The Rudolf Harbig Memorial Award (german: Rudolf-Harbig-Gedächtnispreis) is an annual
sports award
An award, sometimes called a distinction, is something given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration.
An award ...
in recognition of
German competitors in the
sport of athletics
Athletics is a group of sporting events that involves competitive running, jumping, throwing sports, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and racewalking ...
who, in performance and attitude, have been role models for young people. The award was created in 1950, named after German
middle-distance runner Rudolf Harbig, who died age 30 fighting for the
Wehrmacht in
World War II. The award was suggested by the ''Clubs der Alten Meister'' (Old Masters Club), a union of former athletes and made official by
Karl Ritter von Halt, the former leader of the
National Socialist League of the Reich for Physical Exercise. Given by the
German Athletics Association (DLV), the award was for
West German athletes only prior to
German reunification
German reunification (german: link=no, Deutsche Wiedervereinigung) was the process of re-establishing Germany as a united and fully sovereign state, which took place between 2 May 1989 and 15 March 1991. The day of 3 October 1990 when the Ge ...
.
Rudolf-Harbig-Preis an Frank Busemann
Leichtathletik (2004-07-10). Retrieved 2019-07-22.
The prize may only be awarded once to an athlete, who is selected by an internal German Athletics Association panel. The DLV president gives the award at the German Athletics Championships each year, a tradition started at the championships in 1950. The award was historically mostly been given to men (37 male to 13 female winners in its first 50 years) – prior to 2005, a female winner had succeeded another woman on one occasion only. Men and women have received the honour in roughly equal frequency since 1999.
Winners
References
;List of winners
Rudolf-Harbig-Gedächtnispreis
Leichtathletik. Retrieved 2019-07-22.
External links
Official German Athletics Association website
{{Athletics awards
Sport of athletics awards
German sports trophies and awards
Most valuable player awards
Awards established in 1950
1950 establishments in West Germany