Richard Rau (26 August 1889 – 6 November 1945) was a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

SS officer and track and field athlete who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics. He was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 100 m and finished fourth in the 200 m competition. He was also a member of the German relay team which was disqualified in the final of the

4 × 100 m relay 4 (four) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 3 and preceding 5. It is the smallest semiprime and composite number, and is considered unlucky in many East Asian cultures. In mathematics Four is the smallest c ...

after a fault with its second baton passing. Rau started competing in flat sprint and hurdles in 1908, winning several national championships and setting 20 national records over his career, often under pseudonym Richard Einsporn. After retirement he ran a sports shop, and in 1933 joined the Nazi Party, reaching the rank of SS Hauptsturmbannführer in 1938. In 1945 he was captured by the American forces and handed over to the Soviet Union. He was shot during a failed escape attempt, and moved to a prisoners camp in Vyasma, where he died in a few months.

References

1889 births 1945 deaths Athletes from Berlin German male sprinters Olympic athletes of Germany Athletes (track and field) at the 1912 Summer Olympics World record setters in athletics (track and field) SS officers Nazi Party members German prisoners of war in World War II held by the United States German prisoners of war in World War II held by the Soviet Union {{Germany-sprint-bio-stub