Berlin (pps) Hartmut Kardaetz, who was appointed Honorary Member at the 61st Congress of the International Luge Federation (FIL), has now received the corresponding certificate. FIL President Josef Fendt and Vice-President Harald Steyrer traveled to Berlin, where they attended the long-time Executive Director’s 70th birthday celebration as surprise guests and presented him with the certificate. Kardaetz worked for the FIL as Executive Director from 1993 until his retirement in 2010 and was instrumental in setting up the FIL Office. Before working for the FIL, Kardaetz, who now lives in Berlin with his wife Ingrid, served as Secretary General within the Federation of the former East Germany. The FIL now has six living Honorary Members: Erhardt Feuereiss (Germany), Chi-You Hsu (Taipei), Tsuguto Kitano (Japan), Baron Eduard von Falz-Fein (Liechtenstein), Volley H. Cole (USA), and Dr. Milo Kriz (Czech Republic).