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Axel Gautier 1942 - 1993

Axel Gosta Gautier of Florida United States was born on January 11, 1942 in Breslau Germany, and died at age 51 years old on May 5, 1993 in Alachua, Alachua County.

Axel Gosta Gautier

Florida United States

January 11, 1942

Breslau, Germany

May 5, 1993

Alachua, Alachua County, Florida, United States

Male

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Axel Gautier Axel Gautier (1942 - 1993)

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Axel Gosta Gautier's History: 1942 - 1993

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Introduction

Born in Germany, Axel Cautier was from six generations of circus performers and was a renowned elephant trainer for 35 years when he was killed by an elephant in 1993. Axel was visiting a farm for the breeding of elephants, which was also a retirement residence for elephants, when an elephant knocked him down and stepped on him. He died shortly after the accident. For more about the incident and to see more about Axel's life, see Axel Gautier: Obituary,
01/11

1942

Birthday

January 11, 1942

Birthdate

Breslau Germany

Birthplace

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Ethnicity & Family History

Family Total: 2 children Michael Gautier. Born: 1964. Kevin Gautier. Born: 1969. Siblings Siblings through the father Lulu Gautier (1887-08-29-1949-01-04): Ingeborg Gautier RHODIN. Axel Gautiers ancestral Ahnentafel: P I II III Axel Gautier Born: 1942-01-11 Father: Louis Born: 1887-08-29 Paternal Grandfather: Jean-Baptiste Born: 1841-11-24 Paternal Great-grandfather: Jean Paternal Great-grandmother: Louisa Paternal Grandmother: Marie Born: 1843-12-20 Paternal Great-grandfather:: Paternal Great-grandmother: Mother: Edith Born: 1910-11-18 Maternal Grandfather: Born: Maternal Great-grandfather: Maternal Great-grandmother: Maternal Grandmother: Born: Maternal Great-grandfather: Maternal Great-grandmother:
Professional Career

Axel was a performer and trainer of elephants with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus for 35 years,
Personal Life & Family

Axel Gosta Gautier was born to Louis Federik Gautier (1887 - 1949) and Edith C. Otto. His father was born in Denmark. Alex Gautier married Donna Louise Welch in December of 1963 in Sarasota, Florida. They had two sons, Michael and Kevin. Alex was an elephant trainer and their two sons performed with him.
05/5

1993

Death

May 5, 1993

Death date

Trampled by an elephant.

Cause of death

Alachua, Alachua County, Florida United States
Death location

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Obituary

Elephant Trainer Axel Gautier, 51 GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Axel Gautier, a leading trainer of elephants who had been a performer with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus for 35 years, died Wednesday in a Gainesville hospital. He was 51. He died shortly after one of the elephants he was working with at the Ringling Elephant Farm in Wiliston, Fla., knocked him down and stepped on him, said Rodney Huey, a Ringling spokesman. Long a featured performer and senior elephant trainer with the Ringling show, Mr. Gautier had been appearing with the Blue Unit, one of the show's two traveling circuses, in Asheville N.C. He was making a brief visit to the Elephant Farm, where Ringling operates its elephant conservation and breeding program with a herd of 20 elephants. Mr. Gautier's sons, Michael, 28, and Kevin, 23, had both been appearing in the show with their father and they performed after the accident Wednesday night. Born in 1942 in Breslau, Germany, which is now a part of Poland, Mr. Gautier was descended from six generations of circus performers. His ancestors founded the Didier Gautier circus in France. He joined the Greatest Show on Earth at 15, worked as an apprentice with the elephant trainer Hugo Schmitt and inherited the act when Schmitt retired in 1970. Mr. Gautier, largely by voice command, trained elephants to stand on their heads, walk sideward and lift circus performers with their trunks and their mouths. Besides his sons, he is survived by his wife, Donna. MORE INFORMATION In 1993 Axel Gautier was killed by Reeba at Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus elephant retirement facility in Williston, Florida, he was taken by helicopter to the hospital, and he died in Shands Hospital at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He was 51. May 5, 1993: Axel Gautier, one of the best-known elephant trainers in the world, was crushed to death when an elephant stepped on him at the Ringling Bros., Barnum & Bailey elephant farm in Gainesville, Florida. Gautier was standing with three elephants in a corral when a 24-year-old female Asian elephant suddenly knocked him down and stepped on him. The circus veterinarian was standing nearby. The circus trainer crushed to death by an elephant was looking through the lens of a video camera at the time and probably did not see the 8,000-pound animal approaching from behind, deputies said Friday. Levy County Sheriff Ted Glass said Gautier was videotaping other Adult elephants at the time, and the camera's narrow field of vision apparently prevented him from seeing the 24-year-old female Asian elephant that attacked him. The elephant involved was not a performer and was used exclusively for breeding. Ringling spokesman Rodney Huey said there had been no previous reports of problems with the animal. In addition to his sons, he was survived by his wife, Donna, of Venice, who used to work with him in the show; three sisters, a half- brother and a grandson. - Chicago Tribune and New York Times News Service. May 09, 1993

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12 Memories, Stories & Photos about Axel

Amanda S. Stevenson

16.8k+ favorites

07/26/2018

Axel Gautier

A photo of Axel Gautier

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Kathy Pinna

31.2k+ favorites

11/02/2023

Axel Gautier

1980 photo of elephant trainer Axel Gautier that was included in the 1993 article about his death.

Date & Place: circa 1980 in Florida United States

Comments

I was invited to ride TARGA around Madison Square Garden!

Amanda S. Stevenson

16.8k+ favorites

05/09/2022

I was invited to ride TARGA around Madison Square Garden!

Amanda Stevenson. 1966.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Axel walking the elephants through the city.

Amanda S. Stevenson

16.8k+ favorites

05/09/2022

Axel walking the elephants through the city.

Axel Gautier 1942-1993.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

16.8k+ favorites

05/09/2022

He was a delightful friend.

In 1993 Axel Gautier was killed by Reeba at Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus elephant retirement facility in Williston, Florida, he was taken by helicopter to the hospital, and he died in Shands Hospital at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He was 51.

May 5, 1993: Axel Gautier, one of the best-known elephant trainers in the world, was crushed to death when an elephant stepped on him at the Ringling Bros., Barnum & Bailey elephant farm in Gainesville, Florida. Gautier was standing with three elephants in a corral when a 24-year-old female Asian elephant suddenly knocked him down and stepped on him. The circus veterinarian was standing nearby.

The circus trainer crushed to death by an elephant was looking through the lens of a video camera at the time and probably did not see the 8,000-pound animal approaching from behind, deputies said Friday.

Levy County Sheriff Ted Glass said Gautier was videotaping other Adult elephants at the time, and the camera's narrow field of vision apparently prevented him from seeing the 24-year-old female Asian elephant that attacked him.

The elephant involved was not a performer and was used exclusively for breeding. Ringling spokesman Rodney Huey said there had been no previous reports of problems with the animal.

In addition to his sons, he was survived by his wife, Donna, of Venice, who used to work with him in the show; three sisters, a half- brother and a grandson.

Comments