Gérard Blitz (entrepreneur)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Olympic medal record | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Polo | |||
| Bronze | 1936 Berlin | Team Competition | |
Gérard Blitz (August 11, 1901 – 3 March 1990) was a Belgian Jew and champion water polo player. He was apolitical during the 1930s, but joined the French resistance in World War II. After the war, he founded Club Med.
Born in Antwerp, he was the son of Maurice Blitz and nephew of Gérard Blitz, both members of the Belgian water polo national team who won two Olympic silvers during the 1920s. He followed in their footsteps, achieving the bronze medal at 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.
On 27 April 1950 Gérard Blitz founded the Club Méditerranée association. In the same year the first vacation resort for the members of the club was opened on Mallorca island, in Spain.
Gérard Blitz was also a promoter of yoga practice. He was secretary and then president of the European Union of Yoga from 1974 to his death in 1990.
