The Extraordinary Life of Adam Rainer, the Man Who Was Born a Dwarf and Then Contracted Gigantism

Adam Rainer is the only person in history to have been both a dwarf and a giant. By the age of 21, his height was just a bit over 1.21 meters. Many have theorized that Adam wished for his height to increase, as he was over 2.13 meters tall at the time of his death, becoming a giant. However, his abnormal height came with various complications, bringing to mind the saying, Be careful what you wish for!

Born in Austria in 1899, not much is known about Adam's personal life.

The only known aspect of Adam's life was that he suffered from both dwarfism and gigantism.

When World War I broke out, Adam enlisted in the army. At that time, he was approximately 1.37 meters tall. Doctors classified him as a dwarf due to his height and saw him more as a burden than a valuable contribution to the army.

Despite being rejected by the army, Adam was persistent in serving. He tried enlisting again a year later, having grown 5 centimeters taller, but was rejected once again.

Dwarfism is typically defined as a height of 1.47 meters or shorter. At 19, Adam was nearly 1.42 meters tall.

Thus, he was still considered a dwarf. Moreover, his medical records revealed that he was extremely underweight.

Despite his small stature and frail appearance, Adam's hands and feet were very large.


His hands were 23.9 cm long, and he wore size 43 shoes when he first attempted to join the army. On his second attempt, his shoe size had incredibly increased to 53, which was extremely large for such a small man. Additionally, at an age when most people's growth has ceased, Adam continued to grow at an alarming rate. By 1932, at the age of 33, he stood approximately 2.18 meters tall when upright. His rapid growth, however, caused severe spinal curvature.

Doctors were astonished by Adam's rapid growth. Notably, Dr. Mandl and Dr. Windholz conducted experiments on Adam to determine the cause of his rapid growth.

Examinations revealed that Adam suffered from acromegaly, a condition resulting from a tumor in the pituitary gland. Acromegaly is a hormonal condition that occurs when the pituitary gland produces excessive growth hormone during adulthood, leading to the enlargement of bones, especially in the hands, feet, and face.

Adam's hands and feet were unusually large, almost gigantic. His forehead and chin were swollen, making his face appear excessively long.


Moreover, his lips were much thicker than those of an average person, and his teeth were widely spaced. Dr. Mandl and Dr. Windholz decided to operate on Adam to remove the tumor and halt his growth. However, the long-term development of the tumor meant that the chances of a successful operation were low.

After the operation, Adam was measured again. His spinal curvature worsened, and he continued to grow slowly.

He then experienced hearing loss and lost vision in his right eye. As his spinal curvature deteriorated, he became bedridden and spent the remainder of his life in bed. On March 4, 1950, he passed away at the age of 51. At the time of his death, Adam's height was approximately 2.34 meters. He left his mark in history as the only person to have the characteristics of both a dwarf and a giant.