The Deutscher Eishockey-Bund (DEB) mourns the loss of former national coach Gerhard Kießling, who died last Friday at the age of 94.
“With Gerhard Kießling, German ice hockey is losing an outstanding coach and ambassador. In addition to the national team and the young talent national teams, he also particularly influenced German club ice hockey. The Deutscher Eishockey-Bund owes Gerhard Kießling an endless amount. Gerhard was interested in ice hockey and its developments until the end. Our thoughts are with his family and especially with his son Udo,” he said DEB-President Franz Reindl.
Kießling coached both the GDR national ice hockey teams, for which he was also an active player, and, after his escape to the West (1957), those of the Federal Republic. Between 1966 and 1974, Kießling was national coach several times, including in the young talent area. He also worked in Krefeld, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Augsburg, Rosenheim, Frankfurt, Riessersee and Füssen. The Kölner Haie he led to the German championship in 1977 and 1979.
Many greats of German ice hockey went through the ice hockey pioneer's school: from Alois Schloder to Lorenz Funk and Franz Reindl to Erich Kühnhackl. Kießling's son Udo (58) is Germany's record national player with 320 appearances to date.