Origins & Early Life

Josef Weider (; November 29, 1919 – March 23, 2013) was a Canadian publisher and entrepreneur who co-founded the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB) alongside his brother Ben Weider. He was also the creator of Mr. Olympia, Ms. Olympia, and the Masters Olympia bodybuilding contests.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He was the publisher of various bodybuilding and fitness-related magazines, most notably Muscle & Fitness, Flex, Men's Fitness, and Shape, and the manufacturer of a line of fitness equipment and fitness supplements. In 2014, he was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame. Weider was born in Montreal, Quebec, to Louis and Anna Weider, Jewish immigrants from Poland. Weider's unique accent displayed his old world roots, described by his nephew Eric as "somewhere between Yiddish, Canadian, old Polish...this Montreal kind of stew of accents." Weider began weight training in his teenage years in order to stand up to bullies, and participated in his first bodybuilding contest at the age of 17. Weider published the first issue of Your Physique magazine in 1940, and built a set of barbells out of car wheels and axles the same year out of the family garage on Coloniale...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Akashi Motojiro — Contemporary (Died in 1919) (1919): General in the Imperial Japanese Army and Governor-General of Taiwan.
• Alfred Werner — Contemporary (Died in 1919) (1919): Pioneering Swiss chemist who established modern coordination chemistry.
• Andrew Carnegie — Contemporary (Died in 1919) (1919): Scottish-American industrialist who pioneered the American steel industry and became a major philanthropist.
• Bernadette Lafont — Contemporary (Died in 2013) (2013): Iconic French actress, celebrated for her role in the New Wave movement.
• Bobby Bland — Contemporary (Died in 2013) (2013): Pioneering blues and soul artist known for tempestuous arias of love and betrayal.
• Boris Berezovsky (businessman) — Contemporary (Died in 2013) (2013): Russian oligarch and businessman known for accumulating vast wealth through privatization.
• António Egas Moniz — Shared historical date (11-29 · Born) (1874): Pioneering Portuguese neurologist, developer of cerebral angiography and psychosurgery.
• Béla IV of Hungary — Shared historical date (11-29 · Born) (1206): King of Hungary and Croatia, known for rebuilding the state after Mongol devastation.
• Akira Kurosawa — Shared historical date (03-23 · Born) (1910): Master of Japanese cinema, known for dynamic style and epic storytelling.
• Ama Ata Aidoo — Shared historical date (03-23 · Born) (1942): Pioneering Ghanaian writer, poet, and academician celebrated for feminist themes.
• 1919 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1919
• November 29 (11-29) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on November 29
• 2013 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2013
• March 23 (03-23) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on March 23