Former East German boxer Wolfgang Behrendt has died at the age of 90, according to a press release from the DOSB.
East German Olympic champion Wolfgang Behrendt has died. According to the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), the former boxer passed away on June 22 at the age of 90. The funeral took place in the presence of only his closest family members.
In 1956, Behrendt made history when, as a 20-year-old, he won the first Olympic gold medal for the GDR at the Olympic Games in Melbourne. In the bantamweight division, he defeated South Korea’s Song Soon Chon.
Behrendt remained loyal to the sport of boxing even after his career ended
“He lived a secluded but self-determined life until the very end,” said his daughter-in-law, Marina Behrendt. “In recent years, he increasingly avoided personal contact. Ultimately, he was physically and mentally exhausted.”
Henry Maske, also born in the GDR and an Olympic champion, commented on the loss: “Wolfgang Behrendt was a very reserved, open-minded, and pleasant person—and a very good boxer.”
After his active career, Behrendt remained involved in boxing for many years. For many years, he served on the executive committee of the GDR Boxing Federation and also worked for a long time as a sports photographer.
In his personal life, he had to cope with several tragic losses. In 2016, his wife, who had been suffering from dementia, passed away. In 2022 and 2026, he also lost both of his sons. Mario, his older son, also competed as a boxer for the GDR at the 1980 Olympic Games. He succumbed to a serious illness.