Karol Rómmel

A soldier, a coach, an artist in painting and horse riding. An Olympian 1912 – Stockholm, 1924 – Paris, 1928 – Amsterdam (bronze medal in Three Days’ Event). 

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Karol Rómmel was born on 22 May 1888 in Grodno. He died on 07 March 1967 in Elbląg. He is buried at the cemetery Srebrzysko in Gdańsk Wrzeszcz.

Honoured with: the silver cross of Virttuti Militari, the medal for the war 1918-1921, the Gold Cross of Merit, the Knight’s Cross of the Domestic Order dedicated to the saints Maurice and Lazarus (Italy),

The medal of 5th Olympiad (1912, Stockholm, Sweden) – here, he could win but Ziablik’s stumble on the last open ditch caused a fall and fracture of several ribs of the rider. For his perfect ride, he was granted the Olympic medal that he could carry together with the orders.

Triple Olympian
– Stockholm 1912 (in representation of Russia): show jumping: placed 9th individually on Ziablik.

– Paris 1924: show jumping: placed 10th individually, the team – 6th place, the horse Faworyt; Three Days’ Event: placed 10th individually, the team – 7th place, the horse Krechowiak;

– Amsterdam 1928: Three Days’ Event: placed 28th individually, the team – 3rd place (bronze medal), the horse Donneuse.

Karol Rómmel on Revcliffe was a member of the team (Królikiewicz/PICADOR, Kazimierz Szosland/CEZAR, Henryk Dobrzański/MUM EXTRA-DRY) that won the first Cup of Nations for Poland in Nice (France) on 26 April 1925.

He made a contribution to conquest of the Cup of Nations for Poland once again in New York in 1927 and in Nice in 1928.

He was the Champion of Poland on the mare Sachara in 1935 and on the gelding Dyngus in 1937. He won also the silver medal on the same horse in 1938. In Atlanta, he won the bronze medal MP in 1934.

Baron Karol Rómmel finished the Cadet Corps in Odessa in 1906 and the Pavlov Junker Infantry School in Petersburg in 1908.

He started the service as a second lieutenant at the Izmail Regiment of Foot Guards in Peterspurg. There, he started studying painting and drawing at the N.S. Samokisz’s battle class at the Academy of Arts in Petersburg.

As an infantry officer (!!), he was a representative of Russia at the Olympian equestrian team (Stockholm 1912). Karol Rómmel made a record in broad-jump competition – 694 cm, on the Thoroughbred mare MONNA VANNA in Petersburg in 1913.

He was in Russian Army until 1917 as a colonel. He was accepted in Polish Army on 15/07/1919 as a major. In Poland, he directed, among others, the Cavalry Training Centre in Grudziądz (Polish training centre for the equestrian representation).

In 1938, the Scientific and Educational Military Institute published his book: “Zaprawa i jazda wyścigowa – praktyczne wskazówki zaprawy konia do wyścigów z przeszkodami i biegów na przełaj” (on training of horses for steeple-chase and cross country ); (we try to get a licence to digitalize this book to be presented at our website.)

In 1939, Rómmel made a record of Poland in high-jump competition – 198 cm on DYNGUS. In the period 1919-1939, he took part at over 490 competitions and racing (steeple-chase and hurdle races) while winning over 200 times.

In 1937, he organized the Equestrian Club in Łódź and directed it until outbreak of war (1939). After the war, he was, among others, a coach at Folk Equestrian Sports Club in Sopot and a collaborator and consultant of the directors realizing the battle films: “Krzyżacy” (Teutonic Knights) (1960), “Lotna” (1959).

In “Lotna”, he appeared as a parson. Revd. Andrzej Luter (Gazeta Wyborcza 6.02.2014) wrote: ”Indeed, 
‘Lotna’ was a farewell with such a national tradition that was symbolized by a squadron of cavalry – moving but anachronistic completely at the same time. The tradition and ancestors’ faith can’t be maintained while looking only backwards. The old priest on horseback was a symbol of something refreshing and joyful even in the article of death, without scratching wounds and harms but while going ahead and taking the world as-is.”

Karol Rómmel was a many-talented man. He was fulfilled as a soldier, a rider, an artist, a coach, a writer and even as an actor

His son – Karol Rómmel jr, born on 09/02/1959, succeeded to his father’s artistic abilities and was a brilliant comrade as his father. The esteemed architect of cross-country routes, he died tragically on 25/07/2003, in a traffic accident, while coming back from Moscow where he arranged obstacles for the cross-country at the Three Days’ Event.