Around Berlin

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Target sprint at Rund um Berlin 1912, with (from left to right) Rudolf Kotsch, Erich Aberger and Franz Suter

The bike race around Berlin is considered the oldest “ classic ” of German road cycling .

The race around the German capital Berlin first took place in 1896 - founded in Zossen on August 28, 1896 - and is thus five years younger than Bordeaux – Paris , the oldest regularly held road bike race ever. However, the significance of Rund um Berlin has always been limited to the national level. With four exceptions, all the winners of the race come from Germany. In 1935, Rund um Berlin was held at the same time as the race for the German Road Championship. The professional driver was won by Bruno Roth ( hiker ).

Between 1946 and 1949, the bike race was still held as a professional and amateur road race for all of Berlin. For the West Berlin Cycling Association, however, it was no longer possible to host the race, as the sections of the route in the east were cordoned off by the GDR government . In the GDR, around Berlin has been held as an amateur race since 1950 and was considered one of the most important one-day races of the year at that time . As a counterpart, the Westberlin Rund in Berlin was held at the same time from 1950 . In 1959 there was also a race for women , which the later world champion Elisabeth Eichholz won.

The 70th street race around Berlin for the Grand Prix of the Berliner Zeitung was also the 1st stage of the 24th GDR tour .

Decreasing sporting importance and organizational chaos after the political change meant that the classic Rund um Berlin was not held in the years 2001 to 2007. 2008 was the last event so far. The most important cycling events in Berlin today are the Berlin Tour and the Velothon Berlin .

With five successes between 1959 and 1965, Klaus Ampler is the record winner of Rund um Berlin ; Rudi Kirchhoff was successful four times. In 1951, the then 20-year-old celebrated Täve Schur in Berlin is surrounded by his first big win at all.

winner

Memorial plaque for Germany's oldest road race in Zossen

(P) = professional, (A) = amateur

Trivia

The race was very popular with racing cyclists in the GDR because the organizers offered a large number of prizes in kind. These consisted of cycling material, art objects, holiday trips, textiles, electrical appliances and even the famous cake of the master baker Rösler. In addition to government agencies such as ministries, companies and craftsmen, the prizes were donated by private individuals, which was otherwise unusual for races in the GDR. In the 1962 race there were e.g. B. 92 prizes to be won.

Web links

Commons : Around Berlin  - collection of images
Wikisource: Oskar Kilian: Sport and Abstinence , 1907  - Sources and full texts

in: Rund um Berlin: Festschrift and program for the eighth long-distance journey on July 28, 1907 , pp. 66–72, ZLB Berlin digital .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Ronald Huster: Duel on the Spree - cycling in divided Berlin . In: Sports City Berlin during the Cold War. Prestige struggles and system competition . Ch.links, Berlin 2006, ISBN 978-3-86153-399-3 , p. 292 f .
  2. ^ Buchheim: World Champion Elisabeth Eichholz. In: radsportonline.com. Retrieved March 6, 2020 .
  3. ↑ Van den Steen is listed as the winner, as Van den Steen's victory on the 1st stage of the GDR tour was also rated as a victory in Rund um Berlin .
  4. ^ Berliner Zeitung (ed.): Program 56. Around Berlin . Berlin 1962, p. 5 .