Helga Haase

Helga Haase ( Obschernitzki; 9 June 1934 – 16 June 1989) was a speed skater in East Germany. She was born in Danzig and died in East Berlin.

Career Haase's career began 1952, when she introduced herself at 18 years at the SC Dynamo Berlin, which looked for high-speed ice skaters to the world and married thereupon her coach Helmut Haase.

From 1957 to 1967, Haase (hare) reached 15 GDR master skating titles on separate distances (Einzelstrecken), an additional seven titles in combination results (samalog, or Mehrkampf in German) and a further four on a very small indoor rink (Kleinbahn), a fore-runner of present indoor short track skating.

1960 Winter Olympics In preparation for the Olympic Winter Games of 1960, she went to Davos with the ladies of the unified German team and broke the multi-combination world record in Davos, Switzerland. With the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, she won, as the first German speed skater and as the first sportswoman of the GDR, a gold medal at the Olympic Winter Games, the gold medal over 500 m. That medal also was the first Olympic medal for any woman in speed skating, as it was not before on the Olympic program. She also won the silver medal over 1000 m and finished at a respectable 8th place over 1500 m, and all of this despite the prohibition of the entry for her husband/coach.

1964 Winter Olympics In the Olympic season of 1964, she won a fourth place in the 1000 m and a fifth place over 1500 m with the Olympic Games in Innsbruck. In the course of her career, Haase skated 23 German records.

Post-career In 1978, her grandson Robert Haase was born. Starting from 1984 she retired because of disablement. She worked also in the central guidance of the Sportvereinigung Dynamo.

Gallery

Records + World records Distance Result Location Date mini combination 202.834 Davos 20 January 1960 + Personal records Distance Result Location Date 500 m 45.9 Squaw Valley 20 February 1960 1,000 m 1:34.3 Squaw Valley 22 February 1960 1,500 m 2:28.6 Innsbruck 31 January 1964 3,000 m 5:19.7 Berlin 1 March 1964 mini combination 200.516 Davos 30/31 January 1960+ East-German records Distance Result Location Date 1,000 m 1:42.5 Zakopane 9 March 1958 500 m 49.5 Medeo 25 January 1959 1500 m 2:39.1 Medeo 25 January 1959 1000 m 1:41.5 Medeo 26 January 1959 mini combination 210.116 Medeo 26 January 1959 500 m 47.3 Medeo 31 January 1959 1000 m 1:37.7 Medeo 2 February 1959 1500 m 2:37.1 Jekatrinburg 28 February 1959 500 m 47.0 Davos 8 January 1960 1000 m 1:37.4 Davos 14 January 1960 1500 m 2:33.8 Davos 19 January 1960 3000 m 5:31.0 Davos 20 January 1960 mini combination 202.834 Davos 20 January 1960 500 m 46.8 Davos 30 January 1960 1500 m 2:33.4 Davos 30 January 1960 1000 m 1:35.4 Davos 31 January 1960 3000 m 5:29.3 Davos 31 January 1960 mini combination 200.516 Davos 31 January 1960 500 m 45.9 Squaw Valley 20 February 1960 1500 m 2:31.7 Squaw Valley 21 February 1960 1000 m 1:34.3 Squaw Valley 22 February 1960 1500 m 2:28.6 Innsbruck 31 January 1960 3,000 m 5:19.7 Berlin 1 March 1964