Martin Schoelzgen
Martin Schoelzgen (born January 30, 1926 in Neustrelitz ; † September 2, 2010 in Teltow ) was a track and field athlete from the German Democratic Republic . His last name is often incorrectly given as Schölzgen .
Live and act
Coming from a poor background, he saw his only chance in sport. Initially, he was a student trainee at the Rechlin Air Force Test Center at the Alt-Strelitz Technical School for Mechanical Engineering. In 1944 he was a paratrooper on the Western Front and narrowly escaped death. In 1946 he was released from British captivity to Mecklenburg, where he was again involved in the sport. Officers from the National Committee for Free Germany recruited him for the newly founded army of the GDR ( NVA ).
Martin Schoelzgen started for the ASK Vorwärts Potsdam and excelled especially in the pentathlon. In the 1950s he held the GDR record in discus throwing . In 1955 he received the honorary title of Master of Sports . He was one of the best throwers in Europe when a double-sided lung and pleurisy destroyed hope of the title.
Schoelzgen was delegated to the University of Education Potsdam for external studies and he was given the management of the recently independent ASK Vorwärts Potsdam . As sports club commander, Martin Schoelzgen was largely responsible for building up the army sports club. In the ten years of its activity, the club achieved international recognition with numerous European and Olympic champions. As Vice-President of the GDR Athletics Association , he was involved in the all-German negotiations for the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. In 1964 he became Lieutenant Colonel and Honored Master of Sport . In 1965 the ASK Vorwärts Potsdam was named the "most successful army sports club" in the GDR. A few weeks later Schoelzgen was dismissed from the army because of allegedly "secret relationships with the FRG sports leadership" and further unfounded accusations.
Now civil, he is still successfully completing his studies as an engineer-economist and was responsible for working and living conditions at the East Construction and Assembly Combine for ten years. In 1988 Martin Schoelzgen received an honorary certificate from the DTSB of the GDR “For outstanding achievements in the development of physical culture and sport. On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Socialist Sports Organization ”.
Martin Schoelzgen was married to the writer Gisela Heller .
Sporting successes
Martin Schoelzgen set several national records. In 1955 he improved the GDR record in the discus throw by Ernst Schmidt to 46.78 m.
- 1955 international match GDR / Norway: Winner in the discus throw with 46.85 m
- 1957 international match GDR / Romania: Winner in the discus throw with 48.77 m
- personal best in discus throw: 51.64 m
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Schoelzgen, Martin |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Schölzgen, Martin |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German athlete |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 30, 1926 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Neustrelitz |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 2, 2010 |
| Place of death | Teltow |