Dieter KRAUSE

East German flatwater paddler Dieter Krause was part of the gold medal winning 4 x 500 kayak relay together with Günter Perleberg from East Germany, and Paul Lange and Friedhelm Wentzke from West Germany, which was the only mixed German team between 1956 and 1964 equally represented by West and East German athletes. Krause also finished eighth with his longtime partner Wolfgang Lange in the K2 1,000 m.

Krause won four medals for East Germany at the World Championships in 1958 (K1 bronze), and 1963 (K4 1,000 gold, K2 1,000 silver, relay bronze). In 1959, 1961 and 1963 he won European titles in the K4. Between 1955 and 1965 Krause captured 23 East German national titles.

After his active career Krause became a sports administrator and coach. Until 1989 he was the last general secretary of the East German Cycling Association. After reunification it came to light that Krause was working for the Stasi (Ministerium für Staatssicherheit - Ministry for State Security Services) as an “unofficial employee” used to spy on his teammates.