West Germany (FRG)

After World War II, Germany split into two nations. The Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) (known as West Germany in many nations, but in Germany as the Bundesrepublik Deutschland [BRD]), was formed in Bonn on 23 May 1949 from the former United States, British, and French Zones of Occupation. The German Democratic Republic (GDR) (East) was formed on 7 October 1949 from the former Soviet Zone of Occupation.

From 1952-68, the problem of the “Two Germanys” was a major political problem for the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The FRG Olympic Committee was formed on 24 September 1949 and requested IOC recognition immediately, which came when the IOC Executive Board gave provisional recognition to the FRG Olympic Committee on 29 August 1950, with full recognition following in May 1951 at the 46th IOC Session in Wien (Vienna). The GDR formed a National Olympic Committee (NOC) on 22 April 1951 and also asked for recognition. In 1952, a German team was entered at Oslo and Helsinki. Although titularly a combined German team, it was only represented by athletes from the Federal Republic of Germany.

At the 51st IOC session in Paris in 1955, the IOC granted recognition to the GDR NOC by a vote of 27-7. However, the proviso to this recognition was that both Germanys would compete at the Olympics with a combined team, and they did so in 1956, 1960, and 1964 under one flag.

On 6 October 1965, at the 64th IOC Session in Madrid, the IOC gave the GDR the right to enter a separate team at the 1968 Olympic Games. However, the IOC ruled that both Germanys had to compete with the same uniforms, using the same flag adorned with the Olympic Symbol, and using the same anthem, the choral theme from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and that the GDR would compete as East Germany, a name it did not recognize.

At the 68th IOC session at Mexico City in 1968, the IOC voted 44-4 that, beginning in 1972, both the FRG and the GDR could compete separately at the Olympic Games, wearing their own uniforms, and using their own flag and anthem, and with their nationally recognized names. This decision was no doubt influenced by the fact that the 1972 Olympics were to be held in München, West Germany. On 3 October 1990, the GDR and the FRG dissolved their separate governments to once again form a single united German state, and in 1992 a unified German team competed at Albertville and Barcelona.

During its existence, the FRG was a powerful nation in many sports, winning 243 medals and 67 gold medals from 1968-88. Its top Olympians were Reiner Klimke (EQU) with seven medals and five gold medals, and Michael Groß (SWI) with six medals and three gold medals. They were trailed by fencer Alexander Pusch and runner Annegret Richter, both with two gold and two silver medals.

At the Winter Olympics, the FRG won 39 medals and 11 golds. Peter Angerer won five medals in biathlon, the most by any FRG Winter Olympian. Their gold count was led by Alpine skier Rosi Mittermaier (two golds and one silver), and by speedskater Erhard Keller (two golds).

In 1958 the Olympic Committees of West and East Germany were awarded with the Count Alberto Bonacossa Trophy.