Dr. Helmut Recknagel
Born: 20.03.1937
Dr. Helmut Recknagel
CAREER ENDS
1964 was my last competition
in Oberwiesenthal.
Greatest successes
1957 Ski flying winner, Planica
1958 Ski flying winner, Oberstdorf
1958 4-Hills Tournament Winner
1958 World Championship bronze, Lathi
1959 4-Hills Tournament Winner
1960 Olympic Gold, Squaw Valley
1960 World Champion, Squaw Valley
1960 Ski flying winner, Planica
1961 4-Hills Tournament Winner
1961 Ski flying winner, Oberstdorf
1962 Ski flying winner, Mitterndorf
1962 World Champion, Zakopane
1962 World Championship bronze, Zakopane
1957, 1960 - Holmenkollen-Winner in Oslo
1959,1962,1963 - GDR Champion
Family
Married, 1 daughter and 2 grandchildren
Motto
Make the most of the time - it's later than you think.
Your Oberhof
I associate Oberhof with the founding of the Thuringian Ski Association in Oberhof on 22.01.1905 and the first official plastic mat jumping event on 21.11.1954 in the presence of guest of honour Sepp Weiler and coach Hans Renner, the inventor of the plastic mat.
What was your sporting career like?
From school, city, district and GDR champion to Olympic and world champion.
From 1954 to 1964 I was a member of the SC Motor Zella-Mehlis.
My first coach was Fritz Pfannschmidt from Steinbach-Hallenberg.
My second coach was Hans Renner from Zella-Mehlis.
Who is your role model?
Birger Ruud, Sepp Brandl, Sepp Weiler, Harry Glaß and Werner Lesser.
What was the most emotional moment of your sporting career?
Oslo Holmenkollen 1957!
The risk of "putting all your eggs in one basket, all or nothing, beating the Norwegians and Finns in the fog at the end as the first Central European.
What was the biggest sporting disappointment for you?
Training like never before and still only 7th place at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck. The nervous strain was enormous. I wanted to give more pleasure.
What are your goals for the future?
To write a primer on the building blocks of health and life energy.
... because Oberhof is a famous winter sports resort, "German St. Moritz" it used to be called, and is closely linked to the Rennsteig.
