German-Jewish fencer.
Name variations: Helene Mayer. Born Helene Mayer, Dec 20, 1910, in Offenbach, Germany; died Oct 15, 1953, in Heidelberg, Germany; sister of Eugen Mayer (champion fencer); m. Erwin Falkner von Sonnenburg, 1952 (died 1980)Won German foil championship at 14 (1925); won a gold medal at Amsterdam Olympics at 17 (1928); won European championships (1929, 1931); expelled from Offenbach Fencing Club for being half Jewish, excluding her from competition (1933); after international outcry, was allowed to compete at Berlin Olympics and won a silver medal (1936); won US indoor championships (1934-35, 1937-39, 1941-42, 1946)
