For the February newsletter, a Valentine’s edition on Joseph and Clara Pilates’ love story seems only appropriate. Parts of the story may have casually been mentioned during class but history obviously isn’t the focus. After nearly a year of social distancing, here is a positive, uplifting Pilates story of how two people came together.
Joseph Pilates was born on December 9, 1883 in Germany. During the Spanish Flu or Pandemic of 1918, Joseph Pilates was interned on the Isle of Man as he had been working in England (as a circus performer) when World War I broke out. After the war, he returned to Germany and remained there for several years working as a boxing trainer.
Mr. Pilates was asked to train the military police but aware that the Germans were rebuilding their army, he decided to move to America in 1926. His brother was already living in the States.
The legend goes that on the ship moving to America Mr. Pilates met Anna Clara Zeuner or Clara. Unfortunately, later academic research has not been able to clearly verify when the two met, but the story of them meeting on the boat is something that has been shared in the Pilates community for years.
Whether they met on the “love boat” or shortly after arriving in America, they still found each other. It’s easy to imagine all that might have brought them together – after World War I, a Pandemic and being immigrants in a foreign land.
Theirs became a lifelong partnership both personally and professionally. Clara taught alongside Joe and even considered by some as the better teacher. Joe was the innovator of the movement system and machines as well as a performer, but he could also get impatient sometimes. First generations teachers have shared that Clara was the one who would come alongside and explain things. Clara also helped manage the business and continue to run the studio even after Mr. Pilates passed in 1967.
Joe and Clara spent approximately 40 years together. If they did indeed meet on the ship in 1926, then that’s over 40 years. If they met later in the United States, then just under 40 years. Mr. Pilates’ studio opened around 1929 in New York. Stories from first generation teachers make it sound as though Clara was with Joe from the beginning.
Interestingly, in terms of scholarly research, they have not been able to find any marriage records for Joe and Clara. It is now thought that theirs was a common law marriage. Clara was referred to as Mrs. Pilates and the first generation teachers all assumed they were married.
Joe and Clara Pilates found each other as they made a fresh start in a new country. They would spend the rest of their lives together. It sounds as though Joe had found the perfect partner in Clara to share both his life and life’s mission.
For a sweet video of Joe & Clara, please check out the link below.
They demonstrate how his equipment (the “wunda” chair) could be used as furniture and convert into workout equipment.