The German Sportsman of the Year () has been chosen annually since 1947, with separate awards made for men and women. The record holder is tennis player Steffi Graf, who won five awards. Swimmer Michael Groß, tennis player Boris Becker, and high jumper Ulrike Meyfarth each have four awards. Since 1957 the sport journalists also vote for Germany's Sportsteam of the Year.
In East Germany (GDR) there was also an annual vote for the Best Sportsman of the Year and Best Sportswoman of the Year, from 1953 to 1989, chosen by the readers of the daily newspaper Junge Welt. After reunification in 1990, the East and West German awards merged into a single award.
The following are lists of the Sportperson of the Year.
West Germany and Germany YearMaleFemaleTeamMale (Disabled)Female (Disabled)Team (Disabled)1947Gottfried von Cramm Marga Petersen 1948Gottfried von Cramm Mirl Buchner-Fischer 1949Georg Meier Lena Stumpf1950Herbert Klein Ria Baran-Falk 1951Paul Falk Ria Baran-Falk 1952Karl Kling Ria Baran-Falk1953Werner Haas Christa Seliger 1954Heinz Fütterer Ursula Happe 1955Hans Günter Winkler Helene Kienzle 1956Hans Günter Winkler Ursula Happe1957Manfred Germar Wiltrud Urselmann Borussia Dortmund1958Fritz Thiedemann Marianne Werner 1959Martin Lauer Marika Kilius Deutschland-Achter1960Georg Thoma Ingrid Krämer Deutschland-Achter1961Wolfgang von Trips Heidi Schmid 1. FC Nürnberg1962Gerhard Hetz Jutta Heine 1963Gerhard Hetz Ursel Brunner 1964Willi Holdorf Roswitha EsserAnnemarie Zimmermann1965Hans-Joachim Klein Helga Hoffmann 1966Rudi Altig Helga HoffmannKarin Frisch1967Kurt Bendlin Liesel Westermann FC Bayern Munich 1968Franz Keller Ingrid Becker Deutschland-Achter1969Hans Fassnacht Liesel Westermann Deutschland-Achter1970Hans Fassnacht Heide Rosendahl men's national football team1971Hans Fassnacht Ingrid Mickler-Becker Borussia Mönchengladbach 1972Klaus Wolfermann Heide Rosendahl Germany men's national field hockey team1973Klaus Wolfermann Uta Schorn Bahnrad-Vierer1974Eberhard Gienger Christel Justen men's national football team1975Peter-Michael Kolbe Ellen WellmannBorussia Mönchengladbach 1976Gregor Braun Rosi Mittermaier Bahnrad-Vierer1977Dietrich Thurau Eva Wilms Germany Foil team1978Eberhard Gienger Maria Epple Germany men's national handball team1979Harald Schmid Christa Kinshofer TV Großwallstadt1980Guido Kratschmer Irene Epple men's national football team1981Toni Mang Ulrike Meyfarthmen's national water polo team1982Michael Groß Ulrike MeyfarthErwin Skamrahl, Harald Schmid, Thomas Giessing, Hartmut Weber (4 × 400 metres relay) 1983Michael Groß Ulrike MeyfarthVfL Gummersbach1984Michael Groß Ulrike MeyfarthGermany Fencing team1985Boris Becker Cornelia HanischGermany Davis Cup team1986Boris Becker Steffi GrafGermany Fencing team1987Harald Schmid Steffi Graf Germany Fed Cup team1988Michael Groß Steffi GrafDeutschland-Achter1989Boris Becker Steffi GrafDeutschland-Achter1990Boris Becker Katrin KrabbeGermany national football team1991Michael Stich Katrin Krabbe1. FC Kaiserslautern1992Dieter Baumann Heike Henkelmen's national field hockey team1993Henry Maske Franziska van Almsickmen's national basketball team1994Markus Wasmeier Katja SeizingerGermany ski jumping team1995Michael Schumacher Franziska van AlmsickBorussia Dortmund1996Frank Busemann Katja Seizingermen's national football team1997Jan Ullrich Astrid KumbernussT-Mobile-Team - Road cycling1998Georg Hackl Katja Seizinger1. FC Kaiserslautern1999Martin Schmitt Steffi GrafGermany ski jumping team2000Nils Schumann Heike DrechslerBahnrad-Vierer2001Erik Zabel Hannah StockbauerFC Bayern Munich2002Sven Hannawald Franziska van Almsickmen's national football team2003Jan Ullrich Hannah Stockbauerwomen's national football team2004Michael Schumacher Birgit Fischerwomen's national field hockey teamWojtek CzyzKirsten Bruhn2005Ronny Ackermann Uschi Dislmen's national basketball teamMichael TeuberKirsten BruhnSitting volleyball team2006Michael Greis Kati Wilhelmmen's national football teamGerd SchönfelderVerena BenteleWheelchair basketball team (women)2007Fabian Hambüchen Magdalena Neunermen's national handball teamMathias MesterNatalie SimanowskiWheelchair basketball team (women)2008Matthias Steiner Britta Steffenmen's national field hockey teamWolfgang SacherKirsten BruhnWheelchair basketball team (women)2009Paul Biedermann Steffi Neriuswomen's national football teamMichael TeuberAndrea RothfussWheelchair curling team2010Sebastian VettelMaria Rieschmen's national football teamGerd SchönfelderVerena BenteleParacycling team2011Dirk NowitzkiMagdalena NeunerBorussia DortmundGerd SchönfelderAnna SchaffelhuberWheelchair basketball team (women)2012Robert HartingMagdalena NeunerDeutschlandachterJochen WollmertBirgit KoberWheelchair basketball team (women)2013Robert HartingChristina ObergföllFC Bayern MunichThomas SchmidbergerAnna SchaffelhuberWheelchair basketball team (youth)2014Robert HartingMaria Höfl-Rieschmen's national football teamMarkus RehmAnna SchaffelhuberWheelchair basketball team (women)2015Jan FrodenoChristina SchwanitzNordic combined team GermanyGeorg KreiterAnna SchaffelhuberWheelchair basketball team (women)2016Fabian HambüchenAngelique KerberLaura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst (beach volleyball)Niko KappelVanessa LowJohannes Floors, Markus Rehm, and Léon Schäfer, Tom-Sengua Malutedi (4 × 100 Meters men's Relay)2017Johannes RydzekLaura DahlmeierLaura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst (beach volleyball)Niko KappelAnna SchaffelhuberJohannes Floors, Felix Streng, David Behre, and Markus Rehm (4 × 100 Meters men's Relay)2018Patrick LangeAngelique Kerbermen's national ice hockey teamMartin FleigAndrea EskauAndrea Eskau, Alexander Ehler, and Steffen Lehmker (Cross-country para skiing mixed team)2019Niklas KaulMalaika MihamboGermany men's national ski jumping team2020Leon DraisaitlMalaika MihamboFC Bayern Munich2021Alexander ZverevMalaika MihamboBahnrad-Vierer womenValentin BausElena SemechinWheelchair basketball team (women)2022Niklas KaulGina LückenkemperEintracht FrankfurtMarco MaierAnna-Lena Forstermixed para-rowing team2023Lukas DauserDenise Herrmann-WickGermany men's national basketball teamLéon SchäferAnna-Lena ForsterSebastian Marburger, Marco Maier, Linn Kazmaier with guide Florian Baumann, Nico Messinger with guide Robin Wunderle (Cross-country skiing relay team)2024Oliver ZeidlerDarja VarfolomeevGermany women's national 3x3 teamTaliso EngelElena SemechinGermany men's national wheelchair basketball team
East Germany YearMaleFemale1953Gustav-Adolf Schur1954Gustav-Adolf Schur1955Gustav-Adolf Schur1956Gustav-Adolf Schur1957Gustav-Adolf Schur1958Gustav-Adolf Schur Karin Beyer1959Gustav-Adolf Schur Gisela Birkemeyer1960Gustav-Adolf Schur Ingrid Krämer1961Gustav-Adolf Schur Ute Starke1962Helmut Recknagel Ingrid Krämer-Gulbin1963Klaus Ampler Ingrid Krämer-Gulbin1964Klaus Urbanczyk Ingrid Krämer-Gulbin1965Jürgen May Hannelore Suppe1966Frank Wiegand Gabriele Seyfert1967Roland Matthes Karin Janz1968Roland Matthes Margitta Gummel1969Roland Matthes Petra Vogt1970Roland Matthes Erika Zuchold1971Roland Matthes Karin Balzer1972Wolfgang Nordwig Karin Janz1973Roland Matthes Kornelia Ender1974Hans-Georg Aschenbach Kornelia Ender1975Roland Matthes Kornelia Ender1976Waldemar Cierpinski Kornelia Ender1977Rolf Beilschmidt Rosemarie Ackermann1978Udo Beyer Marita Koch1979Bernd Drogan Marita Koch1980Waldemar Cierpinski Maxi Gnauck1981Lothar Thoms Ute Geweniger1982Bernd Drogan Marita Koch1983Uwe Raab Marita Koch1984Uwe Hohn Katarina Witt1985Jens Weißflog Marita Koch1986Olaf Ludwig Heike Drechsler1987Torsten Voss Silke Möller1988Olaf Ludwig Kristin Otto1989Andreas Wecker Kristin Otto
See also Footballer of the Year (Germany) German Volleyball Player of the Year German Sports Badge
References