East German Figure Skaters | Page 2 | Golden Skate

East German Figure Skaters

S

SkateFan4Life

Guest
JonnyCoop said:
I think that was an Iron Curtain thing in general. Sometime in the early 80s, Soviet officials were criticizing Torvill & Dean for having illegal moves in their free dances and T & D's coach, Betty Callaway, responded by saying, "Well, I'm delighted that the Russians have finally found the rule book". :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I remember that incident. It was obvious that everyone was not on the same page during the Cold War years. Bloc judging, etc. Ugh. :mad:
 

mpal2

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
You mean people are on the same page now????? :eek:

WHERE? WHEN?


;) Just kidding. sort of. ;)
 

OwenEvans

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 10, 2004
Just a question...what is Frau Muller doing now? Last time I saw her was with Kat @ 94O.

I always enjoyed watching her with her skaters in the K&C, especially with Kat after the SP in Calgary (and people comment on Robyn Wagner's OTT touchy-feely "exuberance"!)..... ;)

Still, I'm glad Fr Muller wasn't my coach - she has the look of a seriously hard taskmaster....
 

JonnyCoop

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2003
The latest issue of IFS had a blurb about Mueller being inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame at the last Worlds, and she was there (along with her most famous pupils) to accept the award, but there was no mention of whether or not she is still coaching. Given the current state of Ladies figure skating in Germany right now, I would have to guess that she probably is not.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Frau Muller was inducted into the HOF in Dortmund. When that happened, I expected the horses ouside the stadium to whinny loudly. :laugh:

Joe
 
S

SkateFan4Life

Guest
Joesitz said:
Frau Muller was inducted into the HOF in Dortmund. When that happened, I expected the horses ouside the stadium to whinny loudly. :laugh:

Joe

Oh, boy! :laugh: All kidding aside, Frau Muller was one tough taskmaster who excelled in bringing up a steady stream (granted, only one skater per "stream") of top-ranked female figure skaters. She seemed to have a good relationship with all of her students, and she seemed to enjoy her role as the mother figure of East German figure skating.
 

berthes ghost

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 30, 2003
JonnyCoop said:
The latest issue of IFS had a blurb about Mueller being inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame at the last Worlds, and she was there (along with her most famous pupils) to accept the award, but there was no mention of whether or not she is still coaching. Given the current state of Ladies figure skating in Germany right now, I would have to guess that she probably is not.
One of my favorite things about that induction was that Toller Cranston was inducted at the same time. It was probably thier professionalism that kept the two from scratching each others eyes out during the ceremony. :laugh:

Anyway, for at least one person's opinion on what became of Frau Muller, Toller writes in Ice Cream :

Quote:
" Peter Crick, long-time head of the West German figure-skating association, told me an anecdote that I took great pleasure in hearing. It related to the political demise of Jutta Muller.
When a German television network mounted a skating show in the small town of Weiden, FRG, Frau Muller as was her habit, demanded to personally receive any fees owed to East German skaters. Peter told her, in essence, to take a hike. That practice was no longer current. Skaters' money would be given directly to individual skaters. That was the beginning of the end of an internationally important career, and it had arrived none too soon, in my opinion."
 
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tdnuva

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Hmm..... I would of course never defend the East German politics - but I think you have to take into account that Mrs. Müller lived in those circumstances for most of her life. I know several people of different ages from the former East Germany and depending on age they had more or less difficulties to adapt to this new life style they suddenly were thrown into.

She was certainly used to deal with all things around her skaters including the money. But that doesn't mean she only would earn the money - she would also deal with all they need for practice and competitions. It was just the system before and I think a woman of her age will need time to accomodate. Give her a chance.

Listening to Witt's comments about her just some weeks ago I have the impression that she still has a lot of respect for Jutta Müller, even though her lifestyles are surely a lot different. And I don't think you can reduce this just to the fact that Müller helped her to win gold or something. Those two worked together for many years and I doubt Witt would have such good words about her if Müller would have not done a lot for Witt besides just pushing her in the practice.

May I add - it seems so easy to just put down everything East German athletes and coaches did just because the system was indeed politically wrong imho. But I'd say one has to look a bit closer who did what in which ethic and with which means. Don't put all athletes under the same maldiction. I try to do the same e.g. with people in US athletics these days even though many (too many) were found to use doping.......
 

berthes ghost

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 30, 2003
ITA.

I assume that you mean "- but I think one has to take into account..." rather than "- but I think you, BG have to take into account...". I wasn't putting forth my own opinion, just repeating Toller's for people's information. :)
 
S

SkateFan4Life

Guest
tdnuva said:
Listening to Witt's comments about her just some weeks ago I have the impression that she still has a lot of respect for Jutta Müller, even though her lifestyles are surely a lot different. And I don't think you can reduce this just to the fact that Müller helped her to win gold or something. Those two worked together for many years and I doubt Witt would have such good words about her if Müller would have not done a lot for Witt besides just pushing her in the practice.

As I wrote earlier, I would never defend the East German government, and I was more than happy when West and East Germany reunited. Frau Muller had a good relationship with her skaters - or so it seemed - yet she was one very strict and stern drillmaster. She was quoted at saying to Annet Poetzsch just before the long program at the 1980 Winter Olympics, "You must fight. You must go for the jumps. You must win."
 

tdnuva

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
SkateFan4Life said:
She was quoted at saying to Annet Poetzsch just before the long program at the 1980 Winter Olympics, "You must fight. You must go for the jumps. You must win."

Hm. Do you think those sentences are that unusual between coaches and skaters?
 
S

SkateFan4Life

Guest
tdnuva said:
Hm. Do you think those sentences are that unusual between coaches and skaters?

Of course not. However, given the context of the 1980 Winter Olympics, with East German Jan Hoffman winning "only" a silver medal, Annet Poetzsch was in the position of being the first East German woman to win Olympic gold in figure skating. That's quite a lot of pressure. We will never know how much pressure was placed on Frau Muller by the DGR sports federation to bring home the gold from Lake Placid.

I liked the approach Janet Lynn's coach used - she would tell Janet, just before she skated, "Go out and tell a story."
 
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