Maurice Tillet, Karl Pojello and FFPL in France (1934-1939)

The opposition to the establishment in 1930s French pro wrestling.

Let’s start with some background. In the 1930s pro wrestling in France was under the control of FFLP (Fédération Française de Lutte Professionnelle). FFLP was the governing body that set all the rules and regulations for the pro wrestling shows in France, sanctioned all the championship titles and issued all the wrestler/promoter/referee/manager/trainer licenses without which one couldn’t work on events that were under FFLP’s jurisdiction. Almost every notable French pro wrestling promoter and booking office was in the FFLP fold, including the top French promoter Raoul Paoli. Every promoter running shows in France without a FFLP license and every wrestler working without a FFLP license I’m referring to as “outlaws”. That’s a U.S. term and it was not used in France back then in the context of wrestling, but I like it and I think it works well to describe them. “Independents” would be another suitable term.

FFPL (Fédération Française Professionnelle des Lutteurs) was the biggest “outlaw” wrestling group in France in the 1930s. Obviously, the names of the two governing bodies were very similar and I would imagine that was on purpose. Like FFLP, FFPL served as a governing body for shows, but FFPL was different in that it also was a booking office. In other words, FFPL had a number of wrestlers affiliated with them who they would book out to local promoters. FFPL itself didn’t promote events - it just supplied the wrestlers. Having said that, FFPL wasn’t all that big compared to their competitors. Compared to the other French booking offices at the time, their talent pool was smaller. FFPL was headquartered in Paris, but most of the events with FFPL wrestlers were outside of Paris, often in towns that wouldn’t get much, if any wrestling. They did do some shows at large open-air arenas too though - Arènes du Prado, Arènes de Nimes, Arènes de Beziers, etc.

Now let’s briefly mention a few of the names that were part of FFPL.
- Lorang (don’t know his first name): The president of FFPL. From January 1933 to early June 1933 this Lorang was briefly the FFLP president. I’ve no idea what exactly, but something for sure happened for him to be removed so quickly and it seems the following year is when he headed the newly-formed FFPL.
- Karl Pojello: The experienced pro Pojello wrestled on the first two Paoli shows in fall 1933 and then for whatever reason Paoli stopped booking him. In March 1934 Pojello worked a couple of shows in Bordeaux for an unlicensed promoter (Henri Gerbaud) and this led to FFLP suspending his license. At that point Pojello joined the FFPL “outlaw” ranks and was probably the top FFPL star through the end of the 1930s. They always billed him as the World champion in the mi-lourds weight class (mi-lourds can be translated in a couple of different ways and normally I would go for mid-heavyweight, but in this case light heavyweight is the better option). The claim was that Pojello had defeated Johnny Meyers for the belt in 1934 in Chicago, but of course that wasn’t true.
- Georges Letto: The other main FFPL headliner along with Pojello. He wrestled in Greco-Roman tournaments, mostly in Germany, in the late 1910s/early 1920s and then he settled in France where he worked mostly as a professional strongman. FFPL always billed him as the European champion, having supposedly won said title in 1931 and then again in 1934 in Hamburg (neither was true).
- Maurice Tillet: The future French Angel, who in 1940 would become a big star and World Heavyweight champion in the United States. Tillet got his start in wrestling in 1938 by working for FFPL, alongside his mentor and manager Pojello. He was featured by FFPL but wasn’t pushed as some big deal like he was in the States later, and he was certainly below Pojello and Letto in the FFPL pecking order.
- Giorgio Demine: The main FFPL referee. A Russian, living in France, who later moved to Italy and became an important behind the scenes figure in pro wrestling there.
- Guys like Ernest Cadine, Bill Garnon, Bert Mansfield, Charles Manoogian, Leone Jacovacci, George Macricostas, etc. worked some FFPL dates too.

Karl Pojello, Georges Letto, Angel (Maurice Tillet), Victor Bartolini, Michel Benes
Ernest Cadine, Karloff Manoogian, Stefan Novotny, Jean Prochazka, Henri Ulsemer

Onto the cards and results. Some shows were not specifically mentioned in the press as being FFPL-sanctioned, but I think they were so I’ve listed them below. All numbers and quotes describing the attendance are from the French press.

27 March 1934
Fontainebleau, France
Cinema Palace
1. Georges Letto vs. Fritz Ritter
2. Karl Pojello vs. Leon le Boucher
= The first FFPL-sanctioned show that I’ve been able to find.

24 August 1934
Lens, France
Cinema du Cantin
1. Nic von Tourof vs. Yan Tanejsky
2. Georges Letto vs. Paul Beck
= Letto had an open challenge of 1,000 French francs to other professional athletes such as Ernest Cadine and Charles Rigoulot (two Olympic gold medalists in weightlifting who had since become pro wrestlers and were working for Paoli and others).
= FFPL not mentioned.

26 November 1934
Versailles, France
1. Henri Mourot vs. Victor Bartolini
2. Francois Berthod vs. Nic von Tourof
3. Jean Poizat vs. Arthur Laurierz
4. Georges Letto vs. Marcel Douvinet
5. Georges Letto feats of strength
= Letto’s 1,000 French francs open challenge to the likes of Cadine and Rigoulot was mentioned again.
= FFPL not mentioned.

4 February 1935
Versailles, France
Alhambra
1. Ernest Cadine vs. Tomo Voukouchitch
2. Henri Lauries vs. Victor Geri
3. Edouard Bourdin vs. Jean Durand
4. Georges Letto vs. Noel Plesko
5. Francois Berthod vs. Buenito Testa
= Victor Geri was better known as Victor Bartolini.
= Raoul Prevot was the promoter. FFPL not mentioned.

16 April 1935
Meuse, France
Wonderland-Majestic
1. Otto Muller drew Noel Plesko (30:00)
2. Georges Letto performed feats of strength
3. Georges Letto def. Jean le Trappeur
4. Marcel Brand def. Stenly Wolson
= FFPL not mentioned. Antonin Lecoq was the referee.

16 October 1935
Fougeres, France
Cinema du Peuple
1. Rene Garnier def. Ange Guittier (7:34)
2. Georges Letto def. Henri Mourot (18)
3. Alfred Bellgardt drew Georges Colonne
= Giorgio Demine was the referee. There were to be more shows here, likely on 18 and 19 October. Colonne was to perform feats of strength on 18 October.

21 October 1935
Laval, France
Cinema des Varietes
1. Pierre Delamarche vs. Kid Sneao
2. Georges Letto vs. Henri Mourot
3. Rene Garnier vs. Andre Gaigue
4. Alfred Bellgardt vs. Georges Colonne
= Giorgio Demine was the referee.

22 October 1935
Chateaubriant, France
Salle des Fetes da la Mairie de Chateaubriant
1. La Merechal vs. Kid Sneg
2. Georges Letto vs. Alfred Bellgardt
3. Georges Colonne vs. Henri Mourot
4. Georges Letto feats of strength
= FFPL not mentioned.

26 March 1936
Amiens, France
Grand Cinema
Georges Letto vs. Geri Bartolini
= FFPL not mentioned.

15 April 1936
Fontainebleau, France
Varietes
1. other matches
2. Georges Letto vs. Geri Bartolini
= FFPL not mentioned.

1 July 1936
St-Quentin, France
Carillon
“was not the expected success, the public shunned this event”
1. Francois Garnier def. Paul Klaytch (23)
2. Henry Chaumont def. Pietka Volov (15)
3. Georges Letto def. Pierre Morraux (25)
4. Francois Garnier drew Kid Sneager (30:00)
5. Georges Letto performed feats of strength
= Georges Colonne vs. Michalis Colinos was advertised, but it doesn't seem like it happened.
= Letto had an open challenge to all heavyweight wrestlers, including Henri Deglane and Dan Koloff (the top stars of Raoul Paoli’s promotion).
= Giorgio Demine was the referee.

between 22 and 27 August 1936
Boulogne, France
Jardins du Casino
1. Preliminaries
2. Georges Letto vs. Pierre Moiraux
= I’m not sure of the exact date. FFPL not mentioned.
= Letto had an open challenge to all heavyweights, especially Henri Deglane and Dan Koloff.

6 October 1936
Berck, France
1. Michailis Colinos vs. Otto Goldhand
2. Georges Letto vs. Geri Bartolini
3. Joe Breitbart vs. Ivari Bomberg
4. Paul Klaytch vs. Francois Garnier
= Giorgio Demine was the referee. Joe Breitbart was mostly a professional strongman. Michailis Colinos was better known as Michel Colinos.

12 March 1937
Paris, France
Palais de la Mutualité
1. Henry Chaumont def. Malack (13:30)
2. Patrick O’Connor def. Eric Fetz (21:14)
3. Kola Klito def. Paddy Casey (27:26)
4. Georges Letto def. Victor Bartolini
5. Mike Brendel def. Gaby Cyr (11, 8:40)
= Gaby Cyr was billed as the son of the legendary strongman Louis Cyr. Kola Klito was Georgios Kleitomachos (one of the top stars of the Greek pro wrestling scene).
= Al. Francis was the promoter.

25 March 1937
Tours, France
Trianon-Park
“few spectators”
1. Georges Letto performed feats of strength
2. Karl Pojello def. Stefan Novotny
3. Georges Colonne vs. Henry Chaumont
4. Patrick O'Connor def. Eric Fetz
= FFPL not mentioned.

26 March 1937
Paris, France
Palais de la Mutualité
1. H. Wirtz def. Henry Chaumont (19)
2. Georges Colonne drew Victor Bartolini
3. Georges Letto def. Ritzler (9:30)
4. Stefan Novotny drew Dan Kulikoff
5. Bert Mansfield def. Germain Lorte (21)
6. Karl Pojello def. Padvo Peltonen (24:10 Peltonen, 11:27, 9:10)
= Al. Francis was the promoter.

31 March 1937 - A challenge by Karl Pojello was issued via the popular sports newspaper “L’Auto”. The day before Pojello, Georges Letto and the FFPL president Lorang had visited the office of the newspaper. Pojello was challenging Henri Deglane for a date and under conditions of Deglane’s choosing. The “World Light Heavyweight champion” Pojello was willing to put his diamond belt, that was supposedly worth $1,000 or $1,200, on the line. Deglane didn’t respond to the challenge. This challenge was mentioned in multiple articles in the French provinces as Pojello and FFPL toured around over the next couple of years.

5 May 1937
Besançon, France
Kursaal
1. Ernest Cadine def. Eric Fetz (21)
2. Karl Pojello def. Victor Bartolini (27)
3. Mike Brendel def. Dan Kulikoff (23, 6)
= There were two amateur matches prior to the pro ones. Prudhomme was the referee.

4 August 1937
Royan, France
Casino Municipal
“large attendance”
1. Jan Vinetsky def. Michel Colinos (26)
2. Georges Letto def. Stefan Novotny (Novotny 13, 7, 9)
3. Karl Pojello def. Michel Benes (39)
4. Georges Letto performed feats of strength (broke chains, lifted four men with one hand, and two men with one finger)
= Giorgio Demine was the referee. The casino management sent a request to FFPL to have another show on 22 August, but I can’t confirm if another show took place.

18 August 1937
Arcachon, France
Casino de la Plage
1. Georges Letto vs. Geri Bartolini
2. Karloff Manoogian vs. Michel Benes
3. Georges Colonne vs. Oscar Fez
4. Karl Pojello vs. Stefan Novotny
5. Feats of strength by Georges Letto
= Giorgio Demine was the referee.

20 August 1937
La Rochelle, France
Casino du Mall
= Show with Karl Pojello, Stefan Novotny, Georges Letto, Bert van der Auwera, Geri Bartolini, Michel Benes.

24 August 1937
Bordeaux, France
Nouveau Cirque
1. Georges Letto vs. Stefan Novotny
2. Michel Benes vs. Georges Colonne
3. Karl Pojello vs. Victor Bartolini

4 September 1937
St-Nazaire, France
Cinema Cameo
“big crowd”
1. Georges Colonne drew Mourey Tomsey (30:00)
2. Georges Letto def. Michel Benes (16)
3. Karl Pojello def. Tomo Voukouchitch (47)
4. Georges Letto performed feats of strength

6 April 1938
Paris, France
Magic-City
1. Henri Mourot def. Bruaud (18)
2. Michel Benes def. Dragan Draganoff (23)
3. Victor Bartolini def. Lassey (17:14)
4. Stefan Novotny drew Dan Kulikoff
5. Karl Pojello def. Bert van der Auwera (41, Auwera couldn’t continue for 2nd fall)
= Juan Suaya was the promoter. Giorgio Demine was the referee.
= Lassey was a sub for Nemeth.

11 May 1938
Saint-Jean-d'Angely, France
Cinema-Theatre Eden
1. Georges Colonne vs. Alek Darnaokulikov (Dan Kulikoff?)
2. Maurice Tillet vs. Georges Letto
3. Michel Benes vs. Andre Labourelle
3. Oscar Laarsen vs. Jos Purtz
5. Karl Pojello vs. ?
= Earliest known Maurice Tillet match. He was billed with the nickname "The Angel of Paris"
= Giorgio Demine was the referee.

2 July 1938
Marseille, France
Arenes du Prado
“many spectators” / “very large audience”
1. Jos Purtz drew Eric Fetz
2. Karl Pojello def. Mourey Tomsey (12 Tomsey, 5:03, 7:30)
3. Michel Benes def. Vignon (7:30)
4. Georges Colonne def. Black Davies (14:30)
5. Georges Letto drew Bert van der Auwera
5. Mud Wrestling Match: Karl Pojello def. Jean Prochazka (10)
= Arenes du Prado was an bullring with a capacity of 15,000.
= The main event was the first ever mud wrestling match on a pro wrestling show in France.
= "The Ugliest Man in the World" Angel Tillet (also billed with the nicknames "The Infernal Angel" and "The Angel of Paris"), was supposed to be Benes' opponent, but three different reports from the local press that I found all say Benes' opponent ended up being Vignon. Later on a newspaper from another town claimed Benes had defeated Angel on this show.

3 July 1938
Angouleme, France
Velodrome des Alliers
1. Georges Colonne drew Jos Purtz
2. Michel Benes def. Angel
3. Jean Prochazka def. Georges Letto (12)
4. Karl Pojello drew Bert van der Auwera (3 Auwera, 9 Pojello, no more falls)
= Angel was also billed as Maurice Tillet and said to be currently based out of Toulon. The story told in the local press here, and that story would be repeated later in the year in the Dijon press, was that Tillet was in the French navy, played rugby, did Greco-Roman wrestling and eventually made his debut as a pro wrestler in India. Then he met Pojello in Paris and decided to pursue pro wrestling as a career. Supposedly, he had wrestled in Belgium, Sweden, South America and England, where he got his name Angel. That's how his story was told back then, but some of that is for sure not true.
= Giorgio Demine was the referee.
= This was an open-air wrestling and cycling card. The cycling competition went on first.

9 and 10 July 9 1938
Nimes, France
Arenes de Nimes (Amphitheatre of Nimes)
= A tournament under the supervision of FFPL and refereed by Giorgio Demine. 2,000 French francs for first place and 1,000 for second, plus 500 for the best technician.
= Advertised names: Karl Pojello, Georges Letto, Georges Colonne, Michel Benes, Jean Prochazka, Jos Purtz.
= Arenes de Nimes is a large open-air Roman amphitheatre. Today its capacity is about 14,000, but in the past it was more. It’s been hosting occasional pro wrestling events since at least 1852 and up to 2011 when WWE last ran there.

Newspaper advert for the FFLP tournament in Nimes in 1938:

5 October 1938
Dijon, France
Theatre de l'Olympia
“large audience”
1. Henri Mourot def. Henry Saanen (21:54)
2. Henri Ulsemer drew Roland Bonneville (30:00)
3. The Angel def. Michel Benes (17:35)
4. Karl Pojello def. Yvan Ludovic (26, 2:10)
3. Mud Wrestling Match: Jos Purtz def. Dick the Dormouse (22:24)
= Billed as both The Angel and Angel Tillet, with "The Angel of Paris" and "The Gorilla Man" being the two nicknames used for him. Also acknowledged as Maurice Tillet. Angel vs. Benes was billed as a rematch. The local press said Benes had defeated Angel on 2 July in Marseille (but the local Marseille press says otherwise). The local Dijon press published more or less the same story of his life as the story told in the Angouleme press, but added a couple of extra claims to it. First, that before coming to live in France he had also lived in Madagascar. And also that after he made his pro wrestling debut in India while there he met a film impresario, who convinced him to move to France to pursue a career in the movies and that's how Maurice came to France.

Newspaper advert for the 5 October 1938 show in Dijon

7 October 1938
Bordeaux, France
Salle Franklin
1. Henri Mourot def. Josef Maroccia
2. Michel Benes def. Petch (16:40)
3. Angel def. Dragan Draganoff
4. Karl Pojello def. Dick the Dormouse (17:40 Dormouse, 10, 0:30)
5. Mud Wrestling Match: Georges Letto vs. Jos Purtz
= The report did not mention the winner of the main event. Petch (name is probably a typo) was a sub for Georges Colonne.

22 to 29 October 1938
Bordeaux, France
Moderne and Mondesir (theatres)
= Daily exhibition matches with Georges Letto and Eric Fetz.

21 November 1938
Tarbes, France
Caton
1. Henri Ulsemer vs. Mourey Tomsey
2. Michel Benes vs. Yvan Ludovic
3. Karl Pojello vs. Georges Colonne
4. Georges Letto vs. Angel le Monstrueux
5. Mud Wrestling Match: Jos Purtz vs. ?
= Henri Ulsemer was the brother of Charles Ulsemer.

25 February 1939
Saint-Fargeau, France
Salle du Foyer
= A show with Karl Pojello.

9 May 1939
Dijon, France
Theatre de l'Olympia
“good attendance”
1. Henri Mourot drew H. Wirtz
2. Mike McGainn def. Michel Benes (14:40)
3. Angel drew Karl Pojello (30:00)
4. Georges Letto def. Victor Bartolini (9:05 Letto, 4:13, 8:56)
5. Ernest Cadine def. Jos Purtz (11:25 Cadine, 6:57, 14:06)
= "The Gorilla Man" Angel was a sub for Akcel Wodurisola.

10 May 1939
Chalon-sur-Saône, France
Salle Marcel-Sembat
more than 3,000 fans
1. Jos Purtz def. Henri Mourot (23)
2. Ernest Cadine def. Michel Benes (1st fall Cadine, 7 Benes, 2:50)
3. Karl Pojello def. Mike McGainn (14 McGainn, 15, 0:40)
4. Angel drew Georges Letto (30:00)
= Joseph Pujadas was the promoter. On previous shows he had used wrestlers from the Raoul Paoli office, but now he was switching to FFPL.

26 May 1939 - The FFPL president Lorang had visited “L’Auto” newspaper the day before and re-issued a challenge on behalf of Karl Pojello and George Makros (George Macricostas) to Henri Deglane and Ben Sherman, respectively. Deglane of course was the top star of the Paoli promotion/booking office while Sherman was the top star of Societe Redco (the second most prominent French promotion/booking office at the time). Neither Deglane, nor Sherman responded to the challenge. Instead on the day after that Dan Kulikoff responded. He proposed to wrestle both of them in private, somewhere in a Paris gymnasium in the presence of neutral judges. I don’t think anything came out of these challenges.

9 June 1939
Belfort, France
Salle des Fetes
1. Mike McGainn def. Henri Mourot (15:50)
2. Angel drew Ernest Cadine (30:00)
3. Georges Letto def. Leone Jacovacci (6:42, 5:26)
4. Karl Pojello def. Bulldog Bill Garnon (Garnon won the first fall, 8:27 Pojello, 0:43 Pojello)
5. Stefan Novotny def. Yvan Ludovic (16:18)
= Garnon was said to have been sent here by his impresario Charles “Spider” Mascall.
= Robert Henin was the promoter. There were also boxing fights on the card.

10 June 1939
Marseille, France
Arenes du Prado
“large audience”
1. Mike McGainn def. Henri Mourot (14)
2. Angel Tilliet drew Stefan Novotny (30:00)
3. Georges Letto def. Leone Jacovacci (16:30)
4. Karl Pojello def. Bulldog Bill Garnon (21:20 Garnon, 9:30, 1:30)
5. Mud Wrestling Match: Guy Biados def. Yvan Ludovic (5 Ludovic, 3, 5:30)
= Angel Tilliet was billed as "The Ugliest Man in the World".

11 June 1939
Beziers, France
Arenes de Beziers
1,800 fans
1. Leone Jacovacci def. Yvan Ludovic (13)
2. The Angel def. Bulldog Bill Garnon (22)
3. Georges Letto def. Guy Biados (18)
4. Karl Pojello def. Stefan Novotny (19 Novotny, 10, 2)
5. Mud Wrestling Match: Mike McGainn def. Henri Mourot
= Arenes de Beziers is an open-air bullring with a capacity of about 13,000.

15 June 1939
Besançon, France
Kursaal
1. Brush def. Leone Jacovacci (18)
2. Angel drew Stefan Novotny (30:00)
3. Guy Biados def. Yvan Ludovic (3:15)
4. Karl Pojello def. Mourey Tomsey
5. Georges Letto def. Mike McGainn (9:12 Letto, 4:30, 5:30)
= Brush was a sub for Waclaw Struz.
= The gate was 11,000 French francs. There were also boxing fights on the card.

2 July 1939
Aix-les-Bains, France
Plage d'Aix-les-Bains
1. Georges Letto vs. Victor Bartolini
2. Ernest Cadine vs. Guy Biados
3. Karl Pojello vs. Henri Mourot
4. Leone Jacovacci vs. Mourey Tomsey

6 July 1939
Dole, France
Salle des Fetes
1. Grace Hugue def. Leone Jacovacci (27)
2. Henri Ulsemer drew Victor Bartolini
3. Ernest Cadine drew Georges Letto
4. Guy Biados drew Mourey Tomsey (12 Biados, 11 Tomsey, no more falls in the 60 minute time limit)
= Promoted by Football Club Dolois.

7 July 1939
Besançon, France
Casino Municipal
1. Victor Bartolini drew Mourey Tomsey (20:00)
2. Angel def. Michel Benes (16)
3. Georges Letto def. Leone Jacovacci (21)
4. Ernest Cadine def. Henri Levesque (21)
5. Henri Ulsemer def. Graaf Struz (15)
= This was the first show in a series of shows at the open-air Casino Municipal. It was a tournament for the “Championship of the South-East” (Championnat du l'Sud-Est).
= The shows were promoted by Club Pugilistique Bisontin. Giorgio Demine was the referee.

8 July 1939
Besançon, France
Casino Municipal
1. Leone Jacovacci drew Henri Ulsemer (20:00)
2. Examination: Georges Levy drew Graaf Struz (5:00)
3. Georges Letto drew Victor Bartolini
4. Angel def. Henri Levesque (15)
5. Karl Pojello drew Mourey Tomsey
6. Graaf Struz def. Michel Benes (14)
= Levy was a local guy and the match with Struz was an “examination” match to see if he's good enough to be allowed in the tournament. He passed the “exam”.

9 July 1939 (afternoon)
Chalon-sur-Saône, France
Stade Garibaldi
“several thousand fans”
1. Jos Purtz def. Henri Ulsemer (11:17)
2. Angel def. Guy Biados (17:38)
3. Leone Jacovacci drew Mike McGainn (20:00)
3. Georges Letto def. Victor Bartolini (8:36 Letto, 7:53, 4:48)
4. Karl Pojello def. Mourey Tomsey (16:54 Tomsey, 10:23, 2:02)
= Stade Garibaldi was an open-air football stadium.
= Angel was billed as "The Gorilla Man".
= Joseph Pujadas was the promoter.

9 July 1939 (evening)
Besançon, France
Casino Municipal
1. Karl Pojello drew Henri Ulsemer (20:00)
2. Victor Bartolini def. Henri Levesque via count out (4)
3. Angel drew Mourey Tomsey
4. Georges Letto def. Leone Jacovacci (16)
5. Dan Kulikoff def. Michel Benes (8)
= Bartolini threw Levesque out of the ring and Levesque couldn't return in time. Kulikoff/Benes had a 400 franc side bet.

10 July 1939
Besançon, France
Casino Municipal
1. Georges Letto drew Mourey Tomsey (20:00)
2. Leone Jacovacci vs. Dan Kulikoff ended without a winner (14)
3. Karl Pojello def. Graaf Struz (25)
4. Angel drew Victor Bartolini (20:00)
5. Michel Benes def. Henri Levesque (12)
= The referee stopped the Jacovacci/Kulikoff match because the wrestlers started punching each other.

11 July 1939
Besançon, France
Casino Municipal
1. Karl Pojello drew Mourey Tomsey (30:00)
2. Henri Levesque def. Eric Fetz (17)
3. Leone Jacovacci drew Georges Levy (10:00)
4. Georges Letto def. Dan Kulikoff (12)
5. Graaf Struz def. Angel (3)
= Levy's pro debut. In the local press Pojello claimed to have defeated Strangler Lewis in a near three-hour match that left him with two broken ribs and a bloody face (it wasn’t true, obviously).

12 July 1939
Besançon, France
Casino Municipal
1. Henri Levesque drew Graaf Struz (20:00)
2. Karl Pojello def. Eric Fetz (18)
3. Georges Letto def. Victor Bartolini (27)
4. Mourey Tomsey def. Leone Jacovacci (16)

13 July 1939
Besançon, France
Casino Municipal
1. Georges Letto def. Henri Levesque (13)
2. Karloff Manoogian def. Graaf Struz (4)
3. Karl Pojello def. Victor Bartolini (28)

14 July 1939
Besançon, France
Casino Municipal
1. Georges Letto def. Michel Benes (12)
2. Mourey Tomsey def. Victor Bartolini (27)
3. Angel def. Graaf Struz (16)
4. Karl Pojello def. Henri Levesque (16)
5. Karloff Manoogian def. Leone Jacovacci (17)
= Angel had put up 500 French francs that he could beat Struz in 10 minutes so he lost the money.

16 July 1939 (afternoon)
Besançon, France
Casino Municipal
1. Karl Pojello def. Karloff Manoogian (17)
2. Georges Letto def. Angel by disqualification
3. Victor Bartolini def. Leone Jacovacci (16)
4. Mourey Tomsey def. Graaf Struz (9)
= It was raining during the show so they had to wrestle in the rain.

16 July 1939 (evening)
Besançon, France
Kursaal
1. Victor Bartolini def. Leone Jacovacci (16)
2. Mourey Tomsey def. Henri Levesque (91)
3. Non-tournament match: Graaf Struz def. Young Rochet (12)
4. Angel def. Karloff Manoogian via disqualification
5. Karl Pojello drew Georges Letto (60:00)
= The final night of the FFPL “Championship of the South-East” tournament. The final placement was:
1. Karl Pojello and Georges Letto (tied)
3. Angel and Mourey Tomsey (tied)
5. Graaf Struz
6. Victor Bartolini
= Rochet was a local rugby player who had challenged Jacovacci, but Jacoviacci supposedly got hurt in the Bartolini match so Struz replaced him in the Rochet match.

Newspaper advert for the final of the “Championship of the South-East” (16 July 1939)

28 July 1939
Vittel, France
Salle d'Alhambra
1. Leone Jacovacci drew Graaf Struz (30:00)
2. Ernest Cadine def. Henri Mourot (11:45, 14)
3. Karloff Manoogian def. Juan Pinetzky (14:50)
4. Georges Letto def. Georges Makris (11:30 Letto, 7:10, 15)
= Giorgio Demine was the referee.

29 July 1939
Montbeliard, France
Cour des Halles de Montbeliard
1. Henri Mourot def. Mike McGainn (18)
2. Georges Letto def. Leone Jacovacci (16, 8)
3. Karloff Manoogian drew George Makris (30:00)
4. Ernest Cadine def. Henri Levesque (8 Cadine, Levesque won the second, Cadine won the third, match was 18 minutes in total)
= Promoted by Cinema Rialto. Said to be the first catch (pro wrestling) show in the town.

At some point around 5 August 1939 there was a boxing card at the Municipal Casino in Le Treport, France. A wrestling match Karl Pojello vs. Angel was to be an additional attraction on the card. I don’t know the exact date.

In the fall of 1939 Karl Pojello, Leone Jacovacci, Karloff Manoogian, George Macricostas, Peter Konstantinoff, Sandor Nemeth, Nino Darnoldi, Pietro de Candido, Umberto Castagni and possibly some others toured Italy.

10 December 1939
Chalon-sur-Saône, France
Salle Marcel-Sembat
“a magnificent success”
1. Tomo Voukouchitch def. Esculier (23:50)
2. Pierre Dannic def. Paul Klaytch (22:50)
3. Stefan Novotny def. Dragan Draganoff (23:40)
3. Georges Letto drew Victor Bartolini (18:23 Bartolini, 5:45 Letto, no more falls in the other 20 minutes)
= Dannic was a sub for Dumont.
= Promoted by Athletic Club Chalonais (Joseph Pujadas was one of the leaders of the club). It was a benefit show to raise money for the 56th, 134th and 334th French infantry divisions.
= The president of FFPL refereed the matches. The report listed him as Laurent, but I’m guessing that was a typo and it was meant to be Lorang.