Women's Pro Wrestling in Belgium (1901-1902)

Appolina and the women's pro wrestling tournaments in Belgium in 1901-1902.

While on the lookout for something else I came across information about several women's professional wrestling tournaments in Belgium in 1901 and 1902, and I figured it's worth sharing. I haven't looked super deep into it so there probably were more tournaments in Belgium in those years. This was pro wrestling in the Greco-Roman style (i.e. no holds below the waist were allowed), which at the time was very popular in Belgium and elsewhere in Europe. The history of women's pro wrestling in Europe goes back to the 1860s. And just like with men's wrestling in Europe, it was at the end of the 19th/start of the 20th century when women's professional wrestling switched to being largely tournament-based. Belgium one was one of very first countries to embrace the new format. And as you will see below, some of these Belgian tournaments featured quite a few women at the same time so by no means were they a small endeavor.

The top women's pro wrestling star in Belgium at the time was the Belgian Miss Appolina (real name: Elise Gillaine Herbigneaux). In addition to being a professional wrestler, she was also a professional strongwoman. According to one article that I saw, and this should come as no surprise if you know how European pro wrestling worked back then, Appolina was the manager of the women's wrestling troupe that she was traveling with in Belgium. If you want to learn more about Appolina's life, I would recommend this article on the Stark Center's website.

Appolina

Women's Greco-Roman pro wrestling tournaments in Belgium

When: 12 to 22 January 1901
Where: Liege, Belgium 
Venue: Fontainebleau
Women in the tournament: Appolina, Staris, Julienne, Maris, Camillius, Marie Eloy, Marietti, Guerrera, Lucie, Sarah, Oliva, Miza, Lisa Malherbe, Elise Delvaux, Cecile Dupuis, Julienne, Marguerite Vengen, Irma, Adoplhine Langlois, Marie Nissen
Referee: Emile Hosay
Final placement:
1. Appolina
2. Staris
3. Julienne
4. Maris
5. Camillius
6. Marie Eloy

When: late February-early March 1901 (the tournament finished before 10 March)
Where: Verviers, Belgium
Women in the tournament: Appolina, Staris, d'Arville, Mario, Marie Nissen, Marietti, Pietro, Margot, Oliva, Sarah, Marguerite Vengen, Irma, Andree de Bordeaux, Camillius, Larville, Julienne, Maka, Miza, Andree de Paris
Final placement: 
1. Appolina
2 & 3. Staris & d'Arville (tie)
4. Mario
5. Marie Nissen
6. Marietti and Pietro (tie)
 
When: from 7 March 1901 onward (the tournament finished before 18 March)
Where: Gand, Belgium
Venue: Nouveau Cirque
Women in the tournament: Appolina, d'Arville, Andree de Paris, Staris, Miza, Irma, Van Isseghem, Marietti, Camillius, Marie Nissen, Maris, Marguerite Vengen, Oliva, Margot, Carmencita, Miza, Sarah, Maka, Pietro, Andree de Bordeaux, Gekel
Final placement:
1. Appolina
2. d'Arville
3. Andree de Paris
4. Staris

When: 12 to perhaps 25 April 1901
Where: Charleroi, Belgium
Venue: Eden Theatre (to 16 April) and Salle de Monico-Bourse (from 17 April onward)
Women who wrestled here: Appolina, Louise Wauthion, Maka, Diane, d'Arville, and probably some others
Notes:
- It's not clear whether this was a tournament or not.
- On 17 April Appolina, who was billed as a World champion, wrestled Melotte (a male pro wrestler) to a 40-minute time limit draw.
- A few days later Appolina defeated Melotte in a match that lasted 2 hours and 56 minutes. On the same card, d'Arville (female wrestler) defeated Leopold Antenneaux (a male wrestler) in 35:45 minutes.
- On 23 April Appolina and Melotte wrestled for the third time, and Appolina defeated him again. At the same event there was an interesting incident that happened at the entrance of the venue. Apparently, one of the female pro wrestlers (a Frenchwoman) had been flirting with the husband of a local Belgian woman so the wife showed up to the venue and beat up the wrestler.

When: 21 April 1901
Where: Chatelineau, Belgium
Venue: Salon de Harmonie
Note: Appolina was to wrestle a local amateur. Other women were going to be wrestling as well. It's not clear whether this was a standalone event or part of a tournament here. Standalone event is more likely.
 
When: 15 to 18 March 1902
Where: Liege, Belgium
Venue: Renommee
Women in the tournament: Appolina, Staris, Marcelle d'A'rville, Andree de Paris, Maris, Margot, Adolphine Langlois, Henriette Garret, Andree de Paris (Andree Guelin), Marietti, Tilkelback, Renee d’Aubigny, Marie Nyssens (a.k.a Marie Nissens), Camillius, Rita, Rosita, Miza la Congolaise, Carmencita, Marie Boisfard, Gabrielle Richard, Rachelle Colaut, Blanche, Therese l'Indienne, Diane de Maus, Laure, Louise, Lucie, Marie la Bretonne, Victorine, Irma, Donat, Zanarelli
Final placement:
1. Appolina
2. Staris
3. Marcelle d'Arville
4. Maris
5. Margot
6. Adolphine Langlois
7. Henriette Garret
8. Andree de Paris
9. Marietti
10. Tilkelback

Newspaper clippings about some of the tournaments

Sidenote: Not too long after the Liege tournament above Appolina and some of the other women headed to London, where women's pro wrestling experienced what the local press described as a boom. You can learn more about that here.