Gottfried von Cramm

Gottfried von Cramm
Born	(1909-07-07) 7 July 1909 Schloss Nettlingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Died	8 November 1976(1976-11-08) (aged 67)
Occupation(s)	Tennis player, cotton importer
Years active	1932–1953
Known for	Winning French Championships twice; first German Grand Slam singles champion; sportsmanship; resistance to Nazi ideology

Gottfried von Cramm

Gottfried Alexander Maximilian Walter Kurt Freiherr von Cramm (German: [ˈɡɔtfʁiːt fɔn ˈkʁam] ; born 7 July 1909 – died 8 November 1976) was a prominent German tennis competitor renowned for securing the French Championships title twice and appearing in the singles final of Grand Slam events on five additional occasions. He achieved a world ranking of number two in both 1934 and 1936, before ascending to the top position in 1937. Notably, he was the first German player to claim a Grand Slam singles championship. His induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame occurred in 1977, where he is particularly remembered for his courageous performance against Don Budge during the 1937 Interzone Final at Wimbledon.

Von Cramm encountered challenges under the Nazi government, which sought to use his athletic prowess and appearance as an emblem of Aryan superiority, yet he consistently rejected association with Nazi ideology. In 1938, he faced a brief imprisonment due to a homosexual relationship.

Additionally, von Cramm was briefly noted in social columns as the sixth spouse of Barbara Hutton, the Woolworth fortune heiress.

Birth and childhood

File:Schloss Nettlingen Seite.jpg

Schloss Nettlingen, the birthplace of Gottfried von Cramm

File:5-cramm-castles.jpg

Castle Oelber, the family's summer residence, alongside Castle Brüggen, where von Cramm was raised.

Originating from an old German nobility lineage, Gottfried von Cramm was the third son among seven born to Baron Burchard von Cramm (1874–1936) and Countess Jutta von Steinberg (1888–1972). His birth took place at the family manor, Schloss Nettlingen, located in Lower Saxony, Germany. His upbringing occurred at Schloss Brüggen in Hildesheim, a property inherited by his mother Jutta in 1911.

One of his younger siblings, Wilhelm-Ernst Freiherr von Cramm (1917–1996), distinguished himself as a decorated German officer during the Second World War and later assumed leadership of the conservative German Party.

Gottfried shared familial ties with the Dutch royal house through their common ancestry in the House of Cramm, notably being a third cousin of Bernhard, Prince of the Netherlands.

Tennis career

Von Cramm took up tennis at approximately ten years old following recovery from an accident that cost him the top joint of his right index finger. This injury occurred when a horse unexpectedly bit more than just the sugar cube offered by young von Cramm.

In 1932, he secured a position on the German Davis Cup team and claimed his first of four consecutive national tennis titles. During this period, he also partnered with Hilde Krahwinkel to capture the 1933 mixed doubles crown at Wimbledon. Renowned for his sportsmanship and integrity, von Cramm earned widespread admiration among his peers. His inaugural individual Grand Slam triumph came in 1934 when he won the French Championships at Roland Garros, becoming the first singles champion from outside America, Britain, Australia, or France. This victory elevated him to national hero status in Germany, coinciding with Adolf Hitler's rise to power. Despite embodying the ideal Aryan image favored by Nazi ideology, von Cramm consistently resisted being exploited for propaganda purposes. Notably, during the 1935 Davis Cup Interzone Final against the United States, he conceded a match point by admitting that the ball had grazed his racket—an error unseen by others—thereby costing Germany the match.

File:40vc australia 19371.jpg

von Cramm competing at the 1937 Australian Championships

Von Cramm finished as men's singles runner-up at Wimbledon for three consecutive years: twice losing to England's Fred Perry in 1935 and 1936, and then to American Don Budge in both Wimbledon and the 1937 U.S. National Championships. Although defeated by Perry in the 1935 Roland Garros final, von Cramm reversed this outcome in 1936 to secure his second French title.

Beyond Grand Slam events, von Cramm is remembered for his epic 1937 Davis Cup encounter against Don Budge. Leading 4–1 in the final set, he ultimately lost 8–6 in a match widely regarded as one of the greatest contests in Davis Cup history and among tennis’s most remarkable matches overall. Budge later recounted that von Cramm had received a phone call from Hitler just before play began, which left him pale and intensely focused throughout. According to Ted Tinling, Player Liaison for the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, as he escorted both players to Centre Court they were interrupted by a call for von Cramm; afterward von Cramm explained it was Hitler wishing him good luck. Some sources suggest Budge may have been influenced by Tinling’s story rather than firsthand knowledge.

In recognition of his outstanding tennis achievements, von Cramm was awarded the Silver Laurel Leaf—the highest sports honor bestowed by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Incarceration due to same-sex relationship

Despite enjoying widespread public admiration, von Cramm was detained by the German authorities on 5 March 1938 and faced trial for engaging in a homosexual relationship with Manasse Herbst, a young Galician Jewish performer and vocalist who had appeared in the 1926 silent movie Der Sohn des Hannibal. Following his arrest, von Cramm suffered a nervous breakdown and was hospitalized. On 14 March, he received a sentence of one year in prison. He acknowledged the relationship, which spanned from 1931 to 1934 and commenced shortly before his first marriage. Additionally, he was accused of sending financial support to Herbst, who had relocated to Palestine in 1936. According to a The New York Times article dated 15 May 1938, the presiding judge remarked that "Baron von Cramm claimed that during their honeymoon his wife had been intimate with a French athlete. The court concluded that this experience disturbed the young tennis star and led him to seek an abnormal compensation for an unhappy marriage." Although von Cramm initially confessed to the affair with Herbst upon arrest, he later revised his statement to describe it as "mutual masturbation." His defense attorney persuaded the court that von Cramm was compelled to send money to Herbst because Herbst was a "deceitful Jew."

Von Cramm’s treatment sparked indignation among his international tennis peers. Don Budge gathered endorsements from prominent athletes and sent a letter of protest directly to Hitler. Furthermore, King Gustaf V of Sweden, a personal friend, exerted pressure on the German government advocating for von Cramm’s release. After serving six months on parole, von Cramm resumed competitive tennis in May 1939. He participated in the Queen's Club Championships in London, where he secured victory by defeating American player Bobby Riggs 6–0, 6–1. However, Wimbledon officials reportedly barred him from competing, citing his criminal conviction as grounds for disqualification.

Affiliations with the German resistance

Throughout the National Socialist regime, von Cramm consistently refused membership in the NSDAP, despite repeated attempts by fellow tennis club member Hermann Göring to recruit him. His omission of Hitler’s name during speeches abroad, private viewings of films critical of the regime, and disparaging remarks about National Socialism increasingly alienated him from Nazi authorities.

In the final years of World War II, von Cramm demonstrated support for anti-Hitler resistance efforts by utilizing his coaching trips to Sweden as opportunities to convey secret messages from the 20 July conspirators. After the assassination attempt failed, he expressed willingness to participate in another effort against Hitler. However, since the resistance did not reorganize following the 20 July plot’s collapse, von Cramm was never able to act on this intention.

Wartime service and postwar career

In May 1940, several months following the commencement of the Second World War, Cramm was drafted into military duty as part of the Hermann Goering Division. He participated in combat on the Eastern Front and received the Iron Cross for his service. Despite his aristocratic lineage, Cramm initially served as a private before being promoted to lead a company. His unit endured severe hardships on the Eastern Front, and after sustaining frostbite, he was evacuated by air while many of his men perished. Due to his prior conviction, he was discharged from military service in 1942.

Although the war interrupted some of Cramm’s prime athletic years, he secured the German national championship titles in both 1948 and 1949 at the age of 40. He continued to compete in Davis Cup matches until his retirement following the 1953 season and remains the German player with the highest number of victories in this competition.

After ending his playing career, Cramm took on administrative roles within the German Tennis Federation. He played a key role in restoring the Lawn Tennis Club Rot-Weiss in Berlin after World War II and later held leadership positions there as Chairman and President from 1958 until his death. In addition to his sports-related activities, von Cramm found success as a cotton importer and managed the estate he inherited from his father located in Wispenstein, Lower Saxony.

Marriages

Gottfried von Cramm was married twice:

• Baroness Elisabeth Lisa von Dobeneck (1912–1975), daughter of Robert, Baron von Dobeneck (who passed away in 1926) and Maria Hagen (1889–1943), herself a granddaughter of Jewish banker Louis Hagen. They wed on 1 September 1930 but divorced seven years later in 1937. Following their separation, Lisa von Cramm married German ice hockey player Gustav Jaenecke.
• Barbara Hutton, an American heiress to the Woolworth fortune and prominent socialite. They married in 1955 and divorced four years later in 1959. His marriage was motivated by a desire to assist her through struggles with addiction and depression, though ultimately he was unable to provide lasting help.

Death

During a professional trip in 1976, Gottfried von Cramm and his chauffeur tragically lost their lives in a car crash near Cairo, Egypt when the baron's vehicle collided with a truck. In tribute to his legacy, two streets bear his name: the Gottfried-von-Cramm-Weg in Berlin-Wilmersdorf, home to the Rot-Weiss Tennis Club, and another similarly named street in the town of Merzig.

In 1977, von Cramm was posthumously honored with induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame located in Newport, Rhode Island.

Jack Kramer, a renowned tennis promoter and former top player, ranked Gottfried von Cramm among the 21 greatest tennis players ever in his 1979 autobiography. Von Cramm’s life and career were dramatized in the radio play Playing for His Life, which aired on BBC Radio 4 in June 2011; this production centered on the 1937 Interzone Davis Cup final and aspects of his personal experiences. Additionally, von Cramm’s story is prominently featured in the 2023 Netflix documentary Eldorado – everything the Nazis hate.

Singles (2 titles, 5 runner-up finishes)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Victory	1934	French Championships	Clay	Template:Country data AUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall Jack Crawford	6–4, 7–9, 3–6, 7–5, 6–3
Defeat	1935	French Championships	Clay	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Fred Perry	3–6, 6–3, 1–6, 3–6
Defeat	1935	Wimbledon	Grass	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Fred Perry	2–6, 4–6, 4–6
Victory	1936	French Championship	Clay	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Fred Perry	6–0, 2–6, 6–2, 2–6, 6–0
Defeat	1936	Wimbledon	Grass	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Fred Perry	1–6, 1–6, 0–6
Defeat	1937	Wimbledon	Grass	Don Budge	3–6, 4–6, 2–6
Defeat	1937	U.S. Championships	Grass	Don Budge	1–6, 9–7, 1–6, 6–3, 1–6

Doubles (2 titles, 1 runner-up)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Victory	1937	French Championships	Clay	Henner Henkel	Template:Country data RSATemplate:Namespace detect showall Vernon Kirby Template:Country data RSATemplate:Namespace detect showall Norman Farquharson	6–4, 7–5, 3–6, 6–1
Victory	1937	U.S. Championships	Grass	Henner Henkel	Don Budge Gene Mako	6–4, 7–5, 6–4
Defeat	1938	Australian Championships	Grass	Henner Henkel	Template:Country data AUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall John Bromwich Template:Country data AUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall Adrian Quist	5–7, 4–6, 0–6

Mixed doubles (1 championship)

Outcome	Year	Event	Court Type	Teammate	Rivals	Match Score
Champion	1933	Wimbledon	Grass	Hilde Krahwinkel	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Mary Heeley Template:Country data RSATemplate:Namespace detect showall Norman Farquharson	7–5, 8–6

Grand Slam singles results timeline

Tournament	1931	1932	1933	1934	1935	1936	1937	1938	1939	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	1946	1947	1948	1949	1950	1951	1952	Seasons Played	Matches W–L	Winning Percentage
Australia	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	SF	A	A	NH	NH	NH	NH	NH	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	0 / 1	3–1	75.0%
France	4R	2R	A	W	F	W	A	A	A	NH	NH	NH	NH	NH	NH	A	A	A	A	A	A	1R	2 / 6	21–4	84.0%
Wimbledon	4R	2R	3R	4R	F	F	F	A	A	NH	NH	style=color:#767676; background-color: #f0f0f0; text-align:center;|-	style=color:#767676; background-color: #f0f0f0; text-align:center;|-	style=color:#767676; background-color: #f0f0f0; text-align:center;|-	style=color:#767676; background-color: #f0f0f0; text-align:center;|-	style=color:#767676; background-color: #f0f0f0; text-align:center;|-	style=color:#767676; background-color: #f0f0f0; text-align:center;|-	A	A	A	A	A	style="background:#afeeee;" |1R	A	style="background:#EFEFEF;" | 0 / 8	style="background:#EFEFEF;" | 27–8	style="background:#EFEFEF;" | 77.1%
	align=left United States		A		A		A		A		A		A		(Final)		A		A		A		A		A		A		A		A		A		A		A		A		A		0 / 1		5–1		83.3%

Source: ITF

Notes

Template:Note labelTemplate:German title

Template:Note labelIn his 1979 analysis, Kramer identified either Don Budge (for his steady performance) or Ellsworth Vines (during his peak) as the greatest players ever. Following them chronologically were Bill Tilden, Fred Perry, Bobby Riggs, and Pancho Gonzales. The subsequent "second tier" included players such as Rod Laver, Lew Hoad, Ken Rosewall, Gottfried von Cramm, Ted Schroeder, Jack Crawford, Pancho Segura, Frank Sedgman, Tony Trabert, John Newcombe, Arthur Ashe, Stan Smith, Björn Borg, and Jimmy Connors. While Kramer found it difficult to precisely rank Henri Cochet and René Lacoste, he regarded them as among the elite.

Further reading

• Fisher, Marshall Jon (2009). A Terrible Splendor: Three Extraordinary Men, a World Poised for War and the Greatest Tennis Match Ever Played. ISBN 978-0-307-39394-4
• Simkin, John (6 July 2018). "Why was the anti-Nazi German, Gottfried von Cramm, banned from taking part at Wimbledon in 1939?". Spartacus Educational. Retrieved 23 July 2018

External links

• Template:Tennis Hall of Fame
• Template:ATP
• Template:ITF profile
• Template:Davis Cup player
• Official website Archived 19 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine

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