Charly Baumann

Charly Baumann was born Heinz E. Baumann, on September 14 1928 in Berlin, Germany. Charly's father was a motion picture stunt-man and Charly himself appeared in many German films as a youth.

Baumann's young years were tragic. During World War II Charly's father was caught by the attempting to help a Jewish family escape from Germany. He was sent to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in northwestern Germany where he died in a Nazi gas chamber. Charly's mother was also sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp. Charly was then confined to an orphanage.

Charly returned to his mother after she was released, soon after he was drafted into the German navy where he was captured by the Americans.

After the war Charly's mother took him to meet her friend Paula Busch, who owned a small circus. Paula hired Baumann as a horse groom.

In 1947 Charly began working for Harry Williams on "Circus Williams". Harry Williams saw a potential in Baumann and began teaching him the basics of animal training.

In 1950 the Williams Circus was contracted to perform with Tom Arnold's Circus at the Harringay Arena in London. One of the acts of the show was Roman chariot racing in which horse drawn chariots raced around the hippodrome track, one of the chariot drivers was to be Bauman. The night before the show opened, during a rehearsal, Harry Williams was fatally injured in a crash while driving one of the chariots.

After Harry's death, his widow Carola decided to close Circus Williams, leaving Charly without a job. Baumann began training 6 lions and within two weeks, had worked the group into an act. Baumann was soon hired by Circus Roland as their lead animal act. Charly's predecessor, Gilbert Houcke had worked his animal act in "Tarzan wardrobe" and the circus' owner insisted Baumann do the same much to the embarrassment of Charly.

After Circus Roland, Charly performed with English circuses Bertram Mills Circus and the Blackpool Tower Circus.

In 1964, Baumann brought his eight tiger act to the United States and began working with Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus eventually enlarging the act to 16 tigers. By the end of his years with Ringling he had been promoted to "executive performance director", over seeing the performances of the circus' two units.

In 1991 Charly retired after over 40 years in the circus business.

Charly Baumann died January 31 2001 leaving behind his widow Aracelli Rodriguez Baumann, he was 72 years old.

On January 21, 2006 Charly Baumann was inducted into the Sarasota's Circus Ring of Fame.

In 2001 Charly Baumann was inducted in to the International Circus Hall of Fame