Career
He left school at age 15 to help earning money for his family of eight siblings. While distributing newspapers and goods he became involved in cycling. He had his first competition in 1916 and his biggest successes around 1930.
Foreign four years he rode behind Ernest Pasquier, a French pacer, though they could not speak each other"s language.
Sawall retired in 1934 due to a bowel disease developed from cycling. He died in 1953 of a brain tumor.
In 1932, a street in Erkner, where he lived, was named after him.