Lily Kronberger (12 November 1890 – 21 May 1974),[1][2] also spelled Lili Kronberger, was a Hungarian figure skater competitive during the early years of modern figure skating. She was Hungary’s first World Champion.

Lily Kronberger
Lily Kronberger
Born(1890-11-12)12 November 1890
Died21 May 1974(1974-05-21) (aged 83)
Figure skating career
Country Hungary
Retired1911
Medal record
Representing  Hungary
Ladies' Figure skating
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1911 Vienna Ladies' singles
Gold medal – first place 1910 Davos Ladies' singles
Gold medal – first place 1909 Budapest Ladies' singles
Gold medal – first place 1908 Troppau Ladies' singles
Bronze medal – third place 1907 Vienna Ladies' singles
Bronze medal – third place 1906 Davos Ladies' singles
Lily Kronberger

Early life

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Kronberger was born in Budapest in 1890[1][3] as the youngest child and only daughter of Miksa Kronberger (1857-1902), a lumber merchant, and Janka Kreisler (1867-1927).

Career

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Kronberger won a World bronze medal in 1906, at the first official World Championships to include a ladies' event.

She won bronze again in 1907, and four gold medals from 1908 to 1911.[4]" She was the first athlete to win a world championship gold for Hungary.

At the 1911 championship in Vienna, she caused a stir by bringing a military band along to play during her free skating program,[5][6] which included a "clear interpretation"[7] of the music she used, even though the use of music during international figure skatine competitions was rare at the time.[7]

Later in 1911, she married Imre Szent-Györgyi[3] and retired from competition, handing the baton over to Opika Méray Horváth.

She died in Budapest in 1974, at the age of 83.[2]

Halls of Fame

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Kronberger, who was Jewish, was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1983.[4]

She was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1997.

Results

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Event 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911
World Championships 3rd 3rd 1st 1st 1st 1st
Hungarian Championships* 1st 1st 1st

*Co-ed competition from 1900–1922

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Entry number 2317 in the 1890 birth register of the Jewish congregation of Pest (Accessed 17 May 2020)
  2. ^ a b Budapest District II civil register of deaths, entry 701/1974 (Accessed 17 May 2020)
  3. ^ a b Budapest District V civil register of marriages, entry 154/1911 (Accessed 17 May 2020)
  4. ^ a b Lili Kronberger at Jewishsports.net
  5. ^ "ÖNB-ANNO - Blatt der Hausfrau - Heft 20 - Seite 5". anno.onb.ac.at. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  6. ^ Blog, Skate Guard. "Skate Guard: Marches And Mazurkas: Music's Role In Figure Skating History". Skate Guard. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  7. ^ a b Kestnbaum, Ellyn (2003). Culture on Ice: Figure Skating and Cultural Meaning. Middleton, Connecticut: Wesleyan Publishing Press. p. 103. ISBN 0-8195-6641-1.
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