Killer Karl Krupp

George Momberg (May 13, 1934 – August 24, 1995), better known by the ring name Killer Karl Krupp, was a Dutch-born professional wrestler famous during the 1970s and early 1980s.

Killer Karl Krupp
Killer Karl Krupp, with tag team partner Karl Von Stroheim (left)
Birth nameGeorge Momberg[1]
Born(1934-05-13)May 13, 1934
Holland, Netherlands[1]
DiedAugust 24, 1995(1995-08-24) (aged 61)
Moncton, New Brunswick[1]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Killer Karl Krupp
Dutch Momberg[1]
Mad Dog Momberg[2]
Baron von Krupp[2]
Ichiban #1[2]
Billed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)[2]
Billed weight260 lb (120 kg)[2]
Billed fromGermany
Debut1957
Retired1988[3]

Professional wrestling career

Born in the Netherlands, Momberg was interested in amateur wrestling as a youth.[4] At the age of 16, he went to Canada and was involved in many sports, rowing and participating in amateur wrestling at the Hamilton Jewish Centre and in the local YMCA.[5] He made his debut as a professional wrestler in 1957 as "The Flying Dutchman" Dutch Momberg,[5] and started wrestling in Canada around 1965.[3]

In the early 1970s, Momberg hit upon the gimmick that would make him a star, the character of German heel, Killer Karl Krupp. The gimmick had been around a good twenty years by this time, first popularized by Hans Schmidt and carried further by later stars, such as Fritz von Erich. A late entry into the field, Killer Karl Krupp was among the most wildly over-the-top of them all. With eyes bulging, head shaved and a short black beard framing a leering grin, Krupp was the very image of a wildly cartoonish, yet frightening wrestling villain. He accessorized for the part with a monocle, riding crop, heavy black boots and black ring cape, and delivered ranting promos in an affected German accent rife with mangled pronunciations.[4][5] Utilizing other familiar staples of the German heel gimmick, Krupp goose-stepped to the ring, threw stiff-arm salutes, and used an Iron Claw hold (the 'Eye Claw') as his finishing move.[4][1][3] What was unknown to the public at the time was that Momberg hated the Nazis, who had occupied his homeland.[6]

On June 10, 1972, Krupp defeated Leo Burke for the ESA's IW North American Heavyweight Championship.[7] Early the next year he went to Japan, where he had many of his early successes, co-holding the NWA International Tag Team Championship twice between February and April 1973 (once with Johnny Valentine and once each with fellow 'evil Germans', Fritz Von Erich and replacement partner Karl von Steiger). He also reached the final rounds of the 1974 and 1975 New Japan Pro-Wrestling World League Tournaments, both of which he lost to Antonio Inoki.[8] Krupp and Von Erich worked as the "Iron Claw Masters" in Japan.[5] Stateside, Krupp first became a big name in the Texas territory in 1973,[3] before moving on to Portland in 1974, where he feuded with Dutch Savage.[6] He also appeared in CWF Florida in 1975, where he was a two-time winner of the NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship,[3] and then moved on to Dick the Bruiser's WWA in Indiana. There as well as in Detroit, he used the moniker Baron von Krupp.

In 1980, Krupp came to Memphis, where he tangled with Jerry Lawler.[9] He returned before long, however, to Atlantic Canada, where he had a memorable run in Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling.[1] In the mid-1980s, near the end of his career, he feuded with Angelo Mosca around southern Ontario.[1] By the end of March 1983, he began wrestling in the Dallas Texas-based territory for Fritz Von Erich's World Class Championship Wrestling. Krupp retired from the ring in 1988.[3]

Later life

George Momberg retired to his adopted home in Atlantic Canada in 1988, working for the Midland Trucking Company.[4] He died on August 24, 1995, in Moncton, New Brunswick, after contracting hepatitis while wrestling in Japan.[5]

Championships and accomplishments
  • AGPW European Championship (1 time)
  • AGPW International Championship (2 times)[11]
  • AGPW North American Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Hans Herman[12]

References
  1. "SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: Killer Karl Krupp". SLAM! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on January 1, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  2. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Killer Karl Krupp". Cagematch.net. Archived from the original on June 14, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  3. Lentz III, Harris M. (2003). Biographical Dictionary of Professional Wrestling (2nd ed.). McFarland. p. 196. ISBN 9780786417544.
  4. "'Killer' traded trunks for truck". Regina Leader-Post. January 4, 1988. p. 11. Archived from the original on June 14, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  5. Oliver, Greg (2003). The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Canadians. ECW Press. pp. 150–151. ISBN 9781550225310.
  6. "Killer Karl Krupp bio". Online World of Wrestling. Archived from the original on January 18, 2009. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  7. "North American Heavyweight Title [Maritimes]". Wrestling Titles. Archived from the original on January 4, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  8. "New Japan Pro Wrestling World League". Pro Wrestling History. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  9. Lawler, Jerry (2003). It's Good To Be The King... Sometimes. Pocket Books. p. 208. ISBN 9780743457682.
  10. "NWA International Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Archived from the original on January 20, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  11. "AGPW International Heavyweight Title (Maritime Provinces)". Wrestling Titles. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  12. "AGPW North American Tag Team Title (Maritime Provinces)". Wrestling Titles. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  13. "Southern Heavyweight Title (Florida)". Wrestling Titles. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  14. Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2006) [2000.]. "(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: Southern Tag Team Title [Roy Welsch & Nick Gulas, Jerry Jarrett from 1977]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, Ontario: Archeus Communications. pp. 185–189. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  15. Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "(Texas) Dallas: NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. p. 271. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  16. "Texas Brass Knuckles Title (W. Texas)". Wrestling Titles. Archived from the original on April 9, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  17. "NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  18. "NWA Austra-Asian Tag Team Title (Australia)". Wrestling Titles. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  19. "WWC North American Heavyweight Title (Puerto Rico)". Wrestling Titles. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
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