Friedrich KRISCHAN

As a young man Friedrich "Fritz" Krischan went to Norway from Austria in 1940 with his police battalion. As member of the Polizeibataillon 302 (known as Polizei-Ausbildungs-Bataillon München until 5 September 1940) he was a police aspirant. It was also in Norway where he won his first cross-country events in 1940. After the war he joined the police forces in his native Graz in December 1948. At the same time he also became a member of the police sports club in Graz and started to participate in cross-country events regularly.

In 1949 Krischan finished third in the 16 km race at the Austrian championships and in 1951 won his only national title, over 16 km. One year later he finished fifth with the Austrian relay team at the 1952 Winter Olympics and in 1954 Krischan was part of the 4×10 km team that finished ninth at the World Nordic Ski Championships in Falun, Sweden. At the inaugural World Biathlon Championships in Saalfelden (AUT) in 1958 he finished 25th in the individual race and fifth with the Austrian team in the team event. He also won several championships in Styria and several police championships.

After his active career Krischan became a successful coach with his home club especially with youth and female athletes as well as an Austrian national coach, but also served in different other positions in his club and in the local and national cross-country organisation of Styria and Austria.

Krischan remained with the police and at the police sports club for his whole life. He retired as Kriminal Abteilungsinspektor (criminal section inspector) and became an honorary member of his PSV Graz.