The Deutscher Eishockey-Bund (DEBJosef "Jupp" Kompalla is congratulated on his 90th birthday. The native of Upper Silesia is one of the most influential figures in German ice hockey and is also known far beyond the borders of Germany as "Referee legend celebrated. In 1992, the Krefeld resident was awarded the Order of Merit awarded by the Federal Republic of Germany; in 2003 it was admitted to the Hall of Fame of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). Kompalla is also a member of the German Hockey Hall of Fame and an honorary member of the German Ice Hockey Federation.
Kompalla – a life dedicated to ice hockey
On March 13, 1936, Josef "Jupp" Kompalla was born in Katowice, Poland. He would go on to shape German and international ice hockey for decades – first as a player, later as one of the world's most renowned referees. His ice hockey career began in the early 1950s in his hometown of Katowice. As a defenseman, he won several Polish junior championships with his club and became Polish champion with Górnik Katowice in 1958. That same year, he moved with his family to Germany and joined the Bundesliga team Preußen Krefeld, where he played defense for many years.
From player to referee
Even during his active playing career, Kompalla embarked on a second path in ice hockey: in 1969, he completed a referee training course and shortly thereafter switched permanently to the other side of the ice. Just a few years later, he was among the most sought-after referees internationally. The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) appointed him to numerous major tournaments, including several World Championships and the 1976, 1980, and 1984 Winter Olympic Games. In total, he officiated more than 2.000 games in German ice hockey leagues and over 150 international matches during his long career. His experience and expertise took him to many parts of the world – as a supervisor, instructor, and later also as an administrator. After retiring from active refereeing, Kompalla remained closely connected to ice hockey and continued to be involved in promoting refereeing.
We offer our warmest congratulations on your 90th birthday and wish you continued health, happiness and many wonderful (ice hockey) moments.