Michael Hopfes

The German Figure Skating Championships () are an annual figure skating competition organized by the German Ice Skating Union () to crown the national champions of Germany. The first official German championships were held in 1891 in Munich; A. Schmitson was the winner. Pair skating was added in 1907, an event for women in 1911, and ice dance in 1950. Between 1949 and 1990, East Germany and West Germany held separate championships; the West German championships are considered the official German championships.

Skaters compete in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance at the senior, junior, and novice levels, although not every discipline is held every year due to a lack of participants.

Werner Rittberger, who is credited with inventing the loop jump, holds the record for winning the most German championships in men's singles (with eleven), while Ellen Brockhöft and Nicole Schott are tied for winning the most championships in women's singles (with seven each). Aljona Savchenko holds the record in pair skating (with ten, although not all with the same partner). Three teams are tied for winning the most German championships in ice dance: Angelika Buck and Erich Buck; Kati Winkler and René Lohse; and Nelli Zhiganshina and Alexander Gazsi (with six each).

History

While unofficial German figure skating championships were held from 1887 to 1889 in Hamburg, the first official championship event was held in Munich in 1891. A. Schmitson won this inaugural event. In its early years, Germany and the Austrian part of Austria-Hungary had joint championships. The second German champion Georg Zachariades, for example, was from Vienna, as was Gustav Hügel, who won in 1894. The first German Nationals in pair skating were held in 1907 in Altona, for women in Olomouc in 1911, and for ice dance in Cologne in 1950.

After the Anschluss – the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into Nazi Germany in March 1938 – Austrian skaters competed in the German Championships until World War II ended and Austria regained its independence. In 1945 and 1946, no championships were held at all.

From 1949 to 1990, East Germany and West Germany held separate national championships. Winners in West Germany were called German Champions and are therefore covered in the tables below. In East Germany, the winners were called GDR Champions (). The medalists from the National Championships in East Germany are listed at East German Figure Skating Championships.

Senior medalists

Men’s singles

Women's singles

Pairs

Ice dance

Junior medalists

Men's singles

Women's singles

Pairs

Ice dance

Records

References

External links

Deutsche Eislauf-Union

Deutsche Meisterschaften 1891–2000 (Gold Medalists)

{{Top sport leagues in Germany

Figure skating national championships
Figure skating in Germany
Figure skating in West Germany