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SportsWolfgang Behrendt, East Germany's first Olympic boxing champion, dies at 90
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Wolfgang Behrendt, the first Olympic champion from East Germany (GDR), has died at age 90, just over a week after his birthday on June 22. Behrendt won gold in the bantamweight division at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. His funeral has already taken place within the immediate family circle. Former Olympic and world champion Henry Maske expressed deep emotion, describing Behrendt as a reserved, open-minded, and pleasant person and a very good boxer. The Berlin Boxing Association published an obituary praising him as an extraordinary personality who made history. After his boxing career, Behrendt worked as a sports photographer and was also known for his trumpet playing. He served on the presidium of the GDR Boxing Sports Association for many years. In recent years, he lived reclusively in Berlin-Schöneweide. He was predeceased by his wife Monika (2016), his son Mario (2022), and his youngest son Heiko (March 2026).
Source report
The boxing world mourns the loss of Wolfgang Behrendt, the first Olympic champion of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Behrendt, who won gold in the bantamweight division at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, died at the age of 90. His passing was confirmed just over a week after his birthday on June 22. The funeral has already taken place within the immediate family circle.
BILD reached Olympic and world champion Henry Maske (62), who was deeply moved by the news. Maske said: "Wolfgang Behrendt was a very reserved, open-minded, and pleasant person and a very good boxer."
An obituary from the Berlin Boxing Association states:
"The Berlin Boxing Association loses with him an extraordinary personality of German boxing. Wolfgang Behrendt made history as an athlete and, with his Olympic victory in 1956 in Melbourne as the first Olympic champion of the GDR, occupies a special place in sports history. His successes, his passion for boxing, and his connection to our sports community remain unforgettable. He was a role model for many boxers and has lastingly shaped the reputation of boxing. The Berlin Boxing Association will always keep Wolfgang Behrendt in honorable memory."
Wolfgang Behrendt died at the age of 90. Photo: picture-alliance/ZB
Life After Boxing
Following his active competitive sports career, Behrendt worked as a sports photographer in Berlin and covered numerous Olympic Games and world championships. He was also well known for his trumpet playing. For many years, he served as a member of the presidium of the GDR Boxing Sports Association.
In recent years, Behrendt lived a reclusive life in Schöneweide, Berlin. He suffered multiple personal losses: his long-time wife Monika died in 2016; his son Mario, also a boxer and Olympic starter for the GDR, died in 2022; and his youngest son Heiko died in March of this year.
Wolfgang Behrendt became Olympic champion at the age of 20. He remains unforgettable.
Wolfgang Behrendt at the 1956 Olympics on top of the podium. Photo: picture-alliance/dpa
Behrendt was known for his breathtaking trumpet playing. Here he performed at the Berlin Velodrome in 2001. Photo: picture-alliance/dpa
Source
BILD - SportWestern
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German Olympic Boxing Champion Wolfgang Behrendt Dies at 90