Klaus Glahn

Klaus Glahn was by far West Germany’s best judoka in the 1960s and 1970s. He won a 1964 bronze medal team in the open class at the first Olympic appearance of judo, competing for the mixed German, and was thus awarded the Silver Bay Leaf, Germany’s highest sports award. When judo returned to the Olympic Program in 1972, he won silver in the heavyweight class and finished fifth in the open class. Glahn also won three silver (1967, 1969, 1971) and two bronze medals (1971, 1973) at the World Championships. He won four European titles, and claimed 18 West German titles.

In 1981 Glahn was awarded the seventh dan by the West German Judo Federation, while in 2007 he received the ninth dan from the German dan College, and in 2016 the eighth dan again by the German Judo Federation. He later became a sports administrator and was vice president of high performance sport within the West German Judo Federation from 1982-85, president of the West German Judo Federation from 1985-88, and also vice president of the European Judo Union from 1985-88. From 1988-90 he became head of the newly founded Olympic center at Hannover / Wolfsburg.

By profession Glahn worked as a sales manager for different companies, and after reunification was a brand manager responsible for former East German counties. He was also active as a politician.