{ "id": "eph1ryypzg", "slug": "heinz-renneberg", "title": "Heinz Renneberg", "updated": "2026-10-25", "topic_path": [ { "id": "play", "label": "Sports, games, and recreation", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/play" }, { "id": "play.individual", "label": "Individual sports and outdoor recreation", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/play.individual" }, { "id": "play.individual.water", "label": "Water sports", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/play.individual.water" }, { "id": "play.individual.water.rowing.people", "label": "Rowers and coxswains", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/play.individual.water.rowing.people" }, { "id": "play.individual.water.rowing.people.german-and-east-german-rowers", "label": "German and East German rowers", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/play.individual.water.rowing.people.german-and-east-german-rowers" }, { "id": "play.individual.water.rowing.people.german-and-east-german-rowers.west-german-rowers", "label": "West German rowers", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/play.individual.water.rowing.people.german-and-east-german-rowers.west-german-rowers" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.play.individual.water.rowing.people.german-and-east-german-rowers", "label": "Western Europe · 1946 to 2000: German and East German rowers", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.play.individual.water.rowing.people.german-and-east-german-rowers", "path": [ { "id": "geo.weu", "label": "Western Europe", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946", "label": "Western Europe · 1946 to 2000", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.play", "label": "Sports, games, and recreation", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.play" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.play.individual", "label": "Individual sports and outdoor recreation", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.play.individual" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.play.individual.water", "label": "Water sports", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.play.individual.water" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.play.individual.water.rowing.people", "label": "Rowers and coxswains", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.play.individual.water.rowing.people" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.play.individual.water.rowing.people.german-and-east-german-rowers", "label": "German and East German rowers", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.play.individual.water.rowing.people.german-and-east-german-rowers" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Heinz Renneberg (Karlheinz Renneberg, 1927–1999), West German rower from RV Gelsenkirchen; 1952 Olympian in coxless pairs and 1960 Rome Olympic gold medalist in the coxed pairs with Bernhard Knubel and cox Klaus Zerta.", "snippet": "Heinz Renneberg (Karlheinz Renneberg, 1927–1999), West German rower from RV Gelsenkirchen; 1952 Olympian in coxless pairs and 1960 Rome Olympic gold medalist in the coxed pairs with Bernhard Knubel and cox Klaus Zerta.", "node": "play.individual.water.rowing.people.german-and-east-german-rowers.west-german-rowers", "markdown": "# Heinz Renneberg\n\n**Heinz Renneberg** (Karlheinz \"Heinz\" Renneberg; 29 January 1927 – 21 October 1999) was a West German rower who won the gold medal in the men's coxed pairs at the 1960 Rome Olympics, rowing with [Bernhard Knubel](https://www.edgepedia.org/bernhard-knubel) and the 13-year-old coxswain Klaus Zerta for the Unified Team of Germany[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37966). Eight years earlier he had competed at Helsinki 1952 in the coxless pairs without reaching the final[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37966).\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Born / died | 29 January 1927, Gelsenkirchen; 21 October 1999, Herne, Nordrhein-Westfalen[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37966) |\n| Measurements | 182 cm / 87 kg[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37966) |\n| Club | RV Gelsenkirchen, Gelsenkirchen[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37966) |\n| 1952 Olympics | Coxless pairs with Heinz Eichholz; did not start the repêchage after Eichholz fell ill with nettle rash[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37966) |\n| 1960 Olympics | Gold, coxed pairs, Unified Team of Germany, final time 7:29.14[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37966) • [2](https://www.rowinghistory-aus.info/olympic-games/1960-rome) |\n| National titles | German champion in the coxless pairs 1951 and 1952, runners-up 1953[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37966) |\n| Profession | Machine fitter[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37966) |\n\n## Early career and Helsinki 1952\n\nPartnered with Heinz Eichholz, he won the German championship in the coxless pairs in 1951 and 1952 and finished runners-up in 1953[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37966).\n\nAt the 1952 Helsinki Games the pair lost their heat in the coxless pairs and then could not take part in the repêchage, the second-chance round, because Eichholz fell ill with nettle rash, ending their regatta[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37966).\n\n## Rome 1960\n\nThe trio entered the final as favorites, since Germany had won the last four European Championships in the event in addition to a silver medal at the 1956 Olympics, and they won with ease, finishing in 7:29.14 ahead of the Soviet Union (7:30.17) and the United States (7:34.58)[3](https://www.olympedia.org/results/158347) • [2](https://www.rowinghistory-aus.info/olympic-games/1960-rome). The margin over the Soviet boat was about 1.03 seconds[4](https://www.xn--meb.pisz.pl/Heinz_Renneberg). The victory made the 13-year-old Zerta the youngest medalist of any kind at those Games[3](https://www.olympedia.org/results/158347).\n\n## Later life and recognition\n\nBy profession Renneberg was a machine fitter[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37966). He died in Herne on 21 October 1999 at the age of 72[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37966).\n\n## References\n\n1. [Olympedia – Heinz Renneberg](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37966)\n2. [1960 Rome Olympic Games, Australian Rowing History](https://www.rowinghistory-aus.info/olympic-games/1960-rome)\n3. [Olympedia – Coxed Pairs, Men (1960)](https://www.olympedia.org/results/158347)\n4. [Heinz Renneberg – Encyklopedia internetowa](https://www.xn--meb.pisz.pl/Heinz_Renneberg)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Water sports › Rowers and coxswains › German and East German rowers › West German rowers*\n\n*Initially written Oct 20, 2026 · Edited: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/heinz-renneberg", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/heinz-renneberg.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Heinz Renneberg\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/heinz-renneberg. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Heinz Renneberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/heinz-renneberg)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/heinz-renneberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/heinz-renneberg). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Heinz Renneberg\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/heinz-renneberg. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Heinz Renneberg, West German rower from RV Gelsenkirchen; 1952 Olympian in coxless pairs and 1960 Rome Olympic gold medalist in the coxed pairs with Bernhard Knubel and cox Klaus Zerta." }