Erwin Thiesies
Encyclopedia
Erwin Thiesies was a German
international rugby union
player, playing for the Berliner SV 92 Rugby
and the German national rugby union team
.
After the Second World War, Thiesies helped form the rugby department of BSG Stahl Hennigsdorf
, which he coached until 1977. He was also the coach of the German Democratic Republic national rugby union team
from 1951 to 1972.
, as the son of the custodian of a block of rental flats. After his school years, he took out an apprenticeship as a tailor
and took up boxing
and gymnastics
as sports.
He came in contact with the sport of rugby union through Tennis Borussia Berlin
and the Berliner SV 92 Rugby
and, despite his humble origins was ambitious in life. He broke through as a forward to the first team of the Berliner SV and the German national team
. He was described as a player of iron discipline by Hermann Meister, long term president of the German Rugby Federation, and was somebody who abstained from alcohol and nicotine, rather devoting his time to running and cycling. He was called up fourteen times for Germany from 1934 to 1940. He was part of the German team that achieved Germanys last rugby victory over France
, a 3-0 on 27 March 1938 in Frankfurt am Main.
During the Second World War, he was stationed in France
and was able to make contact with French rugby players, who he trained with.
Having lost his house in Berlin through aerial bombings during the war, he and his wife Jette moved to relatives in Hennigsdorf
after the war. He begun to train the local youth in the game of rugby and was the founding father of the rugby department of BSG Stahl Hennigsdorf.
In 1950, he became a member of the new rugby branch of the East German Football Association. He became the full-time coach of Stahl in 1953, being employed through the local steelworks. He was also the first coach of the new East German national team, which he was in charge of in 35 internationals throughout the years.
Until his retirement in 1977, he coached Stahl to 17 national championships. Over the years, he was honoured by German and international rugby federations for his service to the sport.
He remained a strong supporter of rugby in Hennigsdorf until his death in 1993 and is remembered as the soul of rugby in the town.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player, playing for the Berliner SV 92 Rugby
Berliner SV 92 Rugby
The Berliner SV 92 Rugby is a German rugby union club from Berlin, currently playing in the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga North/East. It is part of a larger club, the Berliner SV 92, which also offers other sports like association football, baseball and basketball....
and the German national rugby union team
Germany national rugby union team
Germany is a third-tier Rugby Union playing nation. Germany currently plays at the second level of European rugby but has never managed to qualify for the Rugby World Cup...
.
After the Second World War, Thiesies helped form the rugby department of BSG Stahl Hennigsdorf
Stahl Hennigsdorf Rugby
The Stahl Hennigsdorf Rugby is a German rugby union club from Hennigsdorf, currently playing in the tier-four Regionalliga East B. The team is part of a larger club, the Stahl Hennigsdorf, which also offers other sports like volleyball, table tennis and boxing.The club, located in former East...
, which he coached until 1977. He was also the coach of the German Democratic Republic national rugby union team
German Democratic Republic national rugby union team
The German Democratic Republic national rugby union team was the representative side of the German Democratic Republic at rugby union, during that country's existence from 1949 to 1991.-GDR internationals:...
from 1951 to 1972.
Biography
Thiesies was born in 1908 in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, as the son of the custodian of a block of rental flats. After his school years, he took out an apprenticeship as a tailor
Tailor
A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
and took up boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
and gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
as sports.
He came in contact with the sport of rugby union through Tennis Borussia Berlin
Tennis Borussia Berlin
Tennis Borussia Berlin is a German football club based in Berlin-Westend.- History :The team was founded in 1902 and takes its name from its origins as a tennis and ping-pong club. "Borussia" is a Latinised version of Prussia. In 1903 the club took up football and quickly developed a rivalry with...
and the Berliner SV 92 Rugby
Berliner SV 92 Rugby
The Berliner SV 92 Rugby is a German rugby union club from Berlin, currently playing in the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga North/East. It is part of a larger club, the Berliner SV 92, which also offers other sports like association football, baseball and basketball....
and, despite his humble origins was ambitious in life. He broke through as a forward to the first team of the Berliner SV and the German national team
Germany national rugby union team
Germany is a third-tier Rugby Union playing nation. Germany currently plays at the second level of European rugby but has never managed to qualify for the Rugby World Cup...
. He was described as a player of iron discipline by Hermann Meister, long term president of the German Rugby Federation, and was somebody who abstained from alcohol and nicotine, rather devoting his time to running and cycling. He was called up fourteen times for Germany from 1934 to 1940. He was part of the German team that achieved Germanys last rugby victory over France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
, a 3-0 on 27 March 1938 in Frankfurt am Main.
During the Second World War, he was stationed in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and was able to make contact with French rugby players, who he trained with.
Having lost his house in Berlin through aerial bombings during the war, he and his wife Jette moved to relatives in Hennigsdorf
Hennigsdorf
Hennigsdorf is a town in the district of Oberhavel, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated north-west of Berlin, just across the city border, which is formed mainly by the Havel river.-History:...
after the war. He begun to train the local youth in the game of rugby and was the founding father of the rugby department of BSG Stahl Hennigsdorf.
In 1950, he became a member of the new rugby branch of the East German Football Association. He became the full-time coach of Stahl in 1953, being employed through the local steelworks. He was also the first coach of the new East German national team, which he was in charge of in 35 internationals throughout the years.
Until his retirement in 1977, he coached Stahl to 17 national championships. Over the years, he was honoured by German and international rugby federations for his service to the sport.
He remained a strong supporter of rugby in Hennigsdorf until his death in 1993 and is remembered as the soul of rugby in the town.
Coach
- East German rugby union championshipEast German rugby union championshipThe East German rugby union championship was a rugby union competition in the German Democratic Republic, commonly referred to as East Germany. The competition was first held in 1952 and had its last edition in 1990, being terminated by the events of the German reunion.-Competition:The competition...
- Champions: (17) 1952, 1953, 1960–62, 1965–71, 1973–77
External links
- Erwin Thiesies - Ein Leben für den Sport Article & video on Erwin Thiesies on the BrandenburgBrandenburgBrandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
rugby association website Official website of Stahl Hennigsdorf Rugby