Werner Rittberger

{{short description|German figure skater}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}

{{Infobox figure skater

| name = Werner Rittberger

| image = File:WernerRittberger.jpg

| caption =

| country = {{GER}}

| birth_date = {{birth date|1891|7|13|df=y}}

| birth_place = Potsdam, German Empire

| death_date = {{death date and age|1975|8|12|1891|7|14|df=y}}

| death_place = Krefeld, West Germany

| residence =

| formerpartner =

| formercoach =

| formerchoreographer =

| skating club =

| retired =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry| {{GER}}}}

{{MedalSport | Men's Figure skating}}

{{MedalCompetition|World Championships}}

{{MedalSilver|1912 Manchester|Men's singles}}

{{MedalSilver|1911 Troppau|Men's singles}}

{{MedalSilver|1910 Davos|Men's singles}}

{{MedalCompetition|European Championships}}

{{MedalSilver|1925 Triberg|Men's singles}}

{{MedalBronze|1924 Davos|Men's singles}}

{{MedalBronze|1911 St. Petersburg|Men's singles}}

{{MedalSilver|1910 Berlin|Men's singles}}

}}

Werner Rittberger (born 13 July 1891 in Potsdam; died 12 August 1975 in Krefeld) was a German figure skater. Rittberger invented the loop jump in 1910. German (and most other European) figure skaters call this jump the “Rittberger”.

Rittberger was born in Potsdam. His talent for skating was discovered after he won a speed skating competition. In 1911, he married his first wife, Babette Hewald, with whom he had a son and three daughters.{{Cite web |last=Franz |first=Renate |title=Werner Rittberger |url=https://rheinische-geschichte.lvr.de/Persoenlichkeiten/werner-rittberger/DE-2086/lido/5ce3b464b647e8.68863962 |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Portal Rheinische Geschichte |language=de}}

He won the German Nationals eleven times between 1911 and 1928, and the silver medal at the World Figure Skating Championships in 1910, 1911, and 1912. He skated for the Berliner SC club representing Germany.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/96878 |title=Werner Rittberger |work=Olympedia |accessdate=1 July 2020}}

During World War I, he was drafted. He initially fought as an infantryman and then trained to be a reconnaissance pilot for the Luftstreitkräfte. After the war, he resumed training in figure skating. In 1921, after the death of his first wife, he remarried to Friedl Evertz in 1921. They had a son together but divorced after three years.

Rittberger competed at the 1928 Winter Olympics; however, he withdrew after the compulsory figures, citing stomach cramps. After this, he ended his amateur career and worked as a coach and journalist in Berlin until 1930, when he moved to Canada. In 1931, he joined the Lake Placid Club as a coach and then moved to the Toronto Skating Club.{{Cite magazine |date=March 1931 |title=Rockers and Counters |url=https://xmlmanager.qg.com/search?&ref=Skating_193103_13 |magazine=Skating |page=35}}{{Cite magazine |date=May 1931 |title=Rockers and Counters |url=https://xmlmanager.qg.com/search?&ref=Skating_193105_11 |magazine=Skating |page=41}} He returned to Germany in 1934.

He was a member of the Nazi Luftwaffe during World War II and served as the commander of several airfields. After the war, he became a figure skating coach in Krefeld, at first unpaid and then later for a small pension, and served as a judge.{{Cite web |last=Von Lehmden |first=Michael |date=2008-01-01 |title=Opa war ein Eislaufstar |trans-title=Grandpa was a skating star |url=https://www.nrz.de/staedte/moers-und-umland/article1774676/opa-war-ein-eislaufstar.html |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=www.nrz.de |language=de}} In 1955, he published a book on skating, and he also worked as a journalist for the Deutsche Presse-Agentur.

His students included Ina Bauer, Ria Baran, and Paul Falk.

Rittberger developed dementia in his later years. He died on 12 August, 1975, and was buried next to his first wife in Berlin.