Aleksander Richard "Leks" Aberg (born August 11, 1881 in Kolga, Kuusalu Parish, Estonia, died February 15, 1920 in Armavir, Krasnodar Krai) was a famous Estonian professional Greco-Roman and free-style wrestling World Champion of the early 20th century. He took part in the World Heavyweight Championship and was one of the three most famous Estonian professional wrestlers along with Georg Lurich and Georg Hackenschmidt. Alex Aberg wrestled in North America (1913-14 and 1915-16) with mixed success. Together with Lurich he came back via Japan and China to Russia in 1917 and arrived in Estonia in autumn. They participated in a wrestling tournament in Tallinn that remained unfinished due to the approach of the German troops. The athletes went to Saint Petersburg and on to South Russia. The war meant an end to work in Saint Petersburg and Moscow. It seemed better in the southern region controlled by white guards. However, the war spread and the men had to move further inside Russia. They could stop only in a far corner of South Russia Armavir. Their aim was to leave Russia across the Black Sea by boat. Unfortunately things took a dramatic turn in Armavir at the beginning of 1920. The front reached them, the town passed from hand to hand in battles several times, many perished, and there were masses of funerals. Warm winter brought on typhoid. Due to the war, medical aid was difficult to get. Lurich fell ill first and could not be rescued, dying on January 22, 1920. Aberg had also become infected but he managed to defeat the illness. Unfortunately he rushed his recovery, caught pneumonia, and died on February 15, 1920. The wrestlers were buried in one grave in Armavir German cemetery.
Aleksander Richard "Leks" Aberg (born August 11, 1881 in Kolga, Kuusalu Parish, Estonia, died February 15, 1920 in Armavir, Krasnodar Krai) was a famous Estonian professional Greco-Roman and free-style wrestling World Champion of the early 20th century. He took part in the World Heavyweight Championship and was one of the three most famous Estonian professional wrestlers along with Georg Lurich and Georg Hackenschmidt. Alex Aberg wrestled in North America (1913-14 and 1915-16) with mixed success. Together with Lurich he came back via Japan and China to Russia in 1917 and arrived in Estonia in autumn. They participated in a wrestling tournament in Tallinn that remained unfinished due to the approach of the German troops. The athletes went to Saint Petersburg and on to South Russia. The war meant an end to work in Saint Petersburg and Moscow. It seemed better in the southern region controlled by white guards. However, the war spread and the men had to move further inside Russia. They could stop only in a far corner of South Russia Armavir. Their aim was to leave Russia across the Black Sea by boat. Unfortunately things took a dramatic turn in Armavir at the beginning of 1920. The front reached them, the town passed from hand to hand in battles several times, many perished, and there were masses of funerals. Warm winter brought on typhoid. Due to the war, medical aid was difficult to get. Lurich fell ill first and could not be rescued, dying on January 22, 1920. Aberg had also become infected but he managed to defeat the illness. Unfortunately he rushed his recovery, caught pneumonia, and died on February 15, 1920. The wrestlers were buried in one grave in Armavir German cemetery.
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