Ulrich Klaes
Ulrich Klaes (born 1946) is a German former field hockey player who won the gold medal with the West German team at the 1972 Summer Olympics in München, his country's home Games. He played club hockey for Rot-Weiss Köln and earned nine international caps for West Germany between 1971 and 1972.1
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1946 in Essen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany1 |
| Olympic result | Gold, men's field hockey, 1972 München; final won 1-0 against Pakistan1 |
| International career | Nine caps for West Germany, 1971-72; six matches and one goal at the 1972 Olympic tournament1 • 3 |
| Club | Rot-Weiss Köln; West German field champion 1972, 1973, and 1974; national indoor champion 19741 |
| Award | Silbernes Lorbeerblatt (Silver Bay Leaf), Germany's highest sports award, conferred 11 September 19721 |
| Physical profile | 181 cm / 75 kg; right winger with a 100 m best time under 11 seconds1 |
| Later career | Founded his own company in Mannheim in 1983, dealing with combustibles1 |
Early career and selection
Klaes debuted for the West German national team in 1971.
The 1972 Olympic tournament
West Germany went through the preliminary round with wins over Belgium, Malaysia, Argentina, Pakistan, Spain, and France and a draw against Uganda, then beat the Netherlands 3-0 in the semifinal.2 In the final, West Germany faced Pakistan, the reigning world champion, and won 1-0 through a penalty-corner goal by Michael Krause.1 It was the first Olympic gold in field hockey for Germany.2
Klaes played six matches at the tournament and scored one goal, against Belgium; a Russian-language profile lists his position as defender.3 The official Olympic report records him in the German line-up for the opening group match against Argentina, which West Germany won 2-1.4
The victory brought the team national recognition. Its members received the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt (Silver Bay Leaf), Germany's highest sports award, on 11 September 1972, and German sports journalists elected the hockey squad Team of the Year 1972.1 • 2
Club career with Rot-Weiss Köln
Domestically Klaes played for Rot-Weiss Köln. The club had finished as West German runners-up several times before winning the field championship in 1972, his first title year, and retained the title in 1973 and 1974; the team also took the national indoor championship in 1974.1 Five of his Olympic teammates came from the same club: Werner Kaessmann, Wolfgang Strödter, Eduard Thelen, and, from other Cologne clubs, Michael Krause of Schwarz-Weiß Köln.2
His international career ended with the München Games. He finished with nine caps for West Germany, all won in 1971 and 1972, and did not play for the national team again afterward.1 • 3
Later life
Klaes went into business. In 1983 he founded his own company in Mannheim dealing with combustibles, and later profiles describe him as a businessman in the fuel industry.1
References
- Ulrich Klaes, Olympedia
- Olympische Hockeyturniere – deutsche Medaillenerfolge, RRK 08 Hockey
- Клес, Ульрих, profilpelajar.com
- Olympic Report Munich 1972, Volume 3: The Competitions, LA84 Foundation
Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Hockey and remaining team sports › Field hockey › German field hockey players
Initially written Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 25, 2026
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