Germany was represented at the 1956 Summer Olympics by a United Team of Germany of athletes from the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) (West Germany) and, for the first time at Summer Games, also from East Germany which had not joined in 1952. Also, the Saarland athletes who had to enter as a separate team in 1952 could now join in even though the accession of their state was not yet in effect. Thus, this was the only Olympic team ever to comprise athletes from three German states.
Most of the Games were held in Melbourne, Australia, but due to Australian quarantine regulations the equestrian events were held five months earlier in Stockholm, Sweden. 158 competitors, 134 men and 24 women, took part in 95 events in 15 sports.
Events The horse Halla carried rider Hans Günter Winkler to two gold medals, and one more in 1960 for an all-time record.
Heinz Fütterer, who had tied the 100 m world record and set some European records, was a favorite for medals, but was injured before the games in an event held in East Germany.
Compared to 1952, where no Gold had been won, the Germans improved significantly, but still won more than twice as many Silver than Gold, being ranked joint 4th in total medals.
Medalists Nationality in brackets.
Gold Wolfgang Behrendt (East Germany) — Boxing, Men's Bantamweight Michael Scheuer and Meinrad Miltenberger (both from West Germany) — Canoeing, Men's K2 1000 m Kayak Pairs Hans-Günter Winkler (West Germany) — Equestrian, Jumping Individual Hans-Günter Winkler, Fritz Thiedemann, and Alfons Lütke-Westhues (all from West Germany) — Equestrian, Jumping Team Helmut Bantz (West Germany) — Gymnastics, Men's Long Horse Vault Ursula Happe (West Germany) — Swimming, Women's 200 m Breaststroke
Silver Karl-Friedrich Haas (West Germany) — Athletics, Men's 400 metres Klaus Richtzenhain (East Germany) — Athletics, Men's 1500 metres Christa Stubnick (East Germany) — Athletics, Women's 100 metres Christa Stubnick (East Germany) — Athletics, Women's 200 metres Gisela Köhler (East Germany) — Athletics, Women's 80 m Hurdles Harry Kurschat (West Germany) — Boxing, Men's Lightweight Fritz Briel and Theo Kleine (both from West Germany) — Canoeing, Men's K2 10.000 m Kayak Pairs Therese Zenz (Saarland) — Canoeing, Women's K1 500 m Kayak Singles August Lütke-Westhues (West Germany) — Equestrian, Three-Day Event Individual August Lütke-Westhues, Otto Rothe, and Klaus Wagner (all from West Germany) — Equestrian, Three-Day Event Team Liselott Linsenhoff, Anneliese Küppers, and Hannelore Weygand (all from West Germany) — Equestrian, Dressage Team Karl-Heinrich von Groddeck, Horst Arndt, and Rainer Borkowsky (all from West Germany) — Rowing, Men's Coxed Pairs Wilfried Dietrich (West Germany) — Wrestling, Men's Greco-Roman Heavyweight
Bronze Heinz Fütterer, Leonhard Pohl, Lothar Knörzer, and Manfred Germar (all from West Germany) — Athletics, Men's 4 × 100 m Relay Marianne Werner (West Germany) — Athletics, Women's Shot Put Michael Scheuer (West Germany) — Canoeing, Men's K1 10.000 m Kayak Singles Reinhold Pommer (West Germany), Horst Tüller (East Germany) and Gustav-Adolf Schur (East Germany) — Cycling, Men's Team Road Race Liselott Linsenhoff (West Germany) — Equestrian, Dressage Individual Günther Brennecke Hugo Budinger, Werner Delmes, Hugo Dollheiser, Eberhard Ferstl, Alfred Lücker, Helmut Nonn, Wolfgang Nonn, Heinz Radzikowski, Werner Rosenbaum, and Günther Ullerich (all from West Germany) — Field Hockey, Men's Team Competition Eva-Maria ten Elsen (East Germany) — Swimming, Women's 200 m Breaststroke
Athletics
Men's 110 m Hurdles Martin Lauer Heat — 14.2 s Semifinals — 14.4 s Final — 14.5 s (→ 4th place)
Berthold Steines Heat — 14.3 s Semifinals — 14.5 s (→ did not advance)
Men's Marathon Lothar Beckert — 2:42:10 (→ 19th place) Kurt Hartung — 2:52:14 (→ 28th place) Klaus Portadnik — did not finish (→ no ranking)
Boxing
Canoeing
Cycling
Tandem Friedrich NeuserGünther Ziegler — 10th place
Team pursuit Kurt GieselerRolf NitzscheSiegfried KöhlerWerner Malitz — 12th place
Team road race Horst TüllerGustav-Adolf SchurReinhold Pommer — 27 points (→ Bronze Medal)
Individual road race Horst Tüller — 5:23:16 (→ 4th place) Gustav-Adolf Schur — 5:23:16 (→ 5th place) Reinhold Pommer — 5:24:38 (→ 18th place) Erich Hagen — 5:26:38 (→ 22nd place)
Fencing
One fencer represented Germany in 1956.
Men's foil Günter Stratmann
Men's épée Günter Stratmann
Men's sabre Günter Stratmann
Football
Gymnastics
Hockey
Rowing
The United Team of Germany had 12 male rowers participate in five of the seven rowing events in 1956.
Men's single sculls Klaus von Fersen
Men's double sculls – 4th place Thomas Schneider Kurt Hipper
Men's coxless pair Helmut Sauermilch Claus Heß
Men's coxed pair – 2nd place ( silver medal) Karl-Heinrich von Groddeck Horst Arndt Rainer Borkowsky
Men's coxless four Willi Montag Horst Stobbe Gunther Kaschlun Manfred Fitze
Sailing
Shooting
Two shooters represented Germany in 1956.
50 m rifle, three positions Rudi Sigl Albert Sigl
50 m rifle, prone Rudi Sigl Albert Sigl
Swimming
Men AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankHorst Bleeker100 m freestyle 1:00.1 26 Did not advanceHans Köhler 59.8 =22 Did not advancePaul Voell 58.4 =12 Q 58.6 13 Did not advanceHans Köhler400 m freestyle 4:43.5 18 colspan=2 Did not advanceHans Zierold 4:35.7 =4 Q colspan=2 4:34.6 5Hans-Joachim Reich1500 m freestyle 19:28.6 17 colspan=2 Did not advanceEkkehard Miersch100 m backstroke 1:07.5 16 Q 1:06.6 12 Did not advanceDieter Pfeifer 1:06.7 13 Q 1:07.6 =13 Did not advanceHerbert Klein200 m breaststroke colspan=2 Did not advanceHorst Weber200 m butterfly 2:34.4 11 colspan=2 Did not advanceHans KöhlerHans-Joachim ReichHans ZieroldHorst Weber4 × 200 m freestyle 8:42.5 5 Q colspan=2 8:43.4 5
Women AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankKati Jansen100 m freestyle 1:08.3 19 Did not advanceBirgit Klomp 1:07.7 15 Q 1:07.9 16 Did not advanceChristel Steffin 1:08.1 18 Did not advanceIngrid Künzel400 m freestyle 5:20.8 14 colspan=2 Did not advanceHelga Schmidt100 m backstroke 1:14.8 =5 Q colspan=2 1:13.4 4Ursula Happe200 m breaststroke 2:54.1 1 Q colspan=2 2:53.1 Eva-Maria ten Elsen 2:57.5 6 Q colspan=2 2:55.1 Jutta Langenau100 m butterfly 1:17.4 8 Q colspan=2 1:17.4 6Ingrid KünzelHertha HaaseKati JansenBirgit Klomp4 × 100 m freestyle 4:27.5 4 Q colspan=2 4:26.1 4
Water polo
Weightlifting
Wrestling
References
External links Official Olympic Reports International Olympic Committee results database