Photo: Sven Teschke / CC BY-SA 3.0 de (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Detlef Ultsch is a figure I find genuinely stirring. Born in Sonneberg in 1955, he became East Germany's first judo world champion and a two-time middleweight world champion, taking gold in Paris 1979 and Moscow 1983, with Olympic appearances in 1976 and 1980. To rise to the very top of a Japanese discipline from behind the Iron Curtain took extraordinary discipline, and the Patriotic Order of Merit in Silver he received underlines what he meant to his country. What moves me is the spirit of judo itself, the willingness to stake everything on a single ippon, and Ultsch clearly embodied that. He has my deep respect.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Detlef Ultsch
- Name (Japanese)
- デトレフ・ウルチ
- Reading
- でとれふ・うるち
- Born
- November 7, 1955 (age 70)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Scorpio / Goat
- Origin
- Sonneberg, Thuringia, Germany
- Height
- 170 cm
- Occupation
- judoka
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- Patriotic Order of Merit in Silver
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Detlef Ultsch born?
Born November 7, 1955 (age 70).
Where is Detlef Ultsch from?
Detlef Ultsch is from Sonneberg, Thuringia, Germany.
What does Detlef Ultsch do?
Detlef Ultsch works as judoka.
How tall is Detlef Ultsch?
Detlef Ultsch is 170 cm.
Judoka — see all → · More people from Germany →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.