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Trivia

Franz Reichelt

  • Austrian tailor known for his tragic jump from the Eiffel Tower in 1912 when he was experimenting his self-designed parachute. Even though many people think he died from injuries sustained on the fall, the coroner attested he suffered a heart-attack during the fall.
  • Reichelt fell 187 feet from the first platform of the Eiffel Tower when his self-designed parachute failed. He left an impact crater nearly 6 inches deep in the ground.
  • At least three newsreel cameras were there to film the tragedy. Surviving footage includes Reichelt hesitating for about 40 seconds before jumping; a long shot of his fall; his body being carried from the scene; and measurement of the impact crater.
  • The prefect of the Paris Police authorized Reichelt's parachute experiment believing he would use a dummy. It was only upon arriving at the Eiffel Tower that Reichelt told friends he would make the jump himself, and nothing could dissuade him.

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