Dr Karl Otto Robert
Retzlaff
Male
Germany
1882-02-24
Berlin, Germany
1952-01-24
Berlin, Germany
The following piece was translated and slightly adapted from the original article in German, which can be accessed here: https://www.tvbb.de/images/verband/chronik/page.pdf
Dr Karl Retzlaff, one of the most meritorious representatives of our association, was the deputy chairman of the Berlin Tennis Association in the years 1920-1924, and the first chairman in the years 1925-1933. In addition, as district chairman from 1925 to 1933 (first with Dr C. Geismar, then with A. Eversberg as deputy), he represented District IV within the German Tennis Federation.
Conrad Weiß, his ideological opponent in District III for over 10 years (as Weiß himself said) wrote the following about Dr Retzlaff’s work within the German Tennis Federation: “Professor Retzlaff enjoyed a reputation and popularity on the board of the German Tennis Federation, like no other Berlin representative at the time. On the rare occasions when the President of District IV intervened in the debate, the issue was resolved and debate on that point ended. People knew that what this honest and knowledgeable man said was right.”
However, his achievement was not just a worthy representation of the tennis federation to the outside world. With his [convincing] commitment to the interests of both smaller and larger clubs, the Berlin Tennis Association experienced extraordinary growth and in the end he even managed to bridge the divide in Berlin tennis life at the time by bringing the clubs that had been on the sidelines for years into the federation.
His interest in sport was awakened in the north of Berlin at the Pankow-based sports club known as “VfB von 1893 zu Pankow”, in which his father and later he also became honorary members. The Schönholz Castle Park was his first sports arena. In addition to a permanent place in the main soccer team and considerable table tennis skills, the medical student built up the tennis section at the sports club in Pankow; this section had been added in 1897.
From then on, tennis was Retzlaff’s main sporting focus. He became the top player in his club and was soon widely known in Berlin. From 1900, Retzlaff was also a member of the 1899 e.V. Blau-Weiß tennis club in Berlin. In 1914, his name appeared for the first time as an assessor on the board of the Berlin Tennis Association, by which time he had long since completed his studies.
Despite many professional commitments as a doctor and university professor and later director of the Stubenrauch Hospital in Lichtenfeld, Professor Retzlaff held representative positions in tennis in Berlin and in the federal government for more than a decade until he gave them up in 1933/34.
After World War Two, Professor Retzlaff was interned in Russian camps for many years. Following his return to Germany at the end of 1951, he went back to his medical work. In 1952, the Berlin Tennis Association sent a greeting to Professor Retzlaff on the occasion of his 70th birthday, in which it said:
“Your name is inextricably linked to the upswing of the Berlin Tennis Association after World War Two. As president of our federation until 1933, you knew how to inspire all your employees with your enthusiasm and kindness, so much so that the Berlin Tennis Association became a highly-respected name not only in Berlin, but also throughout Germany.”
Dr Karl Retzlaff died just a few months after his birthday, meaning that the tennis community in Berlin was unfortunately no longer able to benefit from Professor Retzlaff’s wealth of experience.
1905 - 1911
0
6
2
Preliminary Round
Dr Karl Otto Robert Retzlaff 1 *
W. Gerkens
6-3
6-3
Round 1
Heinrich Georg Schomburgk 1 *
Dr Karl Otto Robert Retzlaff
6-0
6-1
Round 2
Dr Curt Brandis 1 *
Dr Karl Otto Robert Retzlaff
6-3
6-3
Round 2
E. Weber 1 *
Dr Karl Otto Robert Retzlaff
6-2
6-1
Round 1
Dr Karl Otto Robert Retzlaff 1 *
Richard Samson
6-2
6-2
Round 2
Heinrich Georg Schomburgk 1 *
Dr Karl Otto Robert Retzlaff
6-4
6-1