Carl Oskar Ursinus (11 March 1877 – 6 July 1952) was a pioneer of German aviation and is remembered mainly for his contributions to sailplane designs and the sport of gliding.

In 1908, back in Germany, Ursinus began to publish a magazine titled Flugsport [2] (“Sports Flying”), since he had become fascinated by the new technology of flight.

Following the war, the Treaty of Versailles prohibited Germany from building powered aircraft, and the attention of German aviators therefore turned to gliding.

A plateau particularly suited to gliding, the Wasserkuppe, became a focal point for this activity, and in 1920, Ursinus organized a competition there.

Twenty-four people attended the meeting between 15 July and 15 September 1920, including Wolf Hirth and other gliding pioneers.