{{Short description|German coxswain (1947–2020)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Hartmut Wenzel | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|1947|2|23|df=y}} | birth_place = Berlin | death_date = {{death date and age|2020|8|24|1947|2|23|df=y}} | death_place = Essen | residence = | education = | alma_mater = | occupation = | years_active = | spouse = | height = 167 cm | weight = 54 kg | sport = Rowing | club = TSC Berlin<br />RK Am Baldeneysee Essen | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's rowing }} {{MedalCountry | {{GDR}} }} {{MedalCompetition | World Rowing Championships }} {{MedalBronze | 1966 Bled | Eight }} {{MedalCompetition | European Rowing Championships }} {{MedalSilver | 1969 Klagenfurt | Coxed four}} {{MedalCountry | {{FRG}} }} {{MedalCompetition | Olympic Games }} {{MedalBronze| 1976 Montreal|Coxed four}} {{MedalCompetition | World Rowing Championships }} {{MedalBronze | 1975 Nottingham | Coxed four}} {{MedalBronze | 1977 Amsterdam | Eight }} {{MedalSilver | 1978 Cambridge | Eight }} }}

'''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.<ref name="Eight GDR champs">{{cite web | first=Wilfried | last=Hoffmann |title=DDR-Rudermeisterschaften: Achter – Männer (Plätze 1–3) | url= http://www.rrk-online.de/rudern/chronrudern/ddrmeist/ddr-m-acht.htm | publisher= Rüsselsheimer Ruder-Klub 08 |accessdate=10 February 2018 | language=de}}</ref> He then went to the 1966 World Rowing Championships in Bled with the eight where they won a bronze medal.<ref name="World Champs">{{cite web | first=Wilfried | last=Hoffmann |title= Ruder-Weltmeisterschaften seit 1962: Deutsche Medaillenerfolge – Gold, Silber und Bronze | url= http://www.rrk-online.de/rudern/chronrudern/emwmolyrud/wmrud.htm | publisher= Rüsselsheimer Ruder-Klub 08 |accessdate=10 February 2018 | language=de}}</ref> For their success at the World Championships, team members were awarded the title and medal Honoured Master of Sports.<ref>{{cite news |title=Leistungen gewürdigt |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP26120215-19661213-0-7-106-0 |accessdate=10 February 2018 |work=Berliner Zeitung |volume=22 |issue=342 |date=13 December 1966 |page=7 | language=de |url-access=registration }}</ref>

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.<ref name="Eight GDR champs" /> From this team, a coxed four was formed for the 1969 European Rowing Championships in Klagenfurt, and they won the silver medal behind West Germany.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Heckert |first1=Karlheinz |title=Rudern – Europameisterschaften (Herren – Vierer m.Stm.) |url= http://www.sport-komplett.de/sport-komplett/sportarten/r/rudern/hst/68.html |publisher=Sport Komplett |accessdate=10 February 2018| language=de}}</ref> The same team came second at the 1970 East German national championships, beaten by rowers from ASK Vorwärts Rostock.<ref>{{cite web | first=Wilfried | last=Hoffmann |title=DDR-Rudermeisterschaften: Vierer-mit – Männer (Plätze 1–3) | url= http://www.rrk-online.de/rudern/chronrudern/ddrmeist/ddr-m-vm.htm | publisher= Rüsselsheimer Ruder-Klub 08 |accessdate=10 February 2018 | language=de}}</ref>

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.<ref name="Four FRG champs">{{cite web | first=Wilfried | last=Hoffmann |title=Deutsches Meisterschaftsrudern (DMR): Vierer mit Steuermann – Männer (Plätze 1–3) | url= http://www.rrk-online.de/rudern/chronrudern/deumeiru/dm-m-vm.htm | publisher= Rüsselsheimer Ruder-Klub 08 |accessdate=10 February 2018 | language=de}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Eight FRG champs">{{cite web | first=Wilfried | last=Hoffmann |title=Deutsches Meisterschaftsrudern (DMR): Achter – Männer (Plätze 1–3) | url= http://www.rrk-online.de/rudern/chronrudern/deumeiru/dm-m-achter.htm | publisher= Rüsselsheimer Ruder-Klub 08 |accessdate=10 February 2018 | language=de}}</ref> In 1974, he was back coxing the four for Essen, and they became German champion.<ref name="Four FRG champs" /> For the 1975 World Rowing Championships in Nottingham, he was the cox for four rowers from different clubs, and this team won a bronze medal after the Soviet Union and East Germany.<ref name="M4+">{{cite web | url = http://www.worldrowing.com/events/1975-world-championships/mens-coxed-four/ | title = 1975 World Rowing Championships: (M4+) Men's Coxed Four – Final | website = WorldRowing.com | publisher = FISA | accessdate = 10 February 2018}}</ref> Most of Wenzel's team members changed for the 1976 season, but the new composition once again won the national championships.<ref name="Four FRG champs" /> He also coxed an eight at the national championships, and that boat came second.<ref name="Eight FRG champs" /> West Germany qualified a coxed four for the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and further changes to the rowing team composition were made. That team won the bronze medal in the coxed four event.<ref name="SR profile">{{Cite sports-reference |title = Hartmut Wenze |url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/we/hartmut-wenzel-1.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200418122747/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/we/hartmut-wenzel-1.html |url-status = dead |archive-date = 18 April 2020 |access-date = 10 February 2018 }}</ref>

At the 1977 World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam, Wenzel coxed the eight that won the bronze medal.<ref name="M8+">{{cite web | url = http://www.worldrowing.com/events/1977-world-championships/mens-eight/ | title = 1977 World Rowing Championships: (M8+) Men's Eight – Final | website = WorldRowing.com | publisher = FISA | accessdate = 10 February 2018}}</ref> In 1978, he coxed an eight that came second at the national championships.<ref name="Eight FRG champs" /> The exact same team won the silver medal, behind East Germany, at the 1978 World Rowing Championships in Cambridge, New Zealand.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.worldrowing.com/events/1978-world-championships/mens-eight/ | title=(M8+) Men's Eight – Final | publisher=International Rowing Federation | accessdate= 10 February 2018}}</ref> He finished his international career with his appearance in New Zealand.<ref name="RaB Essen" />

At the national championships in 1979, Wenzel came second with the coxed four, and third with the eight.<ref name="Four FRG champs" /><ref name="Eight FRG champs" /> The same eight went to the 1979 World Rowing Championships in Bled where they came ninth.<ref>{{cite web |title=(M8+) Men's Eight – Final |url= http://www.worldrowing.com/events/1979-world-championships/mens-eight/ |publisher=International Rowing Federation |accessdate=10 February 2018}}</ref>

He had been ill for several years before he died on 24 August 2020.<ref name="RaB Essen">{{cite web |last1=Sauer |first1=Volker |last2=Riethmüller |first2=Peter |last3=Weinreich |first3=Manfred |last4=Göbe |first4=Wilfried |title=Trauer um Hartmut Wenzel (23.02.1947 – 24.08.2020) |url= https://ruderklub-am-baldeneysee.de/de/news/artikel/trauer-um-hartmut-wenzel-23021947-24082020/ |language=de |trans-title=Mourning for Hartmut Wenzel (23 February 1947 - 24 August 2020) |publisher=Ruderklub am Baldeneysee |accessdate=8 October 2020}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wenzel, Hartmut}} Category:1947 births Category:2020 deaths Category:Defecting sportspeople from East Germany Category:German coxswains (rowing) Category:Rowers at the 1976 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic bronze medalists for West Germany Category:Medalists at the 1976 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic rowers for West Germany Category:Olympic medalists in rowing Category:East German male rowers Category:West German male rowers Category:World Rowing Championships medalists for West Germany Category:Rowers from Berlin Category:Rowers from Essen Category:European Rowing Championships medalists Category:East German emigrants to West Germany