Karl Bechler (14 February 1886 – 29 March 1945) was a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

athlete An athlete is most commonly a person who competes in one or more sports involving physical strength, speed, power, or endurance. Sometimes, the word "athlete" is used to refer specifically to sport of athletics competitors, i.e. including track ...

, born in Danzig. He competed at the

1908 Summer Olympics The 1908 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the IV Olympiad and also known as London 1908) were an international multi-sport event held in London, England, from 27 April to 31 October 1908. The 1908 Games were originally schedu ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. In the

100 metres The 100 metres, or 100-meter dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, the dash is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at ...

, Bechler finished second in his first round heat with a time of 11.4 seconds, just behind winner Patrick Roche. The loss meant Bechler did not advance to the semifinals. He also participated in the javelin throw competition, but his result is unknown. A veteran of World War I, in which he was awarded the

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire (1871–1918), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The design, a black cross pattée with a white or silver outline, was derived from the in ...

, he died from shrapnel wounds in the last days of World War II in the cellar of his house in Danzig.

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* * * * 1886 births 1945 deaths Athletes from Gdańsk German male sprinters German male javelin throwers Olympic athletes for Germany Athletes (track and field) at the 1908 Summer Olympics Recipients of the Iron Cross (1914) German civilians killed in World War II German Army personnel of World War I 20th-century German sportsmen {{Germany-sprint-bio-stub