Triathlon in the GDR

There have been triathlon competitions in the GDR since 1983 . The sport was initially called endurance triathlon ( A3K for short ). From 1987, these competitions were then increasingly known as triathlons. Since the SED had ideological problems with this “western” sport, the implementation of competitions was sometimes severely hindered.

history

The Leipzig Triathlon - the impulse-giving and largest event of this kind in the GDR - initially had to operate under the name "Endurance Triathlon"

T-shaped design of the original logo from the Erfurt A3K 1986 as a reference to the undesirable name triathlon

Logo of the Triathlon Association of the GDR 1990

The beginnings

From the press, radio and television, the events surrounding the triathlon (especially the Ironman in Hawaii) soon became public in the GDR.

In the east, however , the main impetus came from the CSSR , which had taken on a pioneering role in this sport in Europe at the beginning of the 1980s . The first triathlon had already taken place there in 1980. Endurance athletes from Saxony traveled to the CSSR in 1982 in order to receive suggestions at triathlon seminars and to take part in relevant competitions. As early as 1985 there were reports of many competitions, including an Ironman in Slavkov (Austerlitz) near Brno (Brno), in which several athletes from the GDR also took part.

The first triathlon events took place in the GDR in 1983. It was the group of runners around Werner Weber who organized the first triathlon over 1 km swimming, 40 km cycling and 12 km running in Rostock on June 5, 1983. All 41 participants crossed the finish line. In the same year, such competitions followed in Senzig near Berlin (1.8 / 80/25 km) and in Zeulenroda / Thuringia (3.3 / 100/33 km).

The breakthrough for the triathlon in the GDR was the 1st Leipzig endurance triathlon in June 1984. Organized by well-known sports educators from the German University of Physical Culture ( Wilfried Ehrler , Christian Menschel) 352 starters came to the Kulkwitzer See in the south of Leipzig to face the adverse weather conditions (15 ° C water temperature; 12 ° C air temperature) defied. Sports physicians at the Research Institute for Physical Culture and Sport Leipzig carried out sports medical field tests on stress reactions according to the individual disciplines. The importance of this event was above all to have given the impetus for further such competitions in many districts of the GDR.

Rejection and tolerance of the sport

Triathlon was one of the unsupported sports and was also only reluctantly tolerated. The established sports associations and institutions in the GDR reacted early on with rejection and downright anti-triathlon campaigns to the new sport that came from the USA (“The crazy idea of ​​Honolulu” by M. Hönel). The DTSB leadership also resorted to appropriate repression. The oral statement made by DTSB Vice President Berg at the second meeting of the DTSB Executive Board in November 1984 read: “There is no triathlon in the GDR and there never will be!”. The following arguments were put forward against the legalization and recognition of the endurance triathlon: On the one hand, there would be no new potential members from the DTSB due to the capitalist characteristics of this sport. In addition, the endurance triathlon does not meet the "criteria of socialist physical culture". In addition, the material security of the sport and the possible loss of talents for types of sport particularly sponsored by the DTSB as part of the GDR competitive sports system were essential.

The term triathlon could not be used. The term “endurance triathlon” or “A-3-K” was given for such events. At the 1st scientific symposium "Endurance Triathlon" at the Medical Academy Erfurt in autumn 1986 with well-known sports educators, physicians and active people, the organizers were strictly forbidden from using the term "triathlon". The organizers found other ways to incorporate the T like Triathlon in their logos (see logos of the Leipzig and Erfurt Triathlons).

The development of this attractive endurance sport could no longer be stopped from 1985. In 1984 there were four events with 636 participants, in 1988 there were already 37 triathlon competitions in the GDR with over 6,000 participants, mainly in the so-called short triathlon over 1.5 km swimming, 40 km cycling and 10 km running.

From the initiative of the organizers, exclusively active and supporters of this sport, an IG (community of interests) triathlon of the GDR was founded, which kept statistics, awarded ranking competitions and assessments of the best and published an information sheet. Thomas Pabst from Dresden , a triathlete from the very beginning in the GDR, made a great contribution to the coordination and publication .

GDR rankings in triathlon were made from 1985. The first "GDR best determination" in the short triathlon took place in 1987 as part of the 3rd Helene Triathlon near Frankfurt (Oder) . From this year on, the sports authorities were forced to tolerate the term triathlon. After the end of the 1987 triathlon season, the central sports newspaper of the GDR, DEUTSCHES sportecho , published the “3. GDR ranking list in triathlon ". What remained were restrictions and non-funding. A triathlon association was not allowed to be founded, there were no foreign starts, foreign guests could not be invited, contact with international institutions and associations was not permitted.

In 1987, Wilfried Ehrler, who was involved in the introduction of the triathlon in the GDR, managed to publish a textbook on triathlon with the help of a sports publisher and two co-authors. This book sold very well, but only outside of the GDR. This example shows the sport-political constraints. The book was banned domestically in order not to promote the development of the prohibited sport by the DTSB. The Vice President of the DTSB, Klaus Eichler , finally succeeded in promoting sports that did not count under the aspect of competitive sport. In this context, the "Triathlon Working Group" was set up on the DTSB's federal board. Ultimately, it should develop a “suitable” competitive and administrative culture for the districts . This was responsible for ensuring that no separate organization or association was founded. This offer should also ensure that the integration of German athletes should be prevented. In 1989 a West German athlete won a competition in Leipzig. There were no accusations or consequences after the victory, as Erich Honecker brought Leipzig into play with clever arguments and the spontaneous Olympic application.

In the GDR, only one route length - the Olympic distance - was practiced. At the time, the sport was considered an adult sport, so that children and adolescents who wanted to take part in the endurance triathlon also had to endure the Olympic distance. Therefore, there were only a few young people who practiced this sport. In 1989, the DTSB assumed there were around 3,000 active triathletes in the GDR. There were 42 officially announced competitions for these athletes alone.

After the turn

The situation only changed after the fall of the Wall in 1989. In the spring of 1990, regional triathlon associations were formed in the districts of the GDR, which already followed the structure of the future new federal states . The triathlon association of the GDR was founded on May 12, 1990 at the DHfK in Leipzig. This triathlon association was now the official trade association in the DTSB of the GDR. After that, the first and only GDR championships in the middle triathlon (2/80/20 km, Senzig / Königs Wusterhausen, June 30, 1990) and short triathlon (in Magdeburg-Barleber See , July 14, 1990) were held and eliminated for international competitions and championships are taken part.

After the reunification of Germany, the Triathlon Association of the GDR with its 5 regional associations joined the German Triathlon Union on October 28, 1990 in Roth, Bavaria . The German Triathlon Union (DTU) has now become the nation with the largest number of members within the European Triathlon Union (ETU) with 16 regional associations and 17,445 members .

Motifs

The motives of the protagonists of that time for practicing this sport are diverse and varied. Some came to the triathlon because, as former competitive swimmers, they had been delegated from the funding system, but wanted to keep fit. Others heard that running was healthy and that some athletes had injuries and had to change sports as a result. There were enthusiastic athletes who motivated others to try and test this new sport, or who were interested in participating in a diverse sport.

Development in the districts

Rostock

At the beginning of 1983 a group of endurance athletes returned to Rostock after a cross-country skiing competition that took place in Liberec ( CSSR ) . These athletes read a newspaper article about the Ironman in Hawaii and brought the idea back to town. According to Dieter Käkenmeister, the idea of holding a short triathlon (there was already a division into short, medium and long triathlons) in Rostock arose during a few sauna sessions in the Hotel Neptun . In the same year, on June 5, 1983, the first triathlon took place. 41 athletes started in this competition, including athletes from the running group under Werner Weber and four women. The swimming was carried out in the ASK swimming pool. A total of 1000 m was swum, 40 km bike rode and 12 km run. Due to the different types of bikes (racing bike, sports bike , touring bike ) there were corresponding time credits. A celebration was held on the evening of the competition to mark the day. The winner received the so-called "iron man", which was a challenge cup. There were also prizes for the last and for the other athletes. Some of these prizes are still awarded today. The second Rostock Triathlon took place on June 3, 1984 under the same management. The "wheel regulation" also continued to exist. For example, the athlete with a touring bike was allowed to swim 5:20 minutes and the athlete with a sports bike 2:40 minutes earlier than athletes with a racing bike. From the third Rostock event, the limited starting places (100) were quickly taken. In addition, the organizers were forced by the DTSB to officially name some of the competition endurance triathlon (notices, lists of results, etc.). With the start of prominent athletes, such as the Olympic rowing winner Ullrich Kons, this competition shows the wide range of athletes who are enthusiastic about sports.

The popularity of the Rostock Triathlon resulted from the active participation of top and popular athletes. In 1986, athletes from 13 other German districts as well as from Poland and Nicaragua started for the first time . The special thing about this fourth Rostock triathlon was that every athlete was photographed before the start. This photo adorned the results booklet and was mailed to the athletes with photos, press articles and much more. For the first time, the results were saved using a computer. In 1988 the Rostock Triathlon received financial support from the state and was able to provide the athletes with a lot more, such as a swimming cap.

Due to the long travel distance, the competition could not be counted as a ranking competition. In the southern part of the GDR mainly triathlon competitions took place. But the Rostock athletes looked for a sporting comparison with the athletes of the People's Republic of Poland . For more than three years now, there has been an exchange between Rostock and Stettin .

The last Rostock triathlon in the GDR was held on June 18, 1989 and was a success. 127 athletes started. Among these athletes were the elite of the GDR triathlon at the time, including Thomas Rungehagen, Rolf Krause, Jens Stoetzner, Bernd Jaudtiems, Karin Wassermann, Ines Ziemer and Corinna Schönemann. Rostock suffered two major setbacks: Thomas Rungehagen was able to break the “Rostock winning streak” and the team victory went to the Berlin team SG Narva Berlin . At that time, the Berlin sports community was the strongest triathlon community in the GDR. Athletes from Poland, Luxembourg and Bremen also started unrecognized. This came to light only later and to the annoyance of the athletes, but there was no "aftermath" due to the turning point . This was the reason for the name - International Rostock Triathlon.

The 8th edition in 1990 was not lost. There were adjustments to the norms (Olympic distance) that had been set by the European Triathlon Union . Everything else stayed as usual. The Rostock Triathlon is still held today. The pioneer of the triathlon movement in the GDR was the first documented triathlon in Rostock.

Also Ribnitz-Damgarten and goods at the Müritz experienced a similar trend. Compared to the southern part of the GDR, the north experienced neither handicaps nor requirements, so triathlon development in the north was autonomous. The organizers of the competitions were informed of the latest news by attending the Leipzig Congresses, but local developments were of greater interest to them. Later the representatives of the north were neither involved in the interest groups, nor in the later working groups.

Halle on the Saale

In the central area of ​​the GDR, more precisely in Halle an der Saale , Werner Klawun , a full-time member of the DTSB's district board, was so enthusiastic about the Leipzig triathlon that he decided to host and organize one himself. On September 15, 1983, the second largest triathlon in the GDR was held at the Süßen See in Seeburg . Around 120 starters came straight away and completed 2 km swimming, 40 km cycling and 10 km running. In contrast to the other organizers, Klawun went an official way to prepare. Just two days after starting in Leipzig, he submitted an application for a sporting event to the German People's Police (BdVP). In this application, he asked for permission to host an endurance triathlon. Since he had previously organized cycling races and running events, it was also easy for him to win lifeguards from the German Red Cross (DRK) and section officers (ABV) to secure his event. Numerous students from higher grades appeared to help. He also informed the DTSB district association Eisleben about his plan. The official host was the German Association for Hiking, Mountaineering and Orienteering (DWBO), and there was no reason not to approve the competition. He also got support because he belonged to the DWBO and KFA Saalkreis. In 1988 the DTSB was asked for support for the first time. Klawun previously developed an action plan to inform those responsible at the DTSB and to win them over. Despite the rejection of the DTSB's support, he managed to organize the competition with enough arguments.

On June 23, 1988, the GDR's best determination over the short distance took place in Halle-Seeburg . This investigation attracted 350 athletes and thus set a record number of participants in Seeburg. Since the athletes rarely use the term A-3-K or endurance triathlon, but triathlon, the determination of the best was quickly carried out as a championship.

Before 1987, Klawun also tried to avoid the word triathlon and packed it into words such as "3x5 peace miles", "endurance all-around" or "3x5 miles for the 35th anniversary". Then he used the term triathlon. In 1984 Klawun pointed out that the first issue of an information sheet “Endurance 3 Combat Information” was planned for December. This should include the knowledge gained from triathlon competitions, results, dates, reports and much more. At the same time Thomas Pabst published the Borthener information booklet. Both had completely different views on how to proceed in triathlon. There was a split in the entire triathlon scene in the GDR. In 1991 the competitions organized by Klawun came to an end after the organization was transferred to Günther Seidler .

At the same time, the Heide Triathlon developed in Halle. In 1988 Gerd Schmidt founded the first triathlon sports group within the BSG Geologie Halle . On June 18, 1989, the first triathlon was held in Halle. Together with the FDJ and the DTSB Halle / West, the preparations have been running since the end of the previous year. He too went an official way to organize this competition. Since this event took place in Halle-Neustadt , the DTSB responsible there should also organize it. But he had reservations about the sport without ever explaining them. Leipzig organizers also helped with the organization. This competition is still held today, with teams from the second Bundesliga / East starting.

Magdeburg

In the Magdeburg area , Jürgen Tempel , a full-time functionary at DTSB Wolmirstedt , organized the so-called Kali-Triathlon in Zielitz. He was an ambitious runner and member of the presidium of the athletics association of the GDR. After a scandal in the running scene, he decided to change the sport. However, he wanted to continue running and so he got enthusiastic about the new sport after starting the Leipzig Triathlon. The Kali Triathlon was born from this enthusiasm. The course lengths were 1 km swimming, 40 km cycling and 13 km running. The Zielitzer Triathlon has been held annually since 1986. This event was very popular due to the heated swimming pool and the “beginners' routes” of 0.5-22-6 km. The family atmosphere and special ideas such as the certificate design also had a positive effect on the competition. The competition also survived difficult times with falling numbers of participants. Only the renovation of the swimming pool sealed the end of this triathlon competition.

Tempel brought the idea for a relay triathlon with him from a vacation in Hungary . This season had an idiosyncratic organization. The three starters of a team first swam in the Elbe swimming pool. This was followed by a one-hour break. In the city park all starters of a team were sent one after the other on the bike course. Since the bike race started at the horse gate, the athletes also started from a horse box. The run followed right after the bike ride. From this competition the winter triathlon of the MTC and the team triathlon at the Barleber See emerged . The team competition and the TU competition have been able to establish themselves to this day.

The highlight of Tempel's triathlon career was the organization of the GDR championships on July 14, 1990 over the short distance on Lake Barleber. Things didn't go as planned. Parked cars, a flock of sheep and cobblestones stopped the process, but the athletes did not let that get them down. After the political change, Tempel returned to running.

Guards

In Gardelegen , Udo Roschild founded the running group "Lindenthal" with a sports friend and the DTSB. The running group around Roschild started with small laps, which were always larger and accompanied by sports and play equipment. Children also came to the forest and small games were integrated into the running. His group organized running and hiking events, but also cross-country skiing and biathlon . He probably learned about the sport of triathlon from the newspaper.

In the first year of triathlon history in the GDR, the runners from Gardelegen dared to take on this challenge. There were no foreign athletes among the ten to twelve starters. They swam 500 m, then cycled 20 km and ran 7 km. After swimming and cycling, you waited for the last athlete to complete the next discipline. A year later, much of the Leipzig organization of the triathlon was taken over.

Roschild regularly took part in the triathlon meetings in Leipzig. According to him, the first triathlon took place in Gardelegen in 1984. However, there is no record of this. On July 7, 1985 the “2. Gardelegen eventing all-around competition ”mentioned in a document. Through his contacts as an employee of the district technical committee for athletics , Roschild was able to advertise his event a lot, also outside the district. The participating athletes could choose between two route lengths. The shorter route included 0.5 km swimming, 20 km cycling and 7 km running. The longer route was twice as long. There were no problems on the part of the police, the lifeguard or the medical care. Because of the more favorable environmental conditions, the competition was moved to Zichtau . Due to the change in location, athletes from Berlin, Frankfurt / Oder and Leipzig could also compete. There were no sports-political problems for Roschild and his athletes, but the press was a bit cautious at first. This gradually changed. She started publishing articles and soon there was a reporter at every event. Despite the success it came to an end in 1988. The helpers were missing and the lifeguard had a serious accident.

In 1986 a triathlon was launched in Mieste . The organizers Günther Riecke and Ralf Ziegler organized a competition that was no competition for the guardsmen. The reason for this were the few competitions in the GDR. The so-called "Drömlingsdreier" was able to win more athletes from year to year.

Stendal

Another place where the triathlon developed in the GDR was Stendal . A competition has been held in Stendal since 1983. A running group called LG Haeder around the athletes Gerd Engel and Conrad Stender already existed. Thanks to the contacts and interest of Gerd Engel, the first internal triathlon was held in November 1983. Stender crossed the finish line 30 minutes ahead of everyone else. He immediately registered for the Leipzig triathlon and wanted to stay true to the sport.

The second and, for the time being, last edition of the Stendal mile all-round competition on November 25, 1984 was no longer internal. Athletes from Berlin, Magdeburg, Staßfurt, Burg and Wolmirstedt were invited. Stender traveled around the country and competed in many different competitions. The attraction of an own event increased from competition to competition. It ultimately failed because of the financial resources required. On July 22, 1989, he changed the sports community and was able to host the 1st Altmark Triathlon in Wischer. The popular sports biathlon, which started before the actual triathlon, was held in the sub-disciplines of 500 m swimming and 5 km running. Over the 1.1 km swimming, 43 km cycling and 10 km running 101 participants, 4 of them women, started. The competition was and is still a complete success today.

Leipzig

The Kulkwitzer See near Leipzig, a popular place for triathlon competitions

In Leipzig , a major triathlon event took place with the help of two lecturers from the German University of Physical Culture (DHfK). With the support of Wilfried Ehrler and Christian Menschel, a milestone was laid in the development of the triathlon in the GDR. The DHfK, as a stronghold for body and culture, did not only deal scientifically with this sport. Competitive sport was developed, promoted, defended and controlled.

The idea arose from the monotony of running or running groups, or rather the mileage committee. The first triathlon in Leipzig took place on June 30, 1984. The best environmental conditions for a triathlon can be found in the local recreation area Markranstädt -Kulkwitz, where it is still held today. Due to the extreme cold, the distance of 1.2 km in the water had to be halved. The bike course extended over 45 km and ran 15 km. The total of 360 starters had to submit a medical declaration of no objection before the start. A form was also signed, which indicated that the participants were responsible for participating in the competition. The competition was initially advertised as a triathlon. After an intervention by the DTSB in Berlin, the result lists had to be overwritten with an endurance three-way fight. Just like in Rostock, Leipzig tried to beat the DTSB with its own weapons. They wrote about the endurance triathlon results lists and followed the DTSB's demands for new, interesting and varied endurance sports in connection with the VII. Gymnastics and Sports Day, which should be implemented in practice. Due to the high number of participants and the enthusiasm for the competition, the organizers were sure that it was the right thing to do. The organizers got support from local firms and businesses. For example, VEB Kombinat provided ORSTA-Hydraulik computers for evaluation. The regional and national press also promoted the event.

To the delight of the inexperienced athletes, Ehrler insisted on giving concrete training recommendations in the results booklet from the third edition of the triathlon. Pressure from the DTSB turned the triathlon into an endurance three-way fight and later only the A-3-K. An endurance triathlon was already mentioned in the announcement. Usually one wrote under it "with national sport competition". This meant a competition for children and newcomers, which consisted of shortened endurance two-way combat and an hour of pop gymnastics. A curved T on certificates, lists of results and tenders was also a hidden symbol for the word triathlon. The spokesman was even advised to say triathlon.

Here, too, there were time credits for the various types of bicycle in order to maintain fairness. Six to ten minutes were credited for touring bikes and three to five minutes for sports bikes. However, a distinction was also made in the competition distances. Another problem was always the slipstream. From 1986 there were separate ratings for the different materials. Athletes, the press, and organizers were enthusiastic and there was a positive response from newspaper articles and letters. But above all the increasing number of participants from year to year made this particularly clear. In 1985 there were 500 entries, in 1987 already 613 and one year later over 700 athletes started. Since 1987 the competition has been international. Athletes from the Soviet Union , Czechoslovakia and from 1988 also from West Germany started. As in Rostock, this fact brought problems with it, which, however, did not affect the sport. The competition survived the turning point. In 1989, 958 athletes started, in 1990 there were 1,200 participants and in 1991 there were still 400 participants. Today the competition is very popular. Popular athletes as well as Bundesliga athletes still start today at Lake Kulkwitzer .

On April 11, 1989, Menschel founded the Triathlon section within the DHfK. Before this happened, there had been a training group for a while under the name “Triathlon Interest Group”. Not only students and professors from the university were enthusiastic, also children and young people or recreational athletes from outside. A children and youth group could also be opened.

Erfurt

In Erfurt there were considerable difficulties in staging a triathlon. The already planned triathlon should start on August 24, 1985. However, the DTSB district board Erfurt-Nord had the event canceled by Peter Lange. 40 athletes had already registered for this competition. Things should go better for the following year on August 16, 1986. The support of the DTSB was also assured. Just like in Leipzig, the press in Erfurt reacted positively to this new sport. The same thing happened to the organizers in Eisenach. Siegfried Koch's already organized triathlon also had to be canceled. But a year later, the organization and staging of the competition was possible without any further obstacles. The press was also enthusiastic and reported positively with pictures about this new competition. Even an athlete profile about the organizer was printed.

In 1986, as with many other events, there were time credits for various bicycles. The number of participants increased annually. There were 20 different triathlon events in the GDR. The last Eisenach triathlon took place in 1989. There was a lack of athletes and volunteers, but it was important to Koch to have an event of this kind in the region. Currently there is only the Immelborn Triathlon in Thuringia.

Dresden

A triathlete from the Dresden area , Thomas Pabst , discovered this new sport on a sports trip to the Czech Republic in February 1982. He was so excited about it that he tried it on his own that same year. He found a suitable site and planned an official event in the autumn of 1983. Before that, he and his training partner were the first GDR athletes to take part in a long distance in Plzeň . After his return there was an article in the newspaper "Union" about him and this competition. The contacts made there were of course used for their own event.

The entire development in and around Dresden resulted in a small group of athletes who trained together with Pabst. From the beginning, Pope tried to promote the triathlon in the GDR.

The first Saxon triathlon in 1984 was stopped. The organizers did not react to initial objections from the DTSB. Finally, despite the 100 reports, the triathlon was canceled. At the beginning of the year, attention was drawn to the triathlon in the sports leisure calendar of the DTSB-DV Dresden. This news also went to Berlin. Threats expressed in response, such as professional bans or the like, were the reason for numerous rejections. Despite the prohibition and warnings from the DTSB, an unofficial training with timekeeping was organized at the same time in the same place, but no foreign athletes started. However, Pabst was arrested after swimming. A criminal offense was initiated against him after he had been interrogated for hours. This criminal case was set a little later because several prominent athletes had complained. The DTSB was more or less forced to stop this competition by all means, since Pabst was neither part of the DTSB nor a BSG. The DTSB wanted the citizens of the GDR to do sports, but in an organized sports group. However, the first Borthen mountain test was held in the autumn of the same year . With the help of the BSG Obstproduktion Borthen association as the organizer and the sports-loving People's Police who were responsible for this event. The bike course went beyond the district border and thanks to the police it was not a problem, so that the DTSB had no arguments to cancel the competition. On September 15, 1983, 95 athletes competed 0.7 km swimming, 33 km cycling and 13.5 km running. Over the years, the triathlon has developed into a competition at the end of the season for many athletes. From 1987 there were shorter routes for beginners and women. Despite the large starting field, this triathlon was very familiar. There were beautiful and unusual prizes, such as medals made from Meissen porcelain or stickers.

From the 2nd event this triathlon became a ranking competition. It should be said that Pabst first created a GDR ranking list in 1985 and that this system was adopted by Norbert Hennig from Rathenow in 1987 . This ranking soon became official. With the help of a point system, the best triathletes of the year were determined from at least three triathlons advertised as ranking competitions. Even today, for example, the Brandenburg Triathlon Association is rated with this point system.

So it can be said that Pabst is considered the "father of the triathlon" in the GDR, even if some athletes did not fully agree with his approach. He wanted to make this sport popular and build structures similar to those in Germany or the Czech Republic. But he overlooked the fact that the conditions in the GDR were completely different. Thanks to him, the Bothener information booklet appeared annually from 1984 onwards. New information, rankings and events could be found in this issue. He also called an annual meeting of the organizers of all competitions in the GDR into being. At these meetings, rules, bans, novelties and much more were discussed. At first it took place in Dresden, later in Leipzig. Invitations to competitions inside and outside of the GDR did not allow the organizers to lose contact with each other.

Since there has only been a non-stop triathlon from 1984 to 1986 in Berlin, but no direct Ironman event, the first competition of this kind was held on August 13, 1988. There were 46 reports, of which 34 men and one woman started and came from all corners of the GDR. The 2nd Saxon Ironman was held two years later on August 18 and was also a district championship. The third and, for the time being, last Ironman took place on August 24, 1991, as the organization of the event can be described as very complex. The so-called "Sachsenman" has been held again since 1999.

State of Brandenburg and Berlin

The central area of ​​the GDR ( Berlin - Brandenburg ) developed simultaneously with the north. So it happened that on July 2, 1983, the first triathlon over the middle distance with 14 starters was carried out in Senzig . The idea was that many friends from the sporting environment of the organizer Peter Schlotte should complete these routes together. However, this did not succeed. A ranking list was created in which there was an age group classification up to 43 years. Due to a self-designed T-shirt by his wife, he was recognized and approached by the organizer of the Rostock Triathlon during a peace run in Berlin. Neither of them knew anything about each other's events before this conversation.

The second Senziger Triathlon took place on July 8, 1984. From the third competition onwards, Schlotte decided to submit applications to authorities, such as the mayor or the People's Police, in order to get a permit for the road to be closed for a cycle race (time trial). He used the BSG Köpenick cycling club to make these applications credible. There were no problems with the organization of the triathlon. The event was organized under the aspect of "fairness before victory", but the ambition of the athletes did not allow this. So it came to slipstream, time penalties and disqualifications. The age group was also rejected by the athletes. Despite these points of contention, the event developed over the years, because the central location meant that many participants came from all over the republic.

Despite financial worries, Schlotte and his wife came up with something new every year for the athletes, such as cups made of mahogany wood or tubular tires as gifts. Due to the overnight accommodation in the start and finish area, there was a good and familiar atmosphere.

He also managed to hold a triathlon in Berlin twice in collaboration with the DTSB Köpenick . This took place in connection with the Müggelberglauf . There they knew each other and there were also many members in the DTSB. These were often former athletes who were often not so loyal to the line because they knew how much fun this sport was for them. In 1990 Peter Schlotte became President of the newly founded GDR Triathlon Association.

In 1987 the best determinations took place in Senzig and also on June 30, 1990 the first and last GDR championships over the middle distance took place. Here, the national team of the GDR and the nominations for competitions in Europe were determined from the winners. This competition fell victim to the political change.

The date of the GDR's first “Ironman” is controversial. It is not entirely clear whether it took place in Saxony in 1988 or whether it was the Berlin 3-day triathlon in 1984, which was held on November 16. On this day you swam in the Pionierpark Wuhlheide 3,800 m. A day later, at the Bernau S-Bahn station, the bike rode around Berlin in the direction of Potsdam. The sporting challenge of the third day was to run the marathon in the Wuhlheide.

In 1985 it should not be done so extreme and in just one day. On June 6, 1985, people swam in the indoor swimming pool, then went on the bike and then ran along with the peace run. You waited until the last one came out of the water to then drive around Berlin.

In 1986, 40 athletes signed up to start on July 25th. The event was again held as a 3-day competition. Only this time there was a swim in the lake. However, at 17 degrees water temperature, the athletes were allowed to get out of the water earlier than after 3.8 km. Two athletes took advantage of this opportunity and came out of the water halfway through the swimming kilometers. Cycling and running were the same as in previous years. In 1987 the competition was canceled.

In 1990 the state sports associations were founded in the new federal states, which also included the sports schools in Cottbus , Frankfurt (Oder) and Potsdam . These were supposed to promote the next generation and received funding for the training hours, trainers and training aids. The employees of the bases should familiarize children with the sport of triathlon in primary schools, in lessons or in small competitions in order to inspire as many talents from the surrounding area who should then train in these bases. The more “cadre percent” a performance base had, the more support it received from the associations of the DTU ( German Triathlon Union ).

In summary it can be stated that there were no noteworthy bans or obstacles to the development of the triathlon in the Berlin-Brandenburg area. Despite the central location and the proximity to the DTSB. Many events have arisen autonomously and almost all have been organized on a private level. The DTSB was rarely notified or involved. Usually he was bypassed.

Potsdam

It is difficult to say when exactly the first official competition took place in Potsdam. Through Rolf Oehmichen it is known that from May 1974 the first triathlon competitions, including runs, took place. Due to the constantly growing interest, the BSG Stadtbau Potsdam was founded five years later . Due to a lack of time, everyone was a full-time worker, only 3-5 athletes could start in the first triathlon competition under Oehmichen. The distances of this competition were given as 4 km swimming, 180 km cycling and 42.195 km running. 84 new routes such as the mile triathlon or the Brauhausberg triathlon had to be set because the athletes could not hold the long competitions due to the lack of time. The first events of this kind took place under the name of the district sports festival of the working people. The mile triathlon over 400 m swimming, 8 km cycling and 2 km running could be held with about 30 athletes.

By Manfred Kruczek an indirect approval was the sport in the GDR. He applied to the DTSB for a weekly lesson in the swimming pool. By using the name "Endurance Triathlon" this was approved, which was an exception. Kruczek later said that the employee of the DTSB, who stamped the application as positive, was the first to be dismissed in 1990 and was not accepted into the Brandenburg State Sports Association .

As a trainer and exercise leader for Potsdam triathletes, adults and young people, as well as church-bound activists, Manfred Kruczek wanted to organize a city comparison with the twin city of Bonn in 1988. He received personal invitations to competitions that were not known to the authorities and built on his contacts. However, the comparison failed because neither the sport nor the city gave him any information. After this incident, the State Security investigated him.

Finsterwalde

The endurance triathlon competition held at Kulkwitzer See near Leipzig in 1984 should also be of great importance for Finsterwalde for the future. Some athletes from Finsterwalde heard about this competition, started and were so enthusiastic that they wanted to organize their own competitions from then on. One of these athletes was Christian Homagk , former chairman of the BTB , active trainer and club member of SV Neptun 08 Finsterwalde . He was a swimmer by nature and therefore the interest in all-round competitions was already given. His wife, Marlies Homagk , was also enthusiastic about this sport. She is still an active member of the Finsterwalder Triathlon Club and trains the next generation of triathletes. Her husband still organizes major events such as the “Finsterwalder Dutzend”, which inspire a large crowd of fans far beyond the borders of the former Cottbus district.

As one of the first competitions, the Finsterwalder Dozen took place on May 4, 1985. This involved swimming 1,200 m in the indoor pool, cycling 25 km and then running 7 km through the city and the Bürgerheide . 32 athletes started, including two women from Leipzig, Rostock, Dresden, Magdeburg, Köthen, Finsterwalde, Fürstenwalde, Bautzen and Schöneweide. Another competition became known under the name “Finsterwalder Allerlei”. This took place for the second time on March 28, 1986. A total of 119 hikers and cyclists, swimmers and runners as well as 102 endurance athletes started. Today the competition is called "Tria-Hatz" and still has a lot of fans from near and far.

Christian Homagk used the term "GDR-open three-way battle" as early as May 28, 1986 in the protocol of Finsterwalder Allerlei. He then received a letter from a participant ( Thomas Pabst ), who pointed out to him that he might get into trouble with it. But Homagk saw this discussion as incidental and ignored it. With great negotiating skills and courage in dealing with the authorities, he managed to secure the cooperation of the police and the press for his events. He wrote articles and reports not only for the local newspaper Lausitzer Rundschau , but also for Deutsche Sportecho .

The number of competitions was made possible by the many helpers of the swimming section BSG Progress Finsterwalde and his wife - she was the head of the swimming section at the time.

Further competitions in and around Finsterwalde:

• the 10,000 m circle championships in the Stadium of Peace (still takes place today in the "Stadium of Peace")
• Lake crossings in Hennersdorf and Rückersdorf
• Endurance triathlon in Hennersdorf (600 m swim, 13 km bike and 8 km run), today "Teichzweier"
• Miles three things, as well
• numerous fun runs, which are still organized today.

Personalities

• Thomas Pabst (Dresden) is considered the father of triathlon in the GDR
• Wilfried Ehrler (Leipzig) published a textbook with Chr. Menschel and J. Meyer in 1987, which became a bestseller in Germany
• Andreas Clauß (Leipzig), best triathlete in the GDR, who can also come up with good international results

Today's use of the term "endurance triathlon"

Based on its founding time, the Berlin triathlon club A3K-Berlin renamed itself accordingly after splitting off from the former GDR "club" Dynamo Berlin SC Berlin in 2002. Today it is the largest triathlon club in east Berlin.

The Peiner Triathlon used the term "A3K DM" in 2005 for its finisher shirts for the German championship of the age groups.

bibliography

• K.-H. Arndt (ed.): Endurance triathlon. Protocol tape of the A3K symposium at the 7th Thuringian runners' meeting. Erfurt 1986, DNB 210949694 .
• W. Ehrler, C. Menschel, J. Meyer: Triathlon - endurance multidimensional. /East. Sportverlag, Berlin 1987, ISBN 3-328-00154-9 .
• Steffen Große: Triathlon made understandable. Copress-Verlag, Munich 1993, ISBN 3-7679-0393-8 .
• W. Klemm: The development of the triathlon in the GDR. In: cycling. 9th year, special edition Triathlon No. 2, 1988 (Bielefelder Verlagsanstalt)
• S. Pieper: The origin and development of the triathlon sport in the GDR. Thesis . University of Potsdam, 2000. (Contemporary history of sport.)
• R. Pötzsch, F. Neundorf, C. Homagk: Well wet! And sport free! Self-published by the sports club, 2008.
• Giselher Spitzer: Football and Triathlon: Sport Development in the GDR. Meyer and Meyer Verlag, Aachen 2004, ISBN 3-89124-863-6 .

swell

Magazines and newspapers

• German sport echo . October 31, 1985.
• Lausitzer Rundschau . March 30, 1985, April 4, 1985, June 28, 1985, July 9, 1985, June 5, 1985, June 21, 1985, July 16, 1986, April 2, 1986, March 27, 1986, July 10, 1987, April 5, 1988, April 7, 1988, June 9, 1988.
• Swimming. July 7, 1987.

Result lists

• C. Homagk: List of results from the Finsterwalder Dozen on April 5, 1985. Finsterwalde, April 5, 1985.
• C. Homagk: List of results from the triathlon in Hennersdorf on June 24, 1988. Finsterwalde, June 25, 1988.

Competition announcement

• April 5, 1985 from the Finsterwalder Dozen
• March 28, 1986 from Finsterwalder Allerlei
• June 27, 1986 from Meilen Dreierlei in Hennersdorf
• April 17, 1987 from the Finsterwalder Dozen
• September 11, 1987 from the Tria-Hatz in Finsterwalde

Web links

• Leipzig Triathlon - The beginnings on leipziger-triathlon.de
• SV Neptun 08 Finsterwalde - Triathlon section on neptun08-finsterwalde.de
• The oldest result of an athlete from our series on triathlon-verein-berlin.de

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g} Steffen Große: Triathlon made understandable. Copress-Verlag, Munich 1993, ISBN 3-7679-0393-8 .
2. ^ Saxon newspaper. Dresden. November 11, 1983.
3. ↑ Gieselher Spitz: football and triathlon sports development in the GDR. Aachen 2004.
4. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd} Silke Pieper: The origin and development of the triathlon sport in the GDR. Potsdam 2000.
5. ↑ German sports echo.
6. ↑ Swimming.
7. ^ SV Neptun 08 Finsterwalde
8. ↑ Renate Pötzsch, Franz Neundorf, Christian Homagk: Gut wet! And sport free! Finsterwalde 2008.
9. ^ Christian Homagk: List of results from the Finsterwalder Dozen on April 5, 1985. Finsterwalde.
10. ↑ Lausitzer Rundschau.
11. ↑ Competition announcements.