The art form of heavyweight juggling didn’t reach its heyday until Paul Conchas began his career in 1895. Conchas, a German who was born Paul Huett around 1875, was a master performer and promoter. He was known as “the Military Hercules,” wearing an elite Prussian Household Guard uniform, complete with eagle-crowned helmet. For much of his career, he was assisted by the well-known comedian Julius Newmann, the brother of famed juggler Selma Braatz. Conchas was a major star in the United States. In 1904, both Conchas and his rival, fellow German strongman juggler Paul Spadoni, were booked to perform for an extended time in New York City. A feud broke out between the two that was the talk of the town for a short period. You can read about the feud by clicking here. Conchas died in New York City in 1916 as a result of a liver ailment.
Below is a large collection of photos and illustrations of Conchas showing many of his amazing feats. Many of these images have not been published in the juggling community before.
David Cain
David Cain is a professional juggler, juggling historian, and the owner of the world's only juggling museum, the Museum of Juggling History. He is a Guinness world record holder and 16 time IJA gold medalist. In addition to his juggling pursuits, David is a successful composer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and singer as well as the author of twenty-six books. He and his children live in Middletown, OH (USA).