on Allied ships and became a prisoner of War. While a prisoner of war at POW Camp 115, Whitecross, St Columb Major in Cornwall England, he trained in a mud pool next to the camp. In 1947, after seeing posters plastered all around Cornwall regarding a swimming race, he petitioned his captors if he could enter the Cornwall Swimming Championships held in Fowey harbour. Initially, his British captors were skeptical of his abilities to even swim. After additional petitioning by his fellow prisoners, he was allowed to enter the race. He won by a substantial margin and was given a cardboard case as a prize. He was released a year later in 1948. Record Notes The world record for the 200 meter breaststroke prior to the bifurcation of the butterfly breaststroke into separate strokes in 1953 could be accomplished in either short or long course pools. FINA recognized only one world record for the 200 meter breaststroke. The 1952 US Olympic Book lists the 200 meter breaststroke world record as belonging to Herbert Klein with a time of 2:27.3 who swam it in a short course pool. If records were measured as they are today in long and short course pools, John Davies tied Herbert Klein's long course world record of 2:34.4 set in 1950 at their 1952 Olympic final. See also List of select Jewish swimmers World record progression 200 metres breaststroke References External links International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame – Jewish Olympic medalists 1923 births 2001 deaths Sportspeople from Wrocław People from the Province of Silesia Kriegsmarine personnel German prisoners of war in World War II held by the United Kingdom Silesian Jews German male swimmers Jewish swimmers Olympic swimmers of Germany Olympic swimmers of the United Team of Germany Swimmers at the 1952 Summer Olympics Swimmers at the 1956 Summer Olympics Olympic bronze medalists for Germany World record setters in swimming Olympic bronze medalists in swimming European Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming Medalists at the 1952 Summer Olympics