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You are here: Home / 2015 / Did Joseph Pilates suffer from asthma as a child?

Did Joseph Pilates suffer from asthma as a child?

9 November, 2015 By Eva Rincke 8 Comments

I have been asked this question many times since my biography of Joseph Pilates was published in September. People are asking about it at readings and workshops, via email and on Facebook. Where did they get this idea?

It was Joseph Pilates himself who used to suggest that he had had health issues as a child when he was talking to journalists! So in 1956 Doris Hering described him as a “frail child” in her article for Dance Magazine, and eight years later Evelyn Ringold wrote in the New York Herald Tribune: “Young Joseph was so puny he was forced to build himself up against the threat of TB and the attacks of bigger boys.”

Clara added the asthma. In an article for Women’s Wear Daily in 1972 after conducting an interview with Clara Toni Kosover wrote about Joseph Pilates: “As a boy he suffered from asthma…” The truth of this was taken for granted, so that today you can find this information in almost every bio of Joe Pilates on the websites of Pilates studios all over the world. Yet, I don’t even mention his asthma in my book – why not?

To put it bluntly: I don’t believe that Joseph Pilates suffered from asthma. I don’t believe that he was particularly weak as a child. In my opinion Joseph Pilates was a child of robust health.

In the days of Joseph Pilates it was common practice among strong men to tell stories about how weak they were as a child. To us this doesn’t make sense – today we want to be perfect from the day we’re born – but they thought differently.

Eugen Sandow for instance, famous body builder and idol of Joseph Pilates, wrote in his book “Strenghth and How to Obtain It „As a child I was myself exceedingly delicate. More than once, indeed, my life was despaired of.“ This was unfounded – he had been healthy and athletic – but he used this tale as a way to highlight the efficiency of his strengthening method. It was the same line of thought that Joseph Pilates went through when he said he was three years older than he actually was in order to emphasize the rejuvenating effect of his method.

And there is one more reason I have doubts about Joseph Pilates’ claim of having been an unhealthy child. It’s the fact that he survived infancy whereas three of his siblings died. From my point of view this suggests he must have been pretty robust and strong. Childhood diseases such as diphtheria and measles were deadly for many children back then. In Prussia one fifth of all children died before their first birthday at the time. If Joseph Pilates had indeed suffered from asthma, he would have needed to have a very robust physique. So it seems much more probable to me that this tale was just another publicity stunt – inspired by Eugen Sandow.

Do you agree or disagree? I’m looking forward to your comments! And please ask more questions! From now on I’ll pick one and answer it here on Pilatesglossy every week.

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Eva Rincke

Filed Under: 2015, Ask The Experts, Eva Rincke, Experts Germany

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Comments

  1. img-3Marjolein van Sonsbeek says

    10 November, 2015 at 14:16

    Hi Eva,
    I love this first post. For sure you will receive many questions. So glad you are willing to answer them on Pilatesglossy. I was wondering myself; Joe lived during the time of for example Kneipp, Bess M. Mensendieck and Rudolf Steiner. Sebastian Kneipp had invented his Kneippkur. Steiner is known for his anthroposophy and eurythmy, Mensendieck for her therapeutic exercise system.
    My question: Did Kneipp, Mensendieck and Steiner (and/or other famous people) influence Joe and if so in what way?
    Thank you so much Eva!
    Kind regards, Marjolein

    Reply
    • img-4Eva Rincke says

      10 November, 2015 at 14:46

      Hi Marjolein,
      Thank you so much for inviting me – and for your question of course! First question – first on the list! So next week I’ll be writing about Bess Mensendieck, because she had an enormous influence on Joseph Pilates. The other two: I don’t think so…
      Thanks again and best wishes,
      Eva

      Reply
  2. img-5Pilates Teacher Association says

    10 November, 2015 at 19:54

    There appears to be many myths and legends on what illnesses Joe Pilates did or did not have. The majority of 12-15 year old boys are gangly and without muscle and hugely self concious – it may be that Euge sandow and Joe Pilates had that same perception. I believe that he also declared ” never a day’s illness in my life…” The questions are all there for asking

    Reply
    • img-6Eva Rincke says

      11 November, 2015 at 21:37

      Yes, he said that. For example in George J. Rosenberg’s article “Now YOU can stay young longer” (People, June 24, 1959) the journalist wrote: “Pilates, who has been practising what he preaches since he was 14, has never been sick a day in his life. He has never been to a doctor, never even swallowed an aspirin.” – Next question please;)

      Reply
  3. img-7Lali Diaz-McDonald says

    11 November, 2015 at 20:39

    This is great Eva! Thank you for sharing the information, you have, on Joseph Pilates.
    I can’t wait to read your book when it is published in English.
    I have a double question: a.Would it have been possible for JP to “rig” beds with springs so that people could work on them? I am wondering if the camps had beds with springs considering they were on one hand, interment camps and on the other metal was destined to war effort?
    b. Was he permitted to work as a nurse or rehabilitator in the interment camp?

    Reply
    • img-8Eva Rincke says

      11 November, 2015 at 21:30

      Hi Lali, thank you so much for your questions! I’m looking forward to answering! I’d love to go ahead right now, but I’ll write a post about it in two weeks. And I’ll check with Manx Museum, so I hope to be able to show you two very interesting pictures…
      Best, Eva

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Hatte Joseph Pilates als Kind Asthma? | Joseph Pilates says:
    10 November, 2015 at 12:04

    […] Buch aus verschiedenen Gründen nicht erwähne: Das wirft Fragen auf! Jetzt hat mich das Magazin Pilatesglossy eingeladen für sie zu bloggen – diese Gelegenheit will ich nutzen, um zumindest einige […]

    Reply
  2. Question me! | Joseph Pilates says:
    10 November, 2015 at 12:29

    […] I don’t mention in my book. When Marjolein van Sonsbeek asked me, if I would like to blog on pilatesglossy.com, I decided to take advantage of this opportunity: From now on I will be answering one of these […]

    Reply

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Eva Rincke

Eva Rincke

Meet our expert, Eva Rincke. She is a writer and historian, born in 1981. She had a scholar ship for the writing program of Literarisches Colloquium Berlin in 2011. Eva is a Pilates devotee. She and her family are living in Stuttgart, Germany. Eva is the author of a biography of Joseph Pilates. “Joseph Pilates , Der Mann dessen Name Programm wurde”. Currently only available in German, but soon to be translated in English.
Eva dived into the life of Joseph, so do you have a questions about Joseph? Ask the expert!

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