Professional Swimmer. She received acclaim as a record-setting professional marathon swimmer. As a teenager she began long-distance swimming, and in 1937 she crossed the Kattegat from Zealand to Jutland in 29½ hours. This feat made her an international celebrity, and she received congratulations from all over the world, including a telegram from Germany's Nazi Leader, Adolf Hitler. A special "Jenny Kammersgaard Waltz" was composed in her honor as was a song. The next year she swam from Gedser in Denmark to Warnemünde in Germany. The distance between the two cities is 52 kilometers, but because of a strong current and drift she had to swim 110 kilometers (approx. 68 miles), which took her 40 hours and 17 minutes. This brought her praise from King Christian X of Denmark. Nazi scientists, studying the Aryan race, wanted her to come to Germany in order to examine her and determine the secret behind her achievements, but this never happened. Later, during World War II, she was accused of spying, an arrest order was issued for her, and she escaped to Sweden until the end of the war. After having become a qualified swimming instructor, she continued long-distance swimming, and in 1950 and 1951 she successfully swam the English Channel. In her fifties she set records in ice-water swimming. In 1976, she made 400-meter swim in 12 minutes 54 seconds in ice water, which was her last professional swim.
Professional Swimmer. She received acclaim as a record-setting professional marathon swimmer. As a teenager she began long-distance swimming, and in 1937 she crossed the Kattegat from Zealand to Jutland in 29½ hours. This feat made her an international celebrity, and she received congratulations from all over the world, including a telegram from Germany's Nazi Leader, Adolf Hitler. A special "Jenny Kammersgaard Waltz" was composed in her honor as was a song. The next year she swam from Gedser in Denmark to Warnemünde in Germany. The distance between the two cities is 52 kilometers, but because of a strong current and drift she had to swim 110 kilometers (approx. 68 miles), which took her 40 hours and 17 minutes. This brought her praise from King Christian X of Denmark. Nazi scientists, studying the Aryan race, wanted her to come to Germany in order to examine her and determine the secret behind her achievements, but this never happened. Later, during World War II, she was accused of spying, an arrest order was issued for her, and she escaped to Sweden until the end of the war. After having become a qualified swimming instructor, she continued long-distance swimming, and in 1950 and 1951 she successfully swam the English Channel. In her fifties she set records in ice-water swimming. In 1976, she made 400-meter swim in 12 minutes 54 seconds in ice water, which was her last professional swim.
Bio by: Erik Skytte
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