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Sports journalist Heinz Florian Oertel is dead

Er was the voice of GDR sports television and radio: Heinz Florian Oertel. He inspired millions with his reports, talk shows and entertainment programs, but he also polarized. On March 27, his voice was silenced forever. His family confirmed this to the German Press Agency on Wednesday. First the “image” had reported. Oertel was 95 years old.

Oertel was always there where the big sport was and where the GDR stars could hope for success. He covered seventeen Olympic Games. The 1974 was one of the eight soccer World Cups, for which the GDR had qualified for the first time and only once.

The journalist, who was born in Cottbus on December 11, 1927, of course also commented on the legendary 1-0 victory over the Federal Republic of Germany in Hamburg. Unlike in other reports, in which he gave free rein to his feelings, he seemed quite sober both at the goal from Jürgen Sparwasser and at the final whistle.

“Call your newcomers Waldemar!”

But everyone knew: Oertel could also do things differently. Of course, the report from August 1, 1980 at the Olympic Games in Moscow will never be forgotten. He euphorically described the second Olympic victory of marathon runner Waldemar Cierpinski as follows: “Dear spectators at home, this is a unique triumph. Dear young fathers or aspiring fathers, have courage, call your newcomers today Waldemar. Waldemar is here!”

Football, athletics, cycling, boxing, figure skating – Oertel knew his way around, had extensive technical and general knowledge. And he always included this in his reports, which became lively and particularly worth listening to. The cycling decisions with Täve Schur or Olaf Ludwig, the figure skating highlights with Katarina Witt – Oertel always found the right words.

Word acrobat on all continents

In his 50 years of work, the bald-headed reporter traveled to all continents – and thus became a cosmopolitan of his small country. Oertel’s trademarks were voice, style and language. He kept his distance but was always close when things were happening in the stadium. Finland’s four-time Olympic cross-country skiing champion Lasse Virén called word acrobat Oertel in the exuberance of emotions “tartan moose”.

In the past few years things had calmed down around Oertel. Even before his 90th birthday, he had retired due to illness, after having traveled the country with various books for readings. As an author, the editor of various Olympic books often dealt critically with social issues – even in the days of the GDR.

After receiving his doctorate in Leipzig in 1981, Oertel also lectured at various universities, and after reunification also in the Federal Republic. In December 1989, Oertel commented on the Bundesliga match between VfB Stuttgart and 1. FC Köln for Südwestfunk.

He acted as a moderator of television programs such as “Ein Kessel Buntes” and also hosted radio and television programs such as “He, he, he – Sport an der Spree”, “Schlager eines Große Stadt” and “Portrait by Telephone”.

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