The information on this page was written the year of their induction.

FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1904 gold (880yd, 1 mile freestyle), bronze (220yd freestyle); 1906 silver (4x250m freestyle relay), 5th (1 mile freestyle); EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP: 1901 (1200m freestyle); GERMAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1901-1907 (1500m freestyle); 1903, 1905 (100m freestyle); GERMAN KAISERPREIS: 1901, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1907 (100m, 500m, 1000m, 4000m freestyle); RIVER ODER CHAMPIONSHIP: 1901, 1903, 1905, 1907 (7500m freestyle); EAST SEA CHAMPIONSHIP: 1903, 1904, 1905, 1909 (6000m freestyle); SENATE PRIZE OF HAMBURG: 1901-1907 (600m freestyle); MUEGGELSWIM: 1900, 1909 (4000m freestyle); INTERNATIONAL RIVER RHINE SWIM: 1908 (800m freestyle); Rausch won many national and international life saving awards, including the Gold Honor Medal for promoting life saving in England.

German Emil Rausch was the last man in the world to win an Olympic Gold Medal swimming sidestroke.  He did it not once but twice, winning both the mile and the half-mile at the 1904 St. Louis Olympics.  In the 220 yd.  freestyle he finished third behind trudgen crawl swimmers Zoltan Halmay and Charlie Daniels.  The trudgen crawl was not the end of Rausch’s career, however, as he went on winning major distance races in Europe through 1908.

Rausch was one of the great German swimmers of all time and international known over a period of more than 10 years.  He swam for the “Schwimmclub Poseidon-Berlin” and started for his club in Germany, England, Greece, Italy, Austria, Hungary and the USA.  His career stretched from 1900 to 1910.  Here are some of the most important events he won and honors he has received:

1901-1907: 7 times German champion in the 1500 meters;

1903 and 1905: German champion 100 meters freestyle;

1901, ’03, ’05, ’07: 5 times winner of the German Kaiserpreis over 100 meters, 500 meters, 1000 meters or 400 meters;

1901, ’03, ’05, ’07:  River Oder championship, 7500 meters;

1903, ’04, ’05, ’09: Eastsea championship, 6000 meters

1901-1907: 7 times Senate prize of Hamburg, 600 meters;

1900 and 1909: Mueggelswim, 4000 meters;

1901: The Eurepean championship, 1200 meters;

1904: Olympic Games, St. Louis, USA: 1 mile, gold medal; half-mile, gold medal; 220 yards, bronze medal;

1906: Olympic Games, at Athens, Greece: 800 meter relay for Germany, silver medal

1806: Winner of the International River Rhine swim, 800 meters.

Rausch also won many national and international lifesaving awards, including the Gold Honor Medal for promoting lifesaving in England.  Emil Rausch died December 14, 1954 at 72 years of age.  He continued to attend and promote German swimming events from his retirement in 1910 to his death in 1954.