Olympedia – Franz Csöngei

A native of Wien (Vienna), Franz Csöngei began his junior career with Stockerau EV in 1927. He later played for various clubs in and around Wien, including the Wien City, Währing HC, Wiener EV, Wiener EG, Ortisei HC, and Wien EKE. In a long career that spanned World War II, Csöngei skated at the 1936 and 1948 Winter Olympics finishing seventh in both occasions.

He also played for Austria at six World Championships (1931, 1933-34, 1938-39, 1947), captaining the team in 1938 and 1947, helping Austria to a bronze medal in 1947. As the Worlds doubled as the European Championships in that era, he garnered three European medals, with a silver in 1933, and bronzes in 1939 and 1947. He started out as a center but shifted to defense in his later years.

Csöngei became a coach, notably leading the Austrian team at the 1948 Winter Olympics. He was inducted into the German Hockey Hall of Fame.