Otto Scheff

Otto Scheff, born Otto Sochaczewsky (December 12, 1889 – October 26, 1956) was an Austrian freestyle swimmer, water polo player, lawyer, politician, and sports official who competed in the 1906 Intercalated Games, and both the 1908, and 1912 Summer Olympics. He later worked as an attorney in Vienna, served in the National Council of Austria, and was the vice-president of the Austrian Olympic Committee.

Scheff was born in Berlin on September 12, 1889 into the family of Jewish writer Heinrich Sochaczewsky, who published under the pseudonym Victor von Falk. Scheff grew up in Wien (Vienna), Austria, soon distinguishing himself globally as the top middle-distance freestyler in the era of the trudgeon stroke, prior to the broad introduction of the Australian crawl. He swam for the Wiener Athletiksport Club. He first gained international recognition in 1905 at the international tournament held in Paris, then known as the World Championships, where he placed third in the 500-m freestyle behind British swimmers David Billington and Eric Forsyth.