Hermann Buhl

Hermann Buhl is well known for the “Sport Picture of the Year 1958”, taken when he fell head first into the water jump of the steeplechase, although he won that race! As an athlete, he was eliminated in the heats at the 1960 Rome Olympic Games with the mixed German team, and was German steeplechase champion in 1958-59 and 1961-62. Later he became one the best known sport physicians in the former GDR, who insisted that he had nothing to do with doping practices. After the reunification of Germany this was confirmed by the investigations of the Gauck Agency, who also confirmed that he never worked with or for the Stasi (State Security). He made his living as a medical doctor in East Germany and later the reunified Germany.

In March 2014 Buhl went for a mountain hike and went missing from that day, with a search operation failing to find him. He was finally found at 1700 m elevation on 19 August 2014 in the Tyrolean area of Reith near Seefeld with his body severely decomposed. The precise cause of death could not be determined but he did not have a severe fall.

Personal Best: 3000S – 8:34.0 (1960).