German Olympic Boxing Champion Wolfgang Behrendt Dies at 90
Wolfgang Behrendt, the first Olympic champion of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), has died at the age of 90, just over a week after his birthday on June 22. Behrendt won gold in the bantamweight division at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. His death was announced by the Berlin Boxing Association, which praised him as an extraordinary personality who made history as an athlete. Olympic champion Henry Maske expressed deep sorrow, describing Behrendt as a reserved, open-minded, and pleasant person and a very good boxer. After his boxing career, Behrendt worked as a sports photographer in Berlin, covering numerous Olympic Games and world championships. He was also known for his trumpet playing. Behrendt lived reclusively in Schöneweide in recent years. He was predeceased by his wife Monika (2016), his son Mario (2022), and his youngest son Heiko (March 2026).
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