The National Championships of the German Democratic Republic in Figure Skating were the figure skating national championship held annually to determine the national champions of the German Democratic Republic, often referred to as East Germany. Skaters competed in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies singles, pair skating, and ice dancing.
They were held annually between 1949 and 1990, the years of the existence of the German Democratic Republic, and were organized by the DELV, the national figure skating association of the GDR. During the same period, the German Figure Skating Championships were held in the Federal Republic of Germany, commonly known as West Germany.
Following the reunification of Germany, East German skaters competed at the German Championships, and the East German championships were no longer held.
Famous quotes containing the words east, german, figure and/or skating:
“We have heard all of our lives how, after the Civil War was over, the South went back to straighten itself out and make a living again. It was for many years a voiceless part of the government. The balance of power moved away from it—to the north and the east. The problems of the north and the east became the big problem of the country and nobody paid much attention to the economic unbalance the South had left as its only choice.”
—Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908–1973)
“Many of our German friends before the war would come as our guest to hunt wild pig. I refused to invite Goering. I could not tolerate his killing a wild pig— seemed too much like brother against brother.”
—Joseph L. Mankiewicz, U.S. director, screenwriter. Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Countess (Danielle Darrieux)
“All official institutions of language are repeating machines: school, sports, advertising, popular songs, news, all continually repeat the same structure, the same meaning, often the same words: the stereotype is a political fact, the major figure of ideology.”
—Roland Barthes (1915–1980)
“In skating over thin ice, our safety is in our speed.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)