Károly Kárpáti

Kárpáti Károly (Known as "Károly Kárpáti")

["wrestler", "Olympic gold medalist", "Holocaust survivor"]

Born Jul 02, 1906

Eger, Hungary

Passed Away Sep 23, 1996 Budapest, Hungary

Lifespan 90 years old

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Notice / Correction

"The spirit that overcomes on the mat can endure the darkest trials of humanity."

Archival Overview

Hungarian wrestler who won the freestyle lightweight gold medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, survived a Nazi concentration camp, and became a master wrestling coach.

Biographical Record

Károly Kárpáti (1906–1996), born Károly Kellner, was a Jewish Hungarian freestyle wrestler who achieved Olympic immortality by winning the lightweight gold medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics in Nazi Germany.

During World War II, Kárpáti was deported to a Nazi forced labor camp in Ukraine, where he witnessed the murder of fellow Jewish Olympic champion Attila Petschauer. Surviving the Holocaust through immense endurance, Kárpáti became Hungary's national wrestling coach and authored foundational textbooks on international wrestling pedagogy.

Key Life Milestones

August 4, 1936

Olympic Gold Medal in Berlin

Defeated Hermanni Pihlajamäki to capture the freestyle lightweight wrestling gold medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

May 10, 1967

Olympic Order and Authorship of Wrestling Canon

Awarded the Olympic Order for his master manuals on freestyle wrestling, used across international federations.

Memorial Guestbook & Tributes

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Rest in Peace Forever remembered and cherished Your legacy lives on in all of us With deep gratitude for your life and light

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Final Resting Place

Perpetual Memorial

Farkasréti Cemetery
Budapest, Hungary

                         GPS: 47.4836, 19.0028                    

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