Biography

Walter Rutt was born on September 12, 1883, in Morsbach, a small community in the town of Würselen, not far from Aachen. His father Heinrich was stationmaster at the time, while his mother Caroline, née Hünking, took care of the household. Walter had an older sister named Adele.

In early childhood, he suffered from several serious illnesses, which initially impaired his physical development somewhat. On medical advice, he began cycling and soon developed above-average strength. This talent was to shape the rest of his life.

The birth certificate of Walter Rutt

A natural talent

In 1899, Heinrich Rutt ran a restaurant in Cologne where two cycling clubs met regularly. In the fall of that year, they decided to organize a bicycle race from Cologne to Neuss and back. Heinrich Rütt, who knew what he owed his regulars, donated a watch as an honorary prize for this race.

On the morning of the event, Walter sneaked out of the house early to watch the start of the race. He decided to follow the 30 or so participants on his touring bike, and they were soon surprised that the 16-year-old had no trouble keeping up.

While the racers handed in their registration forms at the turning point in Neuss, Walter knocked on the table at the checkpoint and continued to follow the leading group, which had been reduced to six riders.

When the towers of Cologne Cathedral appeared in the distance, he decided, in youthful naivety and without realizing the consequences of his actions, to ride ahead and tell the waiting spectators that the riders would soon be arriving.

In fact, he was the first to reach the finish line, jumped off his bike, and received a resounding slap in the face from his father, who had been missing the “rascal.” The organizer then intervened and explained the situation to Heinrich Rutt. The amateurs arriving at that moment had to admit, without envy, that they had suffered a defeat.

Photo: Album of Peter Rutt

Walter Rutt and his sister Adele

A mother's fears

At home, the incident was kept quiet because Caroline Rutt disapproved of cycling. She feared that her son would contract tuberculosis as a racing cyclist or fall to his death on a race track. At the time, Walter was working as an intern at a large company and, according to his parents' wishes, was supposed to study mechanical engineering at the Mittweida Technical College.

Therefore, he initially only competed in amateur races with his father's knowledge and, for fear of punishment, placed his first prize, an artistically designed pewter cup, in a shoe box, which he buried under the gooseberry bushes in his garden at home.

Photo: Sportalbum der Radwelt 1903

Walter Rutt in 1902