Kristjan Palusalu

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Lore & Background

Kristjan Palusalu was born in Varemurru village, Saulepi Parish, Lääne County (now Matsi village, Lääneranna Parish, Pärnu County) as one of eight children to Jüri and Liisu Trossmann. He is best remembered for winning two gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, where he was given the honor of carrying the Estonian flag to the Olympiastadion. The triumph was celebrated across Estonia with Palusalu and other Estonian athletes touring the country by rail giving speeches; a third of the inhabitants of Tallinn turned out to greet him, and the Estonian government granted him a farm. After the Soviet Union occupied Estonia in 1940, Palusalu was sent to hard labour in Kotlas, Russia in 1941. He tried to escape with other prisoners but was captured after a few days. He was then sentenced to death together with his fellow fugitives but was given the chance to go to the front line to fight against Finland in the Continuation War. He deserted to the Finnish side in Northern Karelia, northwest of Lake Onega. According to one Finnish soldier, Mr. Suuperko, Palusalu and his friends shouted 'Finnish boys do not shoot Estonians' when they crossed the lines. He was soon recognized by a person in the Finnish army who had a sports background (Heikki Savolainen). He was imprisoned, but then was allowed to return to his homeland, which was then under German occupation. After the return of the Soviet army in 1945 he was arrested again, but was later allowed to work as a trainer and a referee; he also participated in some competitions in Estonia. Palusalu was married to Ellen Saidla; the couple had a son, Jüri Palusalu.

Reader's Guide

Kristjan Palusalu's significance lies in his unique Olympic achievement: he remains the only wrestler in history to win both the Greco-Roman and freestyle heavyweight gold medals at a single Games, a feat accomplished at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. His success made him a national hero in Estonia, celebrated with a rail tour and a government-granted farm. Beyond his athletic prowess, his life reflects the turmoil of 20th-century Estonian history. After the Soviet occupation, he was sent to hard labor, sentenced to death, and then forced to fight in the Continuation War, from which he deserted to Finland. Despite subsequent arrests, he eventually worked as a trainer and referee in Estonia. His legacy endures through the international Kristjan Palusalu Memorial in Greco-Roman wrestling, held in Estonia from 1988. Palusalu is considered one of the most popular sportsmen in Estonia and is synonymous with the Estonian nation itself.

Did You Know?

• Palusalu changed his surname from Trossmann to Palusalu in 1935.
• He was one of eight children born to Jüri and Liisu Trossmann.
• A third of Tallinn's inhabitants turned out to greet him after his 1936 Olympic victories.
• He was sentenced to death after a failed escape from hard labour in Kotlas, Russia, but was given a chance to fight on the front line instead.
• The international Kristjan Palusalu Memorial in Greco-Roman wrestling has been held in Estonia since 1988.