Hartmut Wenzel

Hartmut Wenzel (23 February 1947 – 24 August 2020) was a German coxswain. He defected from East Germany during his rowing career in 1971, later winning Olympic bronze for West Germany.

Wenzel was born in 1947 in Berlin. He was a rowing cox for TSC Berlin and in 1966, he won his first national title coxing the eight. He then went to the 1966 World Rowing Championships in Bled with the eight where they won a bronze medal. For their success at the World Championships, team members were awarded the title and medal Honoured Master of Sports.

After a break from the sport, he came second at the East German national championships in 1969 with the eight from TSC Berlin, beaten for first place by ASK Vorwärts Rostock. The same team came second at the 1970 East German national championships, beaten by rowers from ASK Vorwärts Rostock.

In 1971, Wenzel defected and joined RK Am Baldeneysee Essen. In 1971, his first season at the new club, he became national champion with the coxed four. For the 1972 rowing season, he changed to the eight and the team won silver at the national championships. In 1973, the rowing eight from Essen became German champion. In 1974, he was back coxing the four for Essen, and they became German champion. Most of Wenzel's team members changed for the 1976 season, but the new composition once again won the national championships.

At the 1977 World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam, Wenzel coxed the eight that won the bronze medal. In 1978, he coxed an eight that came second at the national championships. He finished his international career with his appearance in New Zealand.

He had been ill for several years before he died on 24 August 2020.