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His Own Man
Donald Macgregor, MA 1961, Dip Ed 1963
The first English-language biography of Dr Otto Peltzer, co-written with Tim Jonston. Peltzer was a five time world record-holder, for 500m, 800m, 880yd and 1500m. He won the AAA 880 yards in 1926, defeating Olympic champion Douglas Lowe. In the same year he beat Paavo Nurmi to take the 1500m world record in Berlin with 3:51.0.
When the Nazis came to peer, he fell out of favour, accused of sexual activity with young pupils -falsely- he was sentence to 18 months in Plötzensee prison. On his release, he went Finland and Sweden, but had to return because of threats to his family. He was sent for "re-education" to Mauthausen KZ, where he survived for four years. On liberation, he learned that his family were all dead.
As his pre-war enemies were still in control of West German athletics, he went to the DDR, and wrote his autobiography. His enemies tried to stop getting a coaching job anywhere, but he found a job as national coach in India. Having decided not to harbour grudges, he coached street children, boys and girls, to Olympic level. Himself living in poverty, he was venerated by his athletes.
With failing health, he returned to Germany aged 68 and died two years later.
ISBN: 978-1-78531-190-1
