmidt travelled to Vienna to compete at the World Weightlifting Championships and European Wrestling Championships, which were held together. The weightlifting championships were a decathlon (ten events consisting of: one-hand snatch, simultaneous press of two dumbbells, simultaneous jerk of two dumbbells, one-hand press in military style, one-hand press in straddling style, one-hand press continuously in military style with 50.2 kg, one hand press continuously in straddling style with 50.2 kg, two-hand press, two-hand jerk, and two-hand press continuously in military style with 100 kg), with Hackenschmidt taking third place overall. The wrestling championships were an openweight competition in the Greco-Roman style, with Hackenschmidt winning the championship.
In January 1899, he had to serve in the army: he was assigned to the Preobrazhensky Regiment. Demobilized five months later, on May 16 of that year Hackenschmidt defeated Alexander von Schmelling in a fight for the title of Russian champion of 1899. On 19 May he defeated von Schmelling again and was crowned Russian champion of 1899. In September, despite an arm injury, Hackenschmidt travelled to Paris for the World Wrestling Championships. There he received his moniker, "The Russian Lion". After a few matches, he aggravated the injury and went home. Doctors treated him electrically for six months, but it did more harm than good.
In May 1900 Hackenschmidt returned to weight training. In July 1900, Hackenschmidt took part in a forty-day wrestling tournament in Moscow, making his first appearance as a professional wrestler in Russia. He competed for two prizes, and won both, becoming champion of Moscow and Saint Petersburg. During the tournament he competed almost daily against 3-5 opponents. At the Chemnitz tournament, Hackenschmidt met Lurich for the first time in his professional career. According to Hackenschmidt's memories, Lurich bragged widely about his former victories over him. This led Georg to challenge Lurich to a match, which he usually never did. When Hackenschmidt took the stage, Lurich ran backstage. The next morning Lurich left Chemnitz.
In March 1901, Hackenschmidt suffered the death of his mentor Krajewski, whom he considered his second father. On 30 November 1901, the World Championship of Wrestling opened at the Casino de Paris with 130 wrestlers. Hackenschmidt won first place, received two gold medals (for the lightweight tournament and the heavyweight tournament) and 3000 francs. After that Georg went to the town of Alsleben to the trainer Siebert, who helped him to gain weight, which dropped due to the heavy schedule. During this time, he jumped 100 times over a table with his feet tied together. He won tournaments everywhere he wrestled, and toured England in 1903 managed by the flamboyant C. B. Cochran to confront the country's best wrestlers in the catch-as-catch-can style which was regaining popularity. They created a music hall boom in professional wrestling, and Hackenschmidt became a major superstar and drawing card. He wrestled in opera halls, music halls and theaters. As the wrestling boom took hold in England and wrestlers came in from all around the world for the grand tournaments that had become the rage, he remained the dominant grappler, defeating every man he met. Cochran polished his act until Hackenschmidt was a major attraction. He might take on five wrestlers in the same evening, defeating them all.