Celebrity Death of the Day
Zishe Breitbart (1883-1925)
Polish Circus performer, Vaudeville strongman and Jewish folk hero, Zishe Breitbart fought the anti-semitism of pre-war Germany to gain the reputation of the ‘World’s Strongest Man.’
He died a sad and premature death at the age of 42 following a stage show during which he pushed a rusty spike through five 1 inch thick oak boards resting on his knee. The spike pierced his knee, causing an acute infection. He died 8 weeks later.
Breitbart’s life was fictionalised in Werner Herzog’s 2001 film Invincible with added Nazi’s for dramatic effect.
