Daniel Prenn

Daniel Prenn (left) and Hans Moldenhauer
Country  Poland (−1932)[1]
Germany Weimer Republic (1932–33)
 United Kingdom (1940–)[2]
Born 7 September 1904
Vilna, Russian Empire
Died 3 September 1991 (aged 83)
Dorking, Great Britain
Turned pro 1928 (amateur tour)
Retired 1939
Plays Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Singles
Highest ranking No. 6 (1932, A. Wallis Myers)[3]
Grand Slam Singles results
French Open 4R (1930, 1933)
Wimbledon 4R (1933, 1937)
Doubles
Highest ranking No. 7 (1934)[4]
Grand Slam Doubles results
French Open QF (1934)[5]
Wimbledon SF (1934)[6]
Mixed Doubles
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
French Open QF (1930)[7]
Wimbledon F (1930)[8]
Team competitions
Davis Cup F (1932)
Last updated on: 18 December 2012.

Daniel Prenn (7 September 1904 – 3 September 1991) was a German, Polish and British tennis player of Jewish origin. He was ranked the World No. 6 for 1932 by A. Wallis Myers and the European No. 1 by "American Lawn Tennis" magazine.[3] He was a runner-up for the mixed doubles title of Wimbledon in 1930. He later became a successful businessman.

Early life

Daniel Prenn was born on 7 September 1904 in Vilna to a railway building contractor. The family moved to Berlin after World War I.[2]

Table tennis career

Daniel Prenn represented Germany in the World table tennis Championship of 1926 in London reaching the fourth round in singles and the quarterfinals in doubles.[9]

Tennis career

In 1928 he won the German tennis championships.[4]

In 1930 he was a German Club team champion representing the Rotweiss Club of Berlin beating fellow hometown club Blau-Weiss eight to one. Prenn won both of his doubles matches.[10] He failed to win the Berlin international Championships and subsequently lost to Bill Tilden in the final.[11] He also lost the doubles with his Davis Cup teammate Heinrich Kleinschroth to the duo of Tilden and Erik Worm.[7] A month later they met again in a match for the Dutch Championships doubles title, although this time they formed a team and won against the Dutch champions Henrik Timmer and Arthur Diemer-Kool.[12]

In 1931 he won the singles, doubles and mixed doubles championships of the City of Dresden tournament.[13] The same year he lost the Berlin international Championships the second time to Roderich Menzel in straight sets but won the doubles partnering with him.[14]

He was a runner-up for the Danish Covered Court Championships in 1932 losing to Danish champion Einer Ulrich.[15]

In the Davis Cup from 1928 through 1932, Prenn played 13 matches, winning 17 rubbers and losing 5 compiling a 73% winning record.[16]

He rose to the top of the German rankings starting from 1925 when he was ranked 15, in 1926 broke into the top ten at tenth, in 1927 he was the fourth best player in the country[17] and from 1928 to 1932 he peaked the German tennis charts.[3]

After he was barred from tennis because of his Jewish origin first he tried to apply for a Polish playing license to be part of the Poland Davis Cup team but was rejected by the Polski Związek Tenisowy (Polish Tennis Association) mostly as a result of his dismissal of previous Polish invitations and that he dropped his Polish citizenship earlier in 1932.[1] He then changed nationality and represented Great Britain in the 1935 Maccabiah Games.[18]

After moving to Great Britain he had a successive run in winning a series of tournaments in 1933 including the Scottish Lowland Championships against Antoine Gentien,[19] the West of England Championships against Henrik Timmer (also finalist in doubles)[20] and the Paris Championships against Christian Boussus.[21]

In 1934 he clinched the Surrey covered courts tournament in Dulwich after defeating American D. N. Jones.[22]

In 1935 he was the runner-up for the mixed doubles contest of the British Hard Court Championships pairing up with Evelyn Dearman. Unfortunately a flu prevented his partner to compete that day and had to skip the match and so the victory was awarded to their opponents[12] He lost the Harrow tournament of London to Bunny Austin in straight sets[23] and the French covered court championships to Jean Borotra also in straights.[24]

In 1937 he lost the Priory tournament final to Kho Sin-Kie.[25]

Controversies

In early 1931 he was accused of turning professional (meaning he broke the rule of amateurism) and had to skip a couple of month[14] before being acquitted when it turned out that he was mistaken for another person named Danel Prenn[26] Several month later the German Tennis Union suspended him for another six-month for sponsorship charges based on the accusations of racquet manufacturer Hammer & Co. who claimed Prenn asked for payment for choosing Hammer's equipment. Local media labelled this action as anti-semitic and it being forged by Hammer Company. As a result of his suspension Prenn's titles were taken back as well as his amateur license. He was also expelled from the Germany Davis Cup team although it didn't affected his presence as Germany was eliminated in the first round of the 1931 International Lawn Tennis Challenge[27]

In 24 April 1933 a newly appointed reichssportführer issued a declaration on the behalf of the German Tennis Lawn Association stating that no Jew could be selected in the national team or Davis Cup and that no club or associations or Jewish Marxists could not be affiliated to the German Tennis Federation and personally the Jewish player named Dr. Prenn would not be selected in the Davis Cup team in 1933. The Swedish king, Gustav V, a keen tennis player, dined with the German top brass in the summer of 1933, criticizing new racial policies. After the lunch, the elderly king played a game with Prenn. Shortly thereafter Prenn moved to Great Britain.[3][4][28]

German baron Gottfried von Cramm protested against the treatment of Prenn and as a result was targeted and arrested on charges of homosexuality and imprisoned.[29]

Personal life

Apart from tennis, he was an amateur boxer and runner.[30] He graduated at the Technische Hochschule of Charlottenberg earning a doctorate in engineering in 1929.[2][4] He received the Reichsmedaille for winning the European Zone of the 1932 International Lawn Tennis Challenge.[4] After moving to England he launched his own audio equipment company in 1935 in Kentish Town.[2] In 1946–1949 he had five copyrighted patents related to plastic molding.[31] His company, Truvox Engineering, was sold to Racal in 1969 for $1.26 million.[2][32] In 1970 he founded Celestion Electronics, a loudspeaker manufacturer.[2][33] He had several children, Oliver (b. 1939) later become a Wimbledon Junior Champion and competed in the main Wimbledon competitions as well.[4] Oliver also took over the family enterprise in 1988 and runs the firm to this day.[2][33] His another son John Allen Nicholas was a shareholder in Lacoste and as an avid supporter of tennis and squash he got Celestion involved into a racquet sponsoring venture, which ended in 2010.[34] He's still interested in or owning a dozen companies.[35] Daniel Prenn was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1981.[16]

Grand Slam Finals

Mixed Doubles: 1 (0–1)

Outcome Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Runner-up 1930 Wimbledon Grass Weimar Republic Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling Australia Jack Crawford
United States Elizabeth Ryan		 6–1, 6–3[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Times (30 August 1933). "Prenn and Poland". The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Australia: The Herald and Weekly Times) I (3): 8. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Walther Killy (1 January 2005). Dictionary of German biography 8. Munich Germany: K. G. Saur Verlag GmbH & Company. p. 67. ISBN 9783110966305. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Joseph M. Siegman (1 May 1992). The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. New York United States: SPI Books/Shapolsky Publishers. p. 197. ISBN 9781561710287. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Robert Wistrich (7 November 2001) [1995]. Who's Who in Nazi Germany (2nd ed.). London United Kingdom: Routledge. pp. 193–194. ISBN 9780415260381. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  5. ↑ "Perry beaten". The Advertiser (Adelaide, Australia: The Herald and Weekly Times) 76 (23,601): 10. 31 May 1934. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  6. ↑ "Perry brings singles title back". The Straits Times (Singapore, Straits Settlements: Straits Times Press): 14. 7 July 1934. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Béla Kehrling, ed. (10 June 1930). "A francia bajnokságokról" [Report from the French Championships] (pdf). Tennisz és Golf. II (in Hungarian) (Budapest, Hungary: Bethlen Gábor Irod. és Nyomdai RT) 11: 190. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Tennis history". CBSSports.com. New York City, United States: CBS Corporation. 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  9. ↑ "PRENN Daniel (GER)". ittf.com. Lausanne, Switzerland: International Table Tennis Federation. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  10. ↑ Béla Kehrling, ed. (20 November 1930). "Tennisz és Golf" (PDF). Tennisz és Golf (in Hungarian) (Budapest, Hungary: Bethlen Gábor irod. és Nyomdai RT) II (21): 421. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  11. ↑ "Tilden Captures Berlin Title By Conquering Prenn in Final". The New York Times (New York, United States: Ochs-Sulzberger family). June 1933. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 J. Von Straten, ed. (14 July 1930). "Lawntennis". Utrechts Nieuwsblad (in Dutch) (Utrecht, Netherlands: J.G. Goedhart) 8 (62). Archived from the original on 9 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  13. ↑ Béla Kehrling, ed. (6 June 1931). "Külföldi hírek" [International news] (PDF). Tennisz és Golf (in Hungarian) (Budapest, Hungary: Egyesült Kő-, Könyvnyomda. Könyv- és Lapkiadó Rt.) III (11–12). Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Béla Kehrling, ed. (24 June 1931). "Külföldi hírek" [International news] (PDF). Tennisz és Golf (in Hungarian) (Budapest, Hungary: Egyesült Kő-, Könyvnyomda. Könyv- és Lapkiadó Rt.) III (13): 244–246. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  15. ↑ Béla Kehrling, ed. (1932). "A jubiláris közgyűlés lefolyása" (PDF). Tennisz és Golf (in Hungarian) (Budapest, Hungary: Kő-, Könyvnyomda, Könyv- és Lapkiadó Rt) IV (3): 41. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Elected members". jewishsports.net. New York, United States: International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  17. ↑ Béla Kehrling, ed. (10 November 1929). "Megjelentek Németország 1929, évi ranglistái" (PDF). Tennisz és Golf (in Hungarian) (Budapest, Hungary: Bethlen Gábor irod. és Nyomdai RT) I (13): 304. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  18. ↑ "Prenn in Maccabiade; To Play for England in Jewish Meet – Nazis Bar German Entry.". The New York Times (New York, United States: Ochs-Sulzberger family). August 1933. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  19. ↑ "Scottish Lowland Championships". The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, Australia: John Fairfax and Sons) 103 (29,863): 12. 19 September 1933. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  20. ↑ De Lang, ed. (13 June 1933). "Lawntennis" (pdf). Het Vaderland (in Dutch) (Beetsterzwaag, Netherlands: C.M. Schilt). Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  21. ↑ "Finals in Paris". The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Australia: The Herald and Weekly Times) (32): 9. 3 October 1933. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  22. ↑ "Surrey title". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (Singapore, Straits Settlements: Mohammed Eunos): 15. 30 November 1934. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  23. ↑ "Austin Defeats Prenn" (PDF). The Argus (Melbourne, Australia: Argus Office) (27,649): 13. 1 April 1935. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  24. ↑ "French Championships". The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, Australia: John Fairfax and Sons) 104 (30,299): 10. 12 February 1935. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  25. ↑ Reuter (21 May 1937). "Kho defeats Prenn". The Straits Times (Singapore, Straits Settlements: Straits Times Press): 5. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  26. ↑ Béla Kehrling, ed. (3 April 1931). "Tennis and Golf" (PDF). Tennisz és Golf (in Hungarian) (Budapest, Hungary: Egyesült Kő-, Könyvnyomda. Könyv- és Lapkiadó Rt.) III (7). Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  27. ↑ "German Tennis Federation's Disciplinary Board Upholds Daniel Prenn's Suspension". Jewish News Archive. New York, United States: Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 21 July 1931. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  28. ↑ Richard D. Mandell (1 January 1987). The Nazi Olympics. Champaign, Illinois United States: University of Illinois Press. p. 63. ISBN 9780252013256. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  29. ↑ Raghu Krishnan (13 June 2011). Jaideep Bose, ed. "Losing to win". Times of India (Mumbai, India: The Times Group). Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  30. ↑ Béla Kehrling, ed. (25 December 1929). "Megnyílt a kilencedik fedeitpálya Berlinben" (PDF). Tennisz és Golf (in Hungarian) (Budapest, Hungary: Bethlen Gábor irod. és Nyomdai RT) I (15–16): 342. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  31. ↑ "Daniel Dan Prenn – Assignee". ipexl.com. Singapore, Singapore: Intellectual Property Exchange. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
  32. ↑ "Celestion". gracesguide.co.uk. United Kingdom: Grace's Guide. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 "celestion-plc". listofcompanies.co.in. Worldwide Company Profile. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  34. ↑ "John Prenn's generous 30 years of support to Rackets". tennisandrackets.com. London, United Kingdom: The Tennis and Rackets Association. 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  35. ↑ "John Allen Nicholas Prenn". company-director-check.co.uk. Company Check Ltd. Retrieved 19 October 2012.

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