Luisita Leers

Luisita Leers (Martha Luise Krökel), (1909 Wiesbaden – 1997) was a German trapeze artist , acrobat, and strongwoman.

Luisita Leers was born in into a family of circus artists: her mother Gertrude was an acrobat, and her adoptive father Guido Krökel was a ring specialist.^[1] She was trained by Krökel from the age of six. She made her debut in his troupe in March 1920, aged only eleven. She was capable of performing figures usually reserved for men, such as the iron cross or plank. She performed on the trapeze in a solo number which she presented in Finland and several European circuses.^[2]

She was spotted, at age 17, by John Ringling. In 1928, she joined the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.^[3][4] She was one of the artists who helped to highlight the benefits of physical exercise. She performed in a white sleeveless leotard, like the men, and was noted for her strength and muscular upper body.^[5] Her performance, without a net, included impressive figures, such as turns around the trapeze held at elbow level or a suspension by the back of the neck.^[3][6]

In 1932, she performed in Paris, in 1935, at the Medrano circus,^[7] and, in 1936, at the Alhambra,^[8] where critics compared her to Miss Athleta or Katie Sandwina.

She returned to Germany in 1936 and lived with her parents in Braunschweig. After the Second World War and several years of deprivation, she was unable to resume her career and became a translator.^[2][9]