Birth Name: Mark Andrew Spitz
Place of Birth: Modesto, California
Date of Birth: February 10, 1950
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Mark Spitz is an American competition swimmer. He is a nine-time Olympic champion. He won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics, then the most ever at one Olympics. The record held until 2008, when Michael Phelps broke it (winning eight gold medals).
Mark set world records in all seven events in which he competed in 1972.
Mark is the son of Lenore Sylvia (Smith) and Arnold Spitz. His parents were/are both Jewish.
Mark’s paternal grandparents were Morris Spitz (the son of Nathan Spitz and Tery Ignotz) and Alice Schwalb (the daughter of Robert M. Schwalb and Terez). Morris was born in New York, to Hungarian Jewish parents. Alice was born in Colorado, also to Hungarian Jewish parents.
Mark’s maternal grandfather was Louis J. Smith (the son of Hessel “Harry” Smith and Hannah Levin). Louis was a Jewish immigrant, born in Traube/Traby, Belarus. Hessel was the son of Shimon Zlotkovich/Sklotkovick and Shana Basha. Hannah was the daughter of Borach M. Levin and Sarah F.
Mark’s maternal grandmother was Edith Rosen (whose parents’ surnames were “Rosen” and “Melman”). Edith was born in England, to Russian Jewish parents.
Sources: Genealogy of Mark Spitz (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
Mark’s mother on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy of Mark’s mother – http://www.genealogy.com
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