Horst SCHÖNAU

East German bobsledder Horst Schönau won a bronze medal at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics in the four-man bob together with Detlef Richter, [Roland Wetzig] (/athletes/98918) and brakeman Andreas Kirchner. At the World Championships Schönau added one gold (four-man 1978), one silver (two-man 1981) and one bronze medal (two-man 1982), while at the European Championships he won another gold (two-man 1978), two silvers (two-man 1982, four-man 1981), and one bronze medal (four-man 1978 and 1979).

Schönau started his career as a luger, placing eighth at the 1973 World Championships but then changed to bobsledding. He was educated as a locksmith and became an army officer in the NVA (Nationale Volksarmee). After German reunification he worked in water management in his hometown Waltershausen.