Georg Hackenschmidt
Estonian strongman and professional wrestler (1877–1968)
乔治·哈肯施密克 · ジョージ・ハッケンシュミット · 게오르그 하켄슈미트
- Born
- 1 August 1877, Tartu
- Died
- 19 February 1968, London
- Citizenship
- Russian Empire, France, United Kingdom
- Sport
- weightlifting, professional wrestling, amateur wrestling
- Occupation
- weightlifter, professional wrestler, amateur wrestler
- Height
- 177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
- Weight
- 101 kg (223 lb)
- Nickname
- The Russian Lion
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.
Awards and honours
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame 1996
- WWE Hall of Fame
Teachers
- Adolf Andruškevitš
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q947695 (CC0); quoted introduction from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.