Bernhard HOCHWALD

Bernhard Hochwald later married his teammate Katja Klepp. He started in the 1980 and 1988 Olympics for East Germany and in 1992 and 1996 for the reunified German team. He would likely have competed in 1984 except for the Eastern Bloc Olympic boycott.

At the World Championships Hochwald won a gold medal in 1985 in the men's single, and in 1975 and 1987 in the team event. In 1986 his team was runner-up behind Italy, and they were third in 1994. At the 1983 European Championships Hochwald won the men's singles title in 2002, was runner-up in 1985, and third in 1995. In the team competition, he won a title in 1992, was runner-up in 1986, 1988 and 2002, and won bronze in 1985 and 1987.

At the East German national championships, Hochwald won titles in 1975, was runner-up in 1983, 1985 and 1990, and third in 1986. He was runner-up in 1997-98 at the German nationals, and placed third in 2001. His collection is capped by the 1983 East German and 2000 German team titles, all with SC Diana (formerly the East German Dynamo) Hoppegarten.

His half-brother Raimund Bethge was a hurdler and bobsleigh driver who became the first German national coach in bobsleigh and skeleton after the reunification of Germany.