Mourning for Hartmut Kardaetz - the FIL’s first Executive Director has passed away

Berlin (FIL/05/15/2023) In the night from May 14 to 15, 2023, Hartmut Kardaetz passed away at the age of 79 in Berlin (GER). Kardaetz, born on October 1, 1943, was the first Executive Director of the FIL and had previously been a luge and bobsleigh official in the former GDR.

In November 1978, Kardaetz was appointed Secretary General of the Luge and Bobsleigh Federation of the GDR. During his tenure, which lasted until 1990, he won nine gold, silver and six bronze medals at Olympic Winter Games, as well as numerous world and European championship titles in bobsleigh and luge.

In 1993 Hartmut Kardaetz became the first Executive Director of the International Luge Federation (FIL). In this function, he was instrumental in establishing the FIL office in Berchtesgaden. During his 17-year term of office, the Team Relay event was created and developed into an Olympic event. In the fall of 2010, Kardaetz handed over the office of the FIL Executive Director to Christoph Schweiger.

At the 58th FIL Congress in 2010, the sports official was awarded the Gold Medal of Honor for his many years of service. Since 2013 (61st FIL Congress in Istanbul), Hartmut Kardaetz has been an honorary member of the FIL.

"Hartmut was my closest colleague and confidant in the FIL office. He was always loyal, very correct, honest and highly competent. We had an excellent cooperation for many years and were always on friendly terms. Of course I knew about Hartmut's illness, but I would have thought that he still had a few years ahead of him. I am deeply saddened by Hartmut's passing and would like to express my sincere condolences to his wife Ingrid, his daughter Karin, his son Olaf and his grandson Jonas," said FIL Honorary President Josef Fendt.

"Hartmut was well known and liked by the entire Luge family for decades and he will be missed. Our deepest condolences go out to his friends and family", said FIL General Secretary Dwight Bell in the name of the entire FIL family.