Career
During his career Fassnacht set 41 German, 21 European and 2 world records, as well as five world best times. In 1969, while attending Long Beach State University, he broke the world record in the 400 m freestyle, and next year he broke another one, in the 200 m butterfly. He was selected as German Sportspersonality of the Year three times in a row: in 1969, 1970 and 1971, beating Franz Beckenbauer.
In 1992 he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
