The Father of Athletics, Theodor Siebert: A Life Amongst Bodybuilding, Life Reform and Esoterica – Iron Game History – May/June, 2000

In November 1950 readers of Ray Van Cleef’s column in Strength & Health magazine were asked to help out a deserving pioneer of the iron game. They were told that “an opportunity awaits some good Samaritan to relieve the plight of Prof. Theodor Siebert of Germany.” This innovative trainer, who had played a decisive role in advancing progressive weight training, had fallen on bad days after World War II and was in dire need of clothing for both him- self and his daughter. It had been twelve years since the ill-fated octogenarian had last obtained a pair of shoes, and now the situation was desperate. Siebert would “appreciate any gifts of discarded or unused articles of clothing suitable for either himself or his daughter.” Unfortunately, this pathetic appeal went largely unheeded, and a little less than a year later an even more urgent notice appeared in the magazine; this time Van Cleef asked his readers to send food since the Professor was close to starving.