This document provides a biography of Alfred Freyer, a Polish long distance runner from Tarnobrzeg in the early 20th century. It describes how he got into running and held several national records. On December 21, 1927, Freyer tragically died trying to save books from a fire at the Tarnowski Palace library in Dzikow, just months before he was set to compete in the Olympics. His memory is still honored today in his hometown of Tarnobrzeg.

1. ALFRED FREYER Niniejszy projekt został zrealizowany przy wsparciu finansowym Wspólnoty Europejskiej w ramach programu Comenius. Treści samego projektu lub materiałów nie odzwierciedlają stanowiska Komisji Europejskiej czy Agencji Narodowej w danej sprawie, a w związku z tym ani Komisja Europejska, ani Agencja Narodowa nie ponosi za nie odpowiedzialności.

2. Tarnobrzeg's athlete... Alfred Freyer 1901-1927

3. Alfred Freyer was born on 11 september 1901 in Dzikow. Alfred Freyer Dzikow is one of Tarnobrzeg aldermanry.

4. Freyer family is from England. This family loves horses and horse riding. Alfred's father and grandfather were equerries.

5. Alfred has got 5 sisters and 3 brothers. He was happy, very disciplined and fit boy, he liked horse riding and football.

6. Like every polish child and Alfred start study when he have seven years. First 4 years attend primary school, and in 1912 he moved to secondary school, he graduated in 1918.

7. After graduation he started office job in the Tarnobrzeg's tax office.

8. After tedious office job he plays football with friends. He was a player of Tarnobrzeg football team „ Dzikovia” .

9. In 1920 Poland was in a war with Russia. Alfred joined the army to take care of the horses belonging to the noble family his father and grandfather worked for.

11. Alfred's adventure with running started accidientally...

13. Alfred got to Sandomierz few minute before Brodkiewicz. In race between men and horse, come out Alfred's great running skills.

14. Alfred like running, famous is his race with train on a Wielowies-Tarnobrzeg. (about 10km), he ussualy has been faster than steem train... he consider runnig as a football training.

15. Colleagues from football team advice alfred to try as a runner on any athlete championship, A lfred was great and decide to leave football and become an athlete.

16. Alfred professional athlet training start in sport club „ IFC Katowice” , then transfer to „ Polonia Warszawa” club.

17. Alfred's success story has begun.

18. His coach -Thorwald Norling ascertain: ,,You can not describe his possibilities, he is a phenomenon.(...) He is already European top class.”

19. They called him: " Polish Nurmim " They wrote : "he is an engine closed in human body, he is getting better day by day”

20. Sports scores

21. HISTORY OF THE POLISH RECORD – 5 000 metres 16:20.0 Stanisław Ziffer Legia Warszawa 30.09.1922 16:13.2 Julian Łukaszewicz Polonia Warszawa 13.06.1925 16:08.7 ALFRED FREYER IFC Katowice 21.06.1925 16:04.0 Roman Sawaryn Pogoń Lwów 13.08.1926 15:51.8 ALFRED FREYER Polonia Warszawa 17.11.1926 15:46.2 ALFRED FREYER Polonia Warszawa 28.05.1927 15:41.0 Janusz Kusociński Warszawianka 31.08.1928

22. • HISTORY OF THE POLISH RECORD – 10 000 metres 34:06.2 Julian Łukaszewski Polonia Warszawa 20.06.1925 33:07.8 ALFRED FREYER Polonia Warszawa 11.11.1926 33:00.4 ALFRED FREYER Polonia Warszawa 21.05.1927 32:09.0 Stanisław Petkiewicz Warszawianka 14.07.1929 31:39.8 Janusz Kusocinski Warszawianka 02.09.1930 30:31.4 Janusz Kusociński Warszawianka 04.06.1932

23. POLISH RECORD HOLDERS – 5 000 metres 1923 Stefan Kostrzewski ŁKS Łódź 16:56.8 1924 Julian Łukaszewicz Polonia Warszawa 16:43.0 1925 ALFRED FREYER IFC Katowice 16:28.2 1926 Roman Sawaryn Pogoń Lwów 16:04.0 1927 ALFRED FREYER Polonia Warszawa 15:54.4 1928 Janusz Kusociński Warszawianka 15:41.0 1929 Roman Sawaryn Pogoń Lwów 15:56.2 1930 Janu sz Kusociński Warszawianka 15:49.8 2004 Michał Kaczmarek LLKS Gubin 14:14.65

24. POLISH RECORD HOLDERS – 10 000 metres 1924 Stanisław Ziffer Wisła Kraków 39:01.0 1925 ALFRED FREYER IFC Katowice 34:47.0 1926 Roman Sawaryn Pogoń Lwów 35:11.6 1927 ALFRED FREYER Polonia Warszawa 33:40.4 1928 Marian Sarnacki Warszawianka 33:10.8 1929 Marian Sarnacki Warszawianka 34:28.2 2004 Jan Zakrzewski Oleśniczanka 29:09.41

25. Freyers carrier was extraordinary, he has been treated as a top runner, he become famous.

26. Success was huge, he qualify to Olympics in Amsterdam, in Agust 1927 started his trainings .

27. In december 1927 Alfred arive to Tarnobrzeg on Christmas, but this christmas wasn't lucky. Alfred never start in olympics, never leave Tarnobrzeg...

28. In 21 th december 1927 2.30 a.m fire start-up in Dzikow, Tarnowski's palace.

29. That was very cold day, minus eighteen, that made rescue action very difficult. House pipes couldn't work properly, wells and water-supplys were frozen. Alfred Freyer took a part in Dzikow library rescue.

30. Believing his strength and ignoring risk, he ran forth and back to save more and more books from the fire. With him same did other Tarnobrzeg citizens.

31. Fire grew stronger. 9 people where when the library ceiling collapsed.

32. Unfortunately one of the victims was twenty-six years A lfred Freyer.

33. On 31 st of December 1927 at 10.00 a.m in the Dzikow chapel has been held a memorial prayer for those who died in the fire count tarnowski paid tribute to those who tragically died and in the church hang a commemorative plaque.

35. He has been burried on local cemetery in Miechocin.

36. Memory of Freyer live to day. In first years after second word war every year in Dzikow park been hald cross country run in memory of A lfred Freyer in autumn.

37. First Nadwislanski run 1978

39. Second Nadwislanski run 1979

41. Twentie-night Nadwislanski run 2007

47. We too be there...

48. THE END Aleksander Stawowy & Michał Przyłucki Pod kierunkiem M. Niezabitowskiej & A. Paduch