Anton Fischer
Former Aachen CHIO show director and German dressage Chef d’Equipe Anton Fischer died on Sept. 25. He was 86.
Mr. Fischer was born in Oberursel, Germany, in 1924. He was called up for military service and was taken as a prisoner of war. After his return, he studied economics in Frankfurt before moving to Würselen, an area near Aachen, Germany, in 1957. He began working with the World Equestrian Festival, Aachen CHIO, in 1967.
He was an instrumental part of the success of the Aachen CHIO. From 1968-1974 he was the technical director of the dressage competitions. From 1975-1982 he served as the general manager of the Aachen Organizing Committee, Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein e.V, and he was the sports director from 1982-1998. He was also the show director of the Aachen CHIO from 1975-1998. In 1999, he was appointed an honorary member of the Organizing Committee.
In 1973, he became a member of the German Olympic Equestrian Committee, and a year later he became the chairman of the Dressage Committee. He remained with the committee until after the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
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Mr. Fischer also served as the German dressage team’s chef d’equipe from 1974-2001. He was in charge of the German dressage team through six Olympic Games, seven World Championships and 12 European Championships.
In 2001, Mr. Fischer received the German Rider’s Cross in Gold award, the most prestigious award given by the German Equestrian Federation. In 2002 he was awarded the German Federal Cross of Merit and he was named an honorary member of the German Equestrian Federation.
This obituary appeared in the October 31, 2011 issue of the Chronicle.