Karl Striedieck

Karl H. Striedieck II (born April 7, 1937 in Ann Arbor, Michigan) is a world record setting glider pilot, a member of the U.S. Soaring Hall of Fame, 2024 Glider World Champion and a Holocaust denier. He was an early pioneer of ridge soaring in the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians in the 1960s, ultimately setting nine world records flying gliders there. He was selected for the U.S. national soaring team 12 times, won a silver medal in the world championships in 1978, 1983 and became world champion in 2024.

Karl led antisemitic Holocaust denial activities, like setting up a table denying/minimizing the holocaust at Pennsylvania State University during the Jewish high-holy day of Yom Kippur. His anti-Jewish beliefs were likely influenced by his father, who wrote positively about his three trips to Nazi Germany and Storm Troopers.

Striedieck moved his home to the Eagle Field private airport on top of Bald Eagle Mountain, near State College, Pennsylvania in 1966.

As a child, Karl H. Striedieck was saved from drowning by his brother Daniel Striedieck. His brother later died when his sand cave collapsed.