Jakob Nacken Explained

Jakob Nacken
Birth Date:15 February 1906
Birth Place:Düsseldorf, Rhenish Prussia, Germany
Death Place:Europe
Height:7 ft 3 in
Spouse:Maria
Module:
Embed:yes
Allegiance:Nazi Germany (to 1945)
Serviceyears:1939–1945
Battles:World War II

Jakob Hudson Nacken or Jacob Nacken (15 February 1906  29 March 1987) was a German circus performer active in Europe and the United States. He began his career as an exceptionally tall person while a teenager, performing in a traveling circus, and appeared in the 1939 New York World's Fair. Nacken was the tallest soldier in the German Army during World War II at a height of 7inchesft3inchesin (ftin). He was employed as a giant Santa Claus and appeared on American television as a figure of high stature and in freak shows as the World's Tallest Man.

Early life

Nacken was born in Düsseldorf, Germany, on 15 February 1906.[1] Both his parents were 6feet. His sister Josephine was 6feet tall; his two-years-younger brother Wilhelm grew to be 6feet tall; his other brother, who was eight years older than Nacken, became 6feet.[2]

Mid-life and career

Nacken began his career in show business performing as "Uranus" and the "giant from the Rhineland" in a German traveling circus. He was called Germany's tallest man[3] [4] and was credited as being the world's tallest man at the time.[5] [6] Nacken wore size 17 boots as an adult.[7] He had bruises on his head from hitting the tops of doorways that were built to accommodate people of normal height.[8]

He appeared at Luna Park, an amusement park in Paris, in 1922. Nacken was internationally known for his height of 7feet and earned an engagement at the 1939 New York World's Fair.[9]

He returned to Germany at the beginning of World War II and was immediately drafted into the army, becoming their tallest soldier on record.[10] [11] [12] Nacken was put into a gun crew with 250 soldiers who were captured at Calais, France, in August 1944.[13] [14] Nacken and his men were taken to England as prisoners of war and remained there until the end of the war.[7] [15]

In August 1949, newspapers announced Nacken was to return to the United States because he wanted to leave post-war Germany.[16] Nacken's sister, who already lived in the United States, prepared a place for him and his wife to live in Paterson, New Jersey.[17] Nacken and his wife emigrated to the United States on the SS Atlantic from Genoa, Italy,[1] arriving in the port of New York City on 6 December 1950.[1] [18]

Nacken sought work that would suit his stature. Through newspaper pictures and Pathé newsreels, he was well-known. During December 1949, he worked as Santa Claus.[19] [20] Children were able to walk between his legs[21] [22] and he was dubbed the world's tallest Santa.[23] Nacken worked in Ripley's Believe It or Not! shows as the "World's Tallest Man".[24] He appeared on several television shows as a celebrity known as "Germany's Long Jake".[25]

Personal life

On 10 August 1927, Nacken married Maria from Kematen an der Ybbs, Austria, in Brussels, Belgium.[1] She stood 5feet tall.[24]

He became a citizen of the United States on 16 December 1955.[26]

Later life and death

Nacken's last appearance as "World's Tallest Man" was in 1959 at Ripley's Odditorium on Broadway in Manhattan, New York City. He died in Europe at age 81.[27]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: . Looks Up To . The Morning Call . 28 . Paterson, New Jersey. 17 February 1950 . .
  2. News: . Ridgewood Woman Recognizes Photo of Captive Brother . The Morning Call . 20 . Paterson, New Jersey. 16 October 1944 . .
  3. News: . Germany's tallest man visits Oakland's littlest house! . Oakland Tribune. 33 . Oakland, California. 18 October 1951 . .
  4. News: . Giant "Bouncer" Effective. . Hartford Courant. 19 . Hartford, Connecticut. 12 August 1929 . .
  5. Book: Voices from the Second World War : stories of war as told to children of today . 2018 . 978-0-7636-9773-0 . First . Somerville, Massachusetts . 191 . 1129177636.
  6. Book: Yonke, David . Lost Toledo . 2015 . 978-1-62585-098-0 . Charleston . 947153499 . 19.
  7. News: . Easier To Stand Than Sleep Says King-Size Ex-Soldier . The Gazette. 21 . Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 11 April 1956 . .
  8. News: . Where'd We Put The Binoculars? . York Daily Record. 15 . York, Pennsylvania. 1 June 1953 . .
  9. News: . German Giant captured at Calais . The Daily News . 14 . Davenport, Iowa. 4 October 1944 . .
  10. News: . Big or Small, They Fall . Daily Republican Register. 1 . Mount Carmel, Illinois. 4 October 1944 . .
  11. News: . The Bigger They are x x x . Arizona Republic . 8 . Phoenix, Arizona . 9 October 1944 . .
  12. Web site: Amazing exploits of D-Day veteran Bob Roberts, the second man to set foot on Juno beach . 14 March 2020.
  13. News: . Some Germans Come Tall . Austin American-Statesman . 2 . Austin, Texas. 4 October 1944 . .
  14. Web site: Pint-sized hero infantryman who frisked giant 7ft 3in German soldier on Juno beach on D-Day . 12 March 2020 .
  15. Web site: Former circus giant Jakob Nacken identified as mystery Germany soldier . 12 March 2020.
  16. News: . Famous European Giant to Become Resident Here . The News. 27 . Paterson, New Jersey. 5 August 1949 . .
  17. News: . European Giant to Become Resident Here . The News. 2 . Paterson, New Jersey. 5 August 1949 . .
  18. News: . "Jake" and Jills . The Muscatine Journal. 16 . Muscatine, Iowa. 14 December 1949 . .
  19. News: . Santa's Tops . Visalia Times-Delta. 20 . Visalia, California. 17 December 1949 . .
  20. News: . Old St. Nicholas Gets Around . Statesville Daily Record. 16 . Statesville, North Carolina. 25 December 1949 . .
  21. News: . King-Size Santa . The Berkshire Eagle. 3 . Pittsfield, Massachusetts. 8 December 1949 . .
  22. News: . Biggest Santa . Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. 10 . Lancaster, Ohio. 13 December 1949 . .
  23. News: . Santas Tops . The Chillicothe Constitution. 24 . Chillicothe, Missouri. 23 December 1949 . .
  24. News: . Out of Circus, Paterson Giant Seeks Employment . The News. 40 . Paterson, New Jersey. 8 December 1950 . .
  25. News: . "Long Jake" to Arrive Today . The News . 3 . Paterson, New Jersey. 6 December 1949 . .
  26. News: . 'World's Tallest Santa' Looks To Uncle Sam For Christmas Gift . Public Opinion. 4 . Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. 15 December 1955 . .
  27. Web site: Genis 6 Giants . 12 March 2020 . 12 July 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190712141431/http://www.genesis6giants.com/index.php?s=549 . dead .

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