Swiss tightrope legend Freddy Nock has died
The Swiss high wire artist Freddy Nock has died at the age of 59.
On Thursday, police in canton Aargau confirmed reports of Nock’s death in the Swiss media, including the Blick newspaper.
The previous day, police had attended Nock’s home, but said they are not investigating any violent crime.
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Freddy Nock came from the Nock circus family and achieved several world records with his performances on the high wire.
This year, Nock intended to set new standards with a high-wire stunt world record attempt at an altitude of between 5,000 and 10,000 metres above sea level.
Nock was looking for the “ultimate challenge for body and mind” in his stunts and is constantly pushing the boundaries further and further, according to his website.
A trial against Nock caused quite a stir in the media in November 2020. The Aargau High Court acquitted Nock of the charge of attempting to deliberately kill his wife. The district court of Zofingen had previously sentenced him to a partial prison sentence of 2.5 years.
During the hearings before the district court and the high court, it became clear that Nock and his wife had a difficult relationship that was also characterised by violence. Nock’s defence lawyer spoke of a “toxic relationship” and “a wild marriage”. The police had to visit his home several times.
The High Court awarded him CHF11,000 in damages and CHF12,000 in compensation for loss of earnings. The artist had several performances cancelled as a result of the proceedings.
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