GUSTAV
FRISTENSKY
Gustav
was born May 7, 1879 in Kamhajek, Bohemia. He
was apparently very sick at the age of one, as was typical
of many infants in those days. He was taken care of by village
healers. He had a hard life in childhood. His father took
over the grandparent's farm, so being the oldest son (he had
6 younger siblings - Anne: 1877
Gustav:1879 Karel: 1881 Marie: 1882 Frantisek: 1885 Josef:
1885 Pauline: 1889), he had to help with the farm work whenever
his father had to be away, travelling to town or during the
harvest. Sometimes he even had to skip school entirely, but
the schoolmaster was understanding.
The
stronger the young Gustav (called Gusta) became, the more
frequently he missed school. When he was 14, the family started
thinking of his future as the farm work could now also be
done by his younger brother Karel, the second son of the family.
It was decided that Gustav should learn some trade. Nobody
asked young Gustav. His parents decided he would become a
blacksmith.
This
seemed natural, since one of the familiar faces at family
get-togethers was Mr. Semerad, a blacksmith from Krechor.
But eventually he went to apprentice in Kolin to a Mr. Jech
on Sokolska Street. Early in his apprenticship, he had an
accident and severly burned his hand. He went home for three
months. During that time, he assisted a local butcher bringing
him cattle purchased from Gustav's father. As his hand healed,
he became hesitant to return to the harsh conditions at the
blacksmith's shop, and he decided to became a butcher's apprentice
instead, which to him was a more promising trade.
Eventually,
he completed his apprenticeship and it was decided that he
would then move away from home to gain some experience. He
moved to Brno, and became interested in various sports clubs
in Sokol, eventually taking up the sport of weightlifting
in his free time.
Gustav
visited the town of Vyskov, where there was an exhibition
and on that occasion found several wrestling matches scheduled.
He entered and won the first prize in his competition. Further
trips to sporting events followed shortly. He defeated wrestlers
from various Prague and German clubs in Brno. He then won
the championship of Austria defeating all Viennese wrestlers.
His ambition was fulfilled when he had was paired in matches
with foreign wrestlers in the European Championship at Rotterdam
in Holland.
Gustav
was very powerful and
could do the continental press with 308 lb With
his strength, he grew an impressive physique. He was to win
a World Physique Championship in 1903.
He
was 6' tall and weighed 220 lbs. with extremely low bodyfat.
Gustav was one of the best built of the Victorian bodybuilders
and his physique would be remarkable even today. He possessed
near perfect genetics for bodybuilding.
He
eventually married Miroslava Ellederova, who was the daughter
of a prosperous brewer and a famous as a singer in her own
right. They had no children. Czechoslovakia was formed in
1918 after WW I. Out of the kingdoms of Bohemia, Moravia,
Slovakia, and Silesia. They joined to make the new republic.
Gustav had served in the artillery during the great war, and
was so famous as an athlete at that time, the new president
gave him property in Litovel, in what is now the Czech Republic.
He was prosperous throughout the 1920s and 1930s.
Unfortunately, like so many others, Gustav was sent to a German
concentration camp during much of WW II. He had suffered in
health, but due to his being in such good health beforehand,
was later able to regain his strength after the war.
He
died on April 4, 1957 at the age of 78.
There
is a statue of this great champion in a Prague museum with
the title written beneath as "Mr. Czechoslovakia".
Many of his medals are also displayed there.
The Fristensky family had a reunion in Litovel in the Czech
Republic in July 2004. Frank Fristensky (a descendent) attended
and reports that it was a great success and included TV coverage
since Gustav's name is still revered there.
