Iwan Fränkel

Surinamese footballer (1941–2019)

Iwan FränkelPersonal information

Full name|  Iwan Otto Fränkel
Date of birth|  (1941-01-19)19 January 1941
Place of birth|  Paramaribo, Surinam
Date of death|  6 December 2019(2019-12-06) (aged 78)
Position(s)|  Midfielder
Senior career*
Years|  Team|  Apps|  (Gls)
1960–1962|  Transvaal|  |
1962–1964|  Blauw-Wit|  |
1964–1966|  ETB Schwarz-Weiß|  62|  (13)
1966–1971|  Royal Antwerp|  109|  (23)
1971–1973|  Amersfoort|  |
International career
1960|  Suriname|  1|  (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Iwan Otto "Pietje" Fränkel (19 January 1941 – 6 December 2019), was a Surinamese International football player who has played for Transvaal in the Hoofdklasse, Blauw-Wit in the Dutch Eredivisie, Schwarz-Weiß Essen in the Regionalliga West in West Germany, Royal Antwerp F.C. in the Belgian Eerste Klasse and for SC Amersfoort in the Dutch Eerste Divisie.[1]

## Career

[edit]

### SV Transvaal

[edit]

Born 19 January 1941 in Paramaribo, Surinam, Fränkel began his career on the Mr. Bronsplein from where he joined the youth ranks of S.V. Transvaal, one of the stronger clubs from the capital at the time. He made his debut for the first team in 1960, and two seasons later helped the club to their sixth national championship. He then relocated to the Netherlands to play professionally for Blauw-Wit Amsterdam in the Dutch Eredivisie.[2][3]

### Blauw-Wit Amsterdam

[edit]

In 1962 Fränkel emigrated to the Netherlands to play professional football in the newly formed Eredivisie, joining Blauw-Wit Amsterdam], helping them to a third place finish in his first season with the club. Playing at the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam, he would become one of Suriname's earliest footballing exports, following in the footsteps of Herman Rijkaard who had joined Blauw-Wit from Robinhood a couple of years before him.

### ETB Schwarz-Weiß

[edit]

In 1964 Fränkel moved to Essen, West Germany joining ETB Schwarz-Weiß competing in the German Regionalliga West for two seasons before joining Royal Antwerp in Belgium.

### Royal Antwerp

[edit]

In 1966 Fränkel joined Royal Antwerp from Antwerp, Belgium competing in the Belgian Eerste Klasse, the top flight of football in Belgium. He played five seasons for the club, amassing 109 regular season caps, while scoring 23 goals. Participating in the Intertoto Cup of 1966 and 1968, where the team played against Union Luxembourg, Kilmarnock FC and Göztepe Izmir with a second round exit yielding the best result in the 1966–67 edition. Having been relegated to the Tweede Klasse, he helped Royal Antwerp to promote back to the top flight before parting ways with the club.

### SC Amersfoort

[edit]

Fränkel then played in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of professional football in the Netherlands, for SC Amersfoort before retiring as a player.

## International career

[edit]

### Suriname

[edit]

Fränkel played for the National team of Suriname receiving one call up, playing against the Netherlands in a 4–3 loss at the National Stadion in Paramaribo on 3 July 1960, before he relocated to the Netherlands.[4]

## Personal life and death

[edit]

Fränkel was the father of Suriname International footballer Ray Fränkel and the uncle of Purrel Fränkel who also played professionally in the Netherlands.

He died on 6 December 2019, at the age of 78.[5][6]

## Honours

[edit]

S.V. Transvaal[7]

* SVB Hoofdklasse: 1962

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Spelersfiche Iwan Fränkel". Antwerp Supporter. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
2. ^ "Eenheid onder ex-militairen wedergekeerd" (PDF). De West Online. Retrieved 5 April 2016.[permanent dead link]
3. ^ "Mr. Bronsplein; De eerste Surinaamse sportencyclopedie (1893-1988)". dbnl.org. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
4. ^ "Iwan Fränkel profile". Soccer-db.info. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
5. ^ "Surinaamse Familieberichten - Overlijdensbericht Iwan Otto (ook bekend als Pietje) Fränkel" [Suriname Family Messages - Obituary Iwan Otto (aka Pietje) Fränkel]. beri.nl (in Dutch). 28 January 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
6. ^ "Oud-Transvaaltopper Frankel overleden" [Former Transvaal star Frankel died]. Times of Suriname (in Dutch). 7 December 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
7. ^ "Iwan Fränkel honours". Soccer-db.info. Retrieved 2 April 2016.

*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals