Johann Trollmann

Johann Wilhelm "Rukeli" Trollmann (27 December 1907 – April 1944) was a German Sinti boxer.^[2]

Johann Trollmann
Trollmann in 1928
Born	Johann Wilhelm Trollmann (1907-12-27)27 December 1907 Wilsche near Gifhorn, German Empire
Died	9 April 1944(1944-04-09) (aged 36) Wittenberge, Nazi Germany
Nationality	German
Other names	Rukeli[1]

Trollmann became famous in the late 1920s.^[3] On 9 June 1933, he fought for the German light-heavyweight title and although he clearly led by points over his opponent Adolf Witt, the fight was judged "no result".^[3] The audience rebelled, and the Nazi officials were forced to acknowledge Trollmann as the victor. However, six days later he was stripped of the title. A new fight was scheduled for 21 July, with Gustav Eder as Trollmann's opponent. Trollmann was threatened that he had to change his "dancing" style or lose his licence. Trollmann arrived the day of the match with his hair dyed blonde and his face whitened with flour, the caricature of an Aryan. He took the blows of his opponent as he was asked for five rounds before he collapsed.^[4]

The persecution of Sinti and Roma in Germany dramatically increased in the following years.^[5] Sterilization often preceded their internment in concentration camps, and Trollmann too underwent this operation. In 1939 he was drafted into the Wehrmacht, and fought on the eastern front.^[6] He was wounded in 1941 and was returned to Germany as a result.^[7] The Gestapo arrested him in June 1942, and he was interned in Neuengamme concentration camp. He tried to keep a low profile, but the camp commandant had been a boxing official before the war and recognized Trollmann.^[7] He used Trollmann as a trainer for his troops during the nights. The prisoners committee decided to act, as Trollmann's health deteriorated. They faked his death and managed to get him transferred to the adjacent camp of Wittenberge under an assumed identity. The former star was soon recognized and the prisoners organized a fight between him and Emil Cornelius, a former criminal and hated Kapo (a prisoner given privileges for taking on responsibilities in the camp, often a convict working for a reduced sentence or parole). Trollmann won, Cornelius sought revenge for his humiliation and forced Trollmann to work all day until he was exhausted, before attacking and killing him with a shovel. Trollmann was 36 years old.^[1]

Rehabilitation and commemoration

9841- Temporary memorial for Johann Rukeli Trollmann in Berlin-Kreuzberg, 2010

In 2003, the German boxing federation officially recognised Trollmann as the winner of the 1933 championship.^[1]

On 9 June 2010, the anniversary of his championship fight,^[8] the German artist collective Bewegung Nurr erected a temporary memorial "9841" in the Berlin Victoria Park to honour Trollmann.^[9] The memorial was also displayed the following year in Hannover and in Dresden in 2012 for six weeks. The title refers to Trollmann's prison number.^[1]

In 2015, the Italian alternative rock band C.F.F. e il Nomade Venerabile released the song Come fiori dedicated to Trollmann. This song was the inspiration for the theathral show My Inv(f)erno... gypsy life which opened the X edition of the International TeatroLab Festival at the Tagliavini theatre in Novellara in March 2019.

In 2016, Dario Fo, recipient of the 1997 Nobel Prize in Literature, published the book Razza di zingaro based on Trollmann's life.

In 2022, the German television series Babylon Berlin season four, a fictional version of Trollmann is portrayed by Hannes Wegener and is revealed to be the half-brother of one of the series' leads, Lotte Ritter. A fight takes place between Trollman and Willy Bolze, who in real life was Trollman's first professional boxing opponent. The dates are different in the show with their fight taking place in 1931 instead of 1929.

Professional boxing record

64 fights	31 wins	19 losses
By knockout	11	7
By decision	19	12
By disqualification	1	0
Draws	14

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round	Date	Location	Notes
64	Loss	31–19–14	Arthur Polter	PTS	8	Mar 12, 1934	Palmengarten, Leipzig, Nazi Germany
63	Loss	31–18–14	Walter Müller	PTS	6	Mar 9, 1934	Wilmersdorfer Tennishalle, Wilmersdorf, Nazi Germany
62	Loss	31–17–14	Walter Sabottke	KO	6 (8)	Feb 9, 1934	Spichernsaele, Nazi Germany
61	Loss	31–16–14	Rienus de Boer	KO	6 (8)	Dec 26, 1933	Rheinlandhalle, Cologne, Nazi Germany
60	Loss	31–15–14	Walter Sabottke	PTS	8	Dec 3, 1933	Flora Theater, Nazi Germany
59	Loss	31–14–14	Erwin Bruch	TKO	2 (8)	Nov 25, 1933	Spichernsaele, Nazi Germany
58	Win	31–13–14	Gustav Eybel	PTS	10	Nov 5, 1933	Flora Theater, Nazi Germany
57	Loss	30–13–14	Franz Boja	PTS	8	Oct 27, 1933	Spichernsaele, Nazi Germany
56	Loss	30–12–14	Fred Boelck	KO	2 (10)	Oct 8, 1933	Flora Theater, Nazi Germany
55	Draw	30–11–14	Walter Sabottke	PTS	8	Sep 1, 1933	Spichernsaele, Nazi Germany
54	Loss	30–11–13	Gustav Eder	KO	5 (10)	Jul 21, 1933	Bockbrauerei, Nazi Germany
53	Win	30–10–13	Adolf Witt	PTS	12	Jun 9, 1933	Bockbrauerei, Germany	Won German light heavyweight title
52	Win	29–10–13	Otto Klockemann	TKO	2 (8)	May 26, 1933	Konzerthaus, Hannover, Germany
51	Loss	28–10–13	Gustave Roth	PTS	10	May 16, 1933	Rubenspaleis, Antwerpen, Belgium
50	Draw	28–9–13	Karl Eggert	PTS	8	Apr 28, 1933	Spichernsaele, Germany
49	Draw	28–9–12	Walter Eggert	PTS	8	Apr 21, 1933	Spichernsaele, Germany
48	Win	28–9–11	Johann Fraberger	TKO	9 (10)	Apr 12, 1933	Konzert-Haus, Vienna, Austria
47	Draw	27–9–11	Hans Seifried	PTS	8	Mar 31, 1933	Neue Welt, Neukoelln, Germany
46	Win	27–9–10	Helmut Hartkopp	DQ	3 (8)	Mar 12, 1933	Flora Theater, Germany
45	Win	26–9–10	Fred Boelck	TKO	2 (8)	Feb 26, 1933	Flora Theater, Germany
44	Draw	25–9–10	Claude Bassin	PTS	10	Feb 3, 1933	Neue Welt, Neukoelln, Germany
43	Draw	25–9–9	Karl Ogren	PTS	8	Jan 20, 1933	Spichernsaele, Germany
42	Loss	25–9–8	Hein Domgörgen	PTS	8	Dec 27, 1932	Spichernsaele, Germany
41	Loss	25–8–8	Adolf Witt	PTS	10	Dec 11, 1932	Flora Theater, Germany
40	Draw	25–7–8	Adolf Witt	PTS	8	Nov 27, 1932	Flora Theater, Germany
39	Win	25–7–7	Julian van Hoof	TKO	6 (8)	Nov 18, 1932	Kristallpalast, Magdeburg, Germany
38	Draw	24–7–7	Hein Domgörgen	PTS	8	Nov 9, 1932	Neue Welt, Neukoelln, Germany
37	Win	24–7–6	Josef Czichos	PTS	8	Oct 24, 1932	Ausstellungshalle, Dresden, Germany
36	Win	23–7–6	Rienus de Boer	PTS	8	Oct 7, 1932	Spichernsaele, Germany
35	Win	22–7–6	Onofrio Russo	TKO	2 (8)	Sep 15, 1932	Neue Welt, Neukoelln, Germany
34	Win	21–7–6	Karl Ogren	PTS	8	Aug 5, 1932	Bockbrauerei, Germany
33	Win	20–7–6	Walter Sabottke	KO	2 (8)	Jul 19, 1932	Saalbau Friedrichshain, Prenzlauer Berg, Germany
32	Loss	19–7–6	Eric Seelig	PTS	10	Jun 3, 1932	Bockbrauerei, Germany
31	Win	19–6–6	Adolf Witt	PTS	8	May 9, 1932	Ausstellungshalle, Dresden, Germany
30	Win	18–6–6	Josef Czichos	PTS	6	Mar 31, 1932	Tennis Halle, Germany
29	Loss	17–6–6	Hans Seifried	PTS	8	Mar 12, 1932	Spichernsaele, Germany
28	Loss	17–5–6	Claude Bassin	KO	2 (8)	Mar 4, 1932	Burghaus, Hannover, Germany
27	Win	17–4–6	Rudi Beier	TKO	6 (8)	Feb 26, 1932	Spichernsaele, Germany
26	Win	16–4–6	Heinrich Buchbaum	PTS	8	Feb 5, 1932	Kasino, Germany
25	Draw	15–4–6	Jack Beasley	PTS	8	Jan 29, 1932	Spichernsaele, Germany
24	Win	15–4–5	Franz Boja	PTS	10	Jan 15, 1932	Burghaus, Hannover, Germany
23	Loss	14–4–5	Erich Tobeck	PTS	8	Dec 27, 1931	Spichernsaele, Germany
22	Win	14–3–5	Paul Vogel	PTS	8	Dec 11, 1931	Tennis Halle, Germany
21	Draw	13–3–5	Otto Hoelzl	PTS	8	Nov 20, 1931	Spichernsaele, Germany
20	Loss	13–3–4	Hein Domgörgen	PTS	8	Apr 17, 1931	Neue Welt, Neukoelln, Germany
19	Draw	13–2–4	Franz Krueppel	PTS	8	Mar 1, 1931	Stadthalle, Hagen, Germany
18	Loss	13–2–3	Erich Tobeck	PTS	8	Feb 13, 1931	Spichernsaele, Germany
17	Win	13–1–3	Paul Vogel	PTS	6	Dec 5, 1930	Sportpalast, Schoeneberg, Germany
16	Draw	12–1–3	Arie van Vliet	PTS	10	Nov 7, 1930	Etablissement Sagebiel, Germany
15	Draw	12–1–2	Otto Hoelzl	PTS	8	Oct 10, 1930	Burghaus, Hannover, Germany
14	Draw	12–1–1	Hein Heeser	PTS	8	Sep 19, 1930	Burghaus, Hannover, Germany
13	Win	12–1	Emil Koska	PTS	8	Aug 29, 1930	Spichernsaele, Germany
12	Win	11–1	Walter Peter	PTS	6	Jul 27, 1930	Lunapark, Germany
11	Win	10–1	Paul Vogel	PTS	6	Jul 4, 1930	Bockbrauerei, Germany
10	Win	9–1	Franz Krueppel	PTS	8	May 23, 1930	Stadthalle, Barmen, Germany
9	Win	8–1	Georg Gebstedt	KO	4 (8)	May 2, 1930	Burghaus, Hannover, Germany
8	Win	7–1	Erwin Stiegler	PTS	6	Apr 12, 1930	Schuetzenhof, Bochum, Germany
7	Win	6–1	Walter Poehnisch	PTS	8	Feb 28, 1930	Burghaus, Hannover, Germany
6	Win	5–1	Hans Thies	TKO	5 (6)	Feb 15, 1930	Schuetzenhof, Bochum, Germany
5	Loss	4–1	Erich Tobeck	KO	1 (6)	Jan 10, 1930	Spichernsaele, Germany
4	Win	4–0	Joseph Esteve	PTS	8	Jan 5, 1930	Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany
3	Win	3–0	Paul Vogel	KO	2 (6)	Dec 27, 1929	Spichernsaele, Germany
2	Win	2–0	Alex Tomkowiak	KO	1 (8)	Dec 4, 1929	Burghaus, Hannover, Germany
1	Win	1–0	Willy Bolze	PTS	4	Oct 18, 1929	Spichernsaele, Germany

References

1. Day Trust, Holocaust Memorial. "Johann 'Rukeli' Trollmann". Archived from the original on 5 January 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
2. "9841-Johann Trollmann-Temporäres Denkmal - Home". trollmann.info. Archived from the original on 2021-05-12. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
3. "Lebenslauf des Johann "Rukeli" Trollmann | Johann Rukeli Trollmann e.V." Johann Rukeli Trollmann e.V. 2014-05-05. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
4. "Podcast Episode 297: A Sinto Boxer in Nazi Germany". Futility Closet. 2020-05-25. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
5. "Sinti and Roma – Holocaust Teacher Resource Center". www.holocaust-trc.org. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
6. "9841-Johann Trollmann-Temporäres Denkmal - History". trollmann.info. Archived from the original on 2021-12-28. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
7. "Stolpersteine in Berlin | Orte & Biografien der Stolpersteine in Berlin". www.stolpersteine-berlin.de. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
8. "BEWEGUNG NURR". www.nurr.net. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
9. "A Fight for Memory: Monument Honors Sinti Boxer Murdered by the Nazis". Spiegel Online International. June 30, 2010. Retrieved 11 October 2013.

External links

• Boxing record for Johann Trollmann from BoxRec (registration required)