My grandmother competed in several Olympic games. She won a bronze medal in the 1912 games held in Stockholm, Sweden (swimming 100meters). The 1912 games were the first to allow women. She remembered to me very fondly the King of Sweden (King Gustave) personally presenting her with the bronze medal. She also competed in other Olympics in Skiing and Diving (10meters). She placed 7th in the 1926 games in diving. As well she won dozens of Austrian national championships in swimming and diving. However what I will always remember of my grandmother was not her athleticism but rather her incredible positive spirit. She grew up when Austria had an emperor and lived through two world wars. The world she knew was totally destroyed several times. She was persecuted. But she always had a smile for you and a constructive view of the world. She never said never. There was always a way to get it done. What needed to be done she did perfectly with a wink and made it look easy to boot. She was simply a tremendous person. I once asked her if I sent her a tape recorder and some tapes if she would record the events of her life for me. "No no" she said. "I could never talk about myself for that long". Yeah she was modest too.

Margaret Adler performing a dive
from the 10 meter board (30' high roughly).

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