Gérard Blitz was born on February 28, 1912 in Antwerp, Belgium. His father, Maurice, was a diamond merchant, and his mother ran a beauty salon. They lived in a house located at 4 Anselmo Street in Antwerp.
As a teenager, Gérard Blitz followed in his father Maurice's footsteps by learning the trade of a cutter and regularly went to the swimming pool where he quickly became a good swimmer. In fact, swimming was a family passion. Gérard had an uncle, also named Gérard, who won a medal at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics, set a world record in the 400-meter backstroke in 1921, and then won another medal at the 1924 Paris Games and in Berlin in 1936
Gérard Blitz married for the first time in 1935 to Denise ( Denise Libbecht) . From this marriage, he had four children. One of them, Hélène (Hélène Perry-Blitz), worked at Club Med; the others followed different paths.
When World War II broke out, Gérard joined an elite Belgian cavalry regiment. Arrested in Antwerp, he was released thanks to the connections he had gained as a champion. After the Belgian defeat, he decided to go to Switzerland with his family and joined the resistance. Working for Belgian state security, he led an intelligence network for London
In the spring of 1945, he was tasked by the Belgian government with organizing rest for prisoners of war before their return home. To this end, he reopened two hotels in Haute-Savoie: one in Chamonix and the other in Annecy. These hotels, which would be named "Villages des Rapatriés" (Villages of the Repatriated), operated for two years, accommodating repatriates before their return to Belgium.
In 1947, he met Claudine (Claudine Coindeau), who became his second wife the following year. She introduced him to Tahiti. Two revelations would mark his life, becoming his passions: Tahiti and Buddhism.
During the summer of 1949, Gérard, accompanied by his two children (Hélène and Maurice), decided to spend two weeks with his sister Didy and her husband Mario Lewis, who were working the season at the Calvi Olympic Club village. At the village, he took it upon himself to organize activities such as scuba diving and volleyball matches to keep the Olympic Club members occupied, much to the amazement of the manager, a certain Dimitry Philippoff. It was at this moment that the idea of creating a holiday club took root in Gérard's mind.
On February 11, 1950, Tony Hatot, Jean Maubert, and Claudine Blitz were tasked with filing the statutes of the Club Med association with the Paris Police Prefecture. That summer, Alcudia in the Balearic Islands would be their first resort. The first of many.
Judith BLITZ (Didy)
Gérard Blitz has a sister named Judith. At the beginning of the Second World War, she followed her father, Maurice Blitz, who had taken refuge in Annecy, where he founded a swimming club. He brought in swimmers who became part of this adventure. Among them were Mario Lewis, Tony Hatot, Lionel Marcu, Paul Morihien, and Dimitri Philipoff. After the Liberation, Judith married Mario Lewis. They had two children: Yves and Claire Lewis.
Judith, whom everyone calls Didy, became a prominent village chief at Club Med.
Claire (Clarita) is now a painter. You can see her works at the following link:
Claire Lewis, Contemporary Artist
The world of Yoga
In 1974, Gérard Blitz left Club Med to devote himself fully to his passion, yoga. He joined a great master, Krishnamacharya, in India. He had already created the Zinal International Meetings, where leading figures in modern spiritual life gathered to serve those seeking truth.
Gérard BLITZ died on March 3, 1990 at the Cochin hospital in Paris.
Magnificent portrait of Gérard. Thank you. His regiment was called "The First Guide," the Queen's equestrian regiment. It was composed of the sons of the Belgian aristocracy. When there weren't enough to form a regiment, they were supplemented by "commoners" who were great athletes. This was the case for Gérard and his friend (my father) Léon Mortaigne (both excellent riders), who followed him as a Trafis to Alcudia in 1950
I met Gérard at Club Med in St Moritz in 1964, as well as Paul Emile Victor with whom I had breakfast in the company of Jean Christophe? It was nice, with a bouillabaisse at the foot of the Mortorasch massif.
Hello everyone,
Gérard's father did indeed love the water. I saw him swimming in 1949 in the port of Antwerp… in winter… with my father, with whom I believe he had done part of his studies.
Together they had discussed the future Club Med.
I don't know who had the initial idea, but my father contributed to the financing since he had some land available…
I remember Didy very well in Corfu a little after the opening, and Gérard of course, even though I was still young. I remember the large tables at lunchtime with an abundance of fresh produce and seafood, and the khaki tents repurposed from the army.
I slept on cots in the Cheetah tent, marked in white.
There was a tiny dance floor, a mini band, everything was very basic but what an atmosphere! And we sang "Adam and R-Eve in paradise, strolling like good friends... shirtless, without pants..."
What wonderful memories, and I've been going to the club ever since...