Germany (GER) participated in the inaugural Paralympic Games in 1960 in Rome, where it sent a delegation of nine athletes. The country, since 1949 officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), was until 1990 also called West Germany while the separate East German Democratic Republic (GDR) existed, which was recognized by the IOC only after 1964. East German athletes, however, participated in the Paralympics for the first and last time in 1984. Following the reunification of Germany in 1990, athletes from all of Germany compete simply as Germany (GER) again.[1]
Germany has participated in every edition of the Summer Paralympics, and has also taken part in every edition of the Winter Paralympics, from the first in 1976. Germany was the host country of the 1972 Summer Paralympics, in Heidelberg.[2]
Germany has won a total of 1587 Paralympic medals, of which 554 gold, 535 silver and 500 bronze. (And if one adds East Germany's tally, the total rises to 1591.) This is more than any country other than the United States. The International Paralympic Committee, however, maintains separate records for "Germany" (1960–64 and 1992–present) and "West Germany" (due to their separate IPC codes), giving West Germany a total of 873 medals, and Germany a total of 714. This places the "two countries" sixth and seventh, respectively, on the all-time Paralympic Games medal table - behind the United States, Great Britain, Canada, France and Australia.[3]
Germany has consistently been one of the world's strongest nations at the Paralympics. Prior to 2008, at the Summer Games, it had always been among the top ten on the medal tables, and was within the top three on six occasions. In 2008, it dropped to 11th place. At the Winter Games, Germany has always been among the top three, except in 1980 (7th) and 1984 (4th). It topped the medal table at the 1972 Summer Paralympics (which it hosted), and the 1976, 2002 and 2010 Winter Games.[4]
Among Germany's most successful Paralympians are[5]
- Reinhild Möller, winner of 19 medals (of which 16 gold) in alpine skiing, and 4 medals (of which 3 are gold) in athletics
- Claudia Hengst: 25 medals (of which 13 gold) in swimming
- Gerd Schönfelder: 17 medals (of which 12 gold) in alpine skiing
- Frank Höfle: 17 medals (of which 10 gold) in cross-country skiing.
Medal tallies
These tallies include the results for both "Germany" and "West Germany". They do not include the four medals of East Germany at the Paralympics.
Summer Paralympics
Elfriede Ranz (Pilot) and Ursula Egner of Germany on the medal dais after winning silver in the Women's tandem Kilo on the track at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games.
Winter Paralympics
See also
References
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West Germany (1960–1988)
East Germany (1984)