In about five weeks, on Sunday, September 29, 2024, the BERLIN MARATHON will celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Before the latest news from SCC Events floods the media with information about 50,000 participants from around 150 countries, it is appropriate to take a brief look back at the historical development of this now world-famous race.

Its success did not fall from the sky, but was achieved over the decades by many hundreds of volunteer visionaries and helpers.

On 13.10.1974 – at 9.00 a.m. – 286 participants from 4 nations lined up at the chalk line at Waldschulallee 80 in Berlin-Charlottenburg, not far from the Mommsen Stadium, the home of the organizing club SCC Berlin.

 

Start of the 1st Berlin People’s Marathon at Waldschulallee 80 – standing on the curb: (from left): SCC President Dr. Eilhard Röhling, Heinz Kluth (SCC Vice President) – District Mayor Dr. Roman Legien and Friedrich-Helmut Scheel (in tracksuit)

“1st Berlin People’s Marathon” was the title of the event at that time. “Stay fit – join in” was the title of the announcement.

Horst Milde, chairman of the SCC’s athletics department and founder of the 1st Berlin People’s Marathon, had deliberately broken new ground by inviting non-club members to run a marathon for the first time. Otherwise, such a race was only reserved for members of athletics clubs.

The US Marathon Team of the US Brigade Berlin warming up on the grass in front of the Mommsen Stadium – Photo: Jane Teague

The organization fee was DM 12.00. For this you received fruit, tea and soup at refreshment stands along the way – and at the finish a commemorative medal, a certificate with your time and a list of results. When collecting your race bib, you had to present a medical certificate from a sports doctor, no older than 8 weeks.

 

The front of the medal of the “1st Berlin People’s Marathon” – Photo: Horst Milde

  The certificate for the women’s winner Jutta von Haase – Photo: Horst Milde

The time limit was 6 hours, the course ran along the Kronprinzessinnenweg, parallel to the AVUS, i.e. along the edge of the forest, to the turnaround at the Wannsee lido, 2 laps had to be completed.

The winner of the 1st Berlin People’s Marathon was Günter Hallas (LG Nord) in 2:44:53, the women ’s winner was Jutta von Haase (LG Süd) in 3:22:01.

 

The women’s winner Jutta von Haase (left) – Bernd Hübner – right. (in the dress of the rowing club Brandenburgia) – the later record finisher of the BERLIN-MARATHON – Photo: private

The winner Günter Hallas after the first lap at the refreshment point at the Mommsenstadion – Photo: Excerpt from a Berlin newspaper

The announcement said: “The motto for everyone: Without training – no marathon”. The SCC offered several training opportunities months in advance: At least 20 km running training by Fritz Orlowski, – running training for the “whole family” by Bernhard Lewandowski and training “For advanced runners” by Helge Ibert.

SCC coach Arthur Lemcke had developed a successful team of marathon runners and long-distance runners at this time, who also volunteered as trainers for the general public. Hubert Riesner and Gideon Papke both became German marathon Champions, as did several SCC teams in various formations.

The “finger exercises” for Milde as an organizer were the “Berlin Cross-Country Race” on the Teufelsberg (1964) with the sports department of the Free University Berlin (FU Berlin) – as the grandmother of all his races.

In addition to the “normal” sports festivals and the offers of an athletics department for the members, the “Berliner Volksmarsch” over 15 km (1966), the “Berliner Volkslauf” over 10 km in the Grunewald (1967) and the “Berliner Volkswandern” over 25 km with the newspaper „BZ“ (1971) brought a lot of organizational experience with the participation of the Berlin population and the public attention of the media.

The premiere of the 1st Berlin People’s Marathon on October 13, 1974 then fitted into the logical development of popular sports for everyone.

At the premiere in 1974, 244 of the 286 starters crossed the finish line (finishers).

It is quite unique that the two winners Günter Hallas and Jutta von Haase, as well as the founder Horst Milde, are still living after 50 years, as well as Rotraud Zylka – as the sports manager of the department at that time, who handed out the medals at the finish.

33 finishers (including 2 women) from 1974 can still be contacted, after Peter Bartel, who came up with the idea and was also a finisher in 1974, successfully carried out a private search for finishers who were still alive.

Martin W. Teague (US Berlin Brigade) receives the medal from Rotraud Zylka, the sports manager of the SCC athletics department – Photo: Jane Teague

4 finishers have registered directly with the organizer SCC Events and will run in the anniversary race. Among them is the American Martin W. Teague, who lives near Chicago and is being prepared for Berlin by his colleagues from the Chicago Marathon.
Uwe Meseberg – 35-time finisher (Südstedt), winner Günter Hallas (42-time finisher) and Peter Bartel (18-time finisher) will also be running/walking together.
Martin W. Teague will receive bib number “6” from Race Director Mark Milde, which he had already received from Senior Horst Milde at the premiere 1974 and which is now reserved only for the TOP athletes.

Wilfried Koehnke is the BERLIN-MARATHON’s record finisher with “47 successful finishes”, Sabine Fimmel with 35 “successful finishes”

Over the past 49 years, the BERLIN MARATHON has undergone a continuous – at first very slow, but then sensational – development, from a race in the Grunewald forest to one of the fastest and biggest runners in the world.

With 13 world records, starting with Christa Vahlensieck in 1977 (GER) in 2:45:48 (at that time still the world best) and most recently Tigst Assefa in 2023 (ETH) in 2:11:53

Thirteen world records in Berlin:

    1977 Christa Vahlensieck (GER)         2:45:48
    1998 Ronaldo da Costa (BRA)             2:06:05
    1999 Tegla Loroupe (KEN)                   2:20:43
    2001 Naoko Takahashi (JPN)             2:19:46
    2003 Paul Tergat (KEN)                        2:04:55
    2007 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)           2:04:26
    2008 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)           2:03:59
    2011 Patrick Makau  (KEN)                   2:03:38
    2013 Wilson Kipsang (KEN)                 2:03:23
    2014 Dennis Kimetto (KEN)                 2:02:57
    2018 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)                 2:01:39
    2022 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)                 2:01:09
    2023 Tigst Assefa  (ETH)                      2:11:53

The BERLIN MARATHON as a trendsetter for innovation in Germany (excerpt only):

Placement of advertisements for the BERLIN-MARATHON in running journals – later also display of advertising posters at underground and suburban train stations in Berlin 1979
Special Deutsche Bundespostpostmark 1981 – photo competition for Berlin spectators – Sale of souvenirs – socks, T-shirts, porcelain plates 1981
Participation of wheelchair racers 1981
The Berlin Runners‘ Forum (information for training and competition in the Free University (FU Berlin) ) 1981
Medals and certificates with portraits of Marathon Olympic Champions 1981
Program and results booklets 1981
Pasta party 1982
Course inspection with the “Big Yellows” Bus of the BVG 1983
SFB – the “marathon wave” 1984 (6 hours) radio broadcasting
Breakfast run from Charlottenburg Palace to the Olympic Stadium 1984
Warm-up gymnastics before the start 1984
Ecumenical evening prayer on the eve of the race in the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church 1985
Sports history exhibition by the Berlin Sports Museum 1985
Mini marathon (4.2 km) for Berlin schools on the original route of the marathon 1989
“Blue Line” (ideal line on the route from start to finish) 1990
Live broadcast on ARD 1990 – worldwide
Literature Marathon 1990 – first in the exhibition halls at the „Funkturm“ or Deutschlandhalle – then in the “Schlot” jazz club, Chausseestrasse
Marathon recovery run 1990
Marathon fruit breakfast 1991
Chip timing – introduced in Europe in 1993
Children’s wheelchair demonstration race 1994
Inline skating premiere 1997
Berlin Marathon Jubilee Club (ten times “finishing” of the race) 1998
Power Walking 1999
Bambini run 800 m children’s run 2001
Handbiker 2004

Start locations of the BERLIN-MARATHON
1974 Waldschulallee 80 – finish in the cul-inside street in front of the Mommsenstadion
1975 Mommsenstadion – at the 100 m start – finish in the stadium
1981 Reichstag – finish on Kurfürstendamm – Wertheim department store
1987 In front of the Brandenburg Gate – (in front of the Wall) – Strasse des 17. Juni – finish on Kurfürstendamm – Wertheim department store
1990 At Charlottenburg Gate – Strasse des 17. Juni – finish on Kurfürstendamm/ later near Passauer Strasse/ at KaDeWe department store
2003 Near “Kleiner Stern” – Strasse des 17. Juni – Finish: after passing through the Brandenburg Gate at the Soviet Memorial

Famous starters of the race:
1981 Sohn Kee Chung – Olympic champion in the marathon – Berlin 1936
1982 Emil Zatopek – Olympic marathon champion – Helsinki 1952
2001 Allan Steinfeld, head of the New York City Marathon – after the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers – “United We Run” –
2003 Sir Simon Rattle – Head of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit

Special features:

In 1973 BERLIN-MARATHON applied through the Berlin Athletics Association (BLV) to change the “German Forest Running Championships” to the “German Cross-Country Championships”. On 1.3.1975 and 28.2.1981 the German Cross-Country Championships were held on the Teufelsberg in Berlin.

1987 BERLIN-MARATHON invites famous Berlin clubs and personalities so that sport is also present at Berlin’s 750th anniversary celebrations. – Formation of an “ad hoc” commission by sports senator Hanna-Renate Laurien – Sports exhibition in the Grundkreditbank in Budapester Strasse and an anniversary volume/book by the Berlin Sports Museum

1988 – 1994 – Paintings of runners were published on the covers of the BERLIN-MARATHON programs. “Sport in art – race art”.

On September 30, 1990 – three days before reunification of Germany – the course runs through the Brandenburg Gate after years of Berlin’s separation. The “Ode to Joy” (Ludwig van Beethoven)  is played at the start.

2001 Terrorist attacks on Grand Zero in New York City: “UNITED WE RUN” was written on a difficult banner sponsored by Bewag. The Berlin runners carried this difficult banner over their heads at the start. At the New York City Marathon a few weeks later, this banner was displayed at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at the start of the marathon. This photo by Victah Sailer went around the world.

September 27, 1993 – 1st Regional AIMS EAST/WEST Europe Meeting Berlin at the AIRPORT Hotel ESPLANADE, Rohrdamm 80, Berlin-Siemensstadt.

September 25, 1994 – The wheelchair marathon race of the World Championships for the Disabled was held at the BERLIN-MARATHON. Winner: Heinz Frei (SUI) won in 1:22:12 – his third world best time in his seventh victory in Berlin. The fastest woman was Louise Sauvage (AUS) in 1:57:14. Both became world champions.

Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder becomes patron of the BERLIN-MARATHON – a unique honor.

3rd AIMS World Congress on 26/27.1985 at the Hotel Intercontinental Berlin, Budapester Strasse, with Fred Lebow (New York) and Chris Brasher (London).

1.1.1990 – 53 days from the fall of the Wall to the 1st Berlin New Year’s Run with around 25,000 participants from all over the world on 1.1.1990 through the Brandenburg Gate – past the Rotes Rathaus and back. The GDR border troops stamped some of the starting numbers.

BERLIN-MARATHON applied to the 9th AIMS World Congress in Macau in 1994 t o designate the Berlin Sports Museum as the “AIMS Marathon Museum of Running”. The “Dr. David Martin Collection” (Atlanta/USA) is the most valuable and extensive donation of the Sportmuseum Berlin to date. It also includes the “Henryk Paskal Collection” (Poland) and the “Wim Verhoorn Collection” (Netherlands) as well as collector’s items and exhibits from runners from all over the world.

2000 BERLIN-MARATHON proposes at the „Berliner Leichtathletik Verband“ (BLV) to celebrate the anniversary “100 years of the German Athletics Association (DLV)” in Berlin in 2002, to have a book produced by the Berlin Sports Museum and to present an exhibition.

2006 Visit by the IAAF evaluation commission for the World Championships in Athletics Berlin 2009: BERLIN-MARATHON proposes that the MARATHON (and walking) should be a four-lap course through the center of Berlin and that a 10 km fun run should also be introduced. This was realized and became a model for the next Olympic Games London 2012.

The BERLIN-MARATHON is:
Co-Founder of the AIMS 1981/1982 (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races)
Co-Founder of the World Marathon Majors 2004-2006 (London, New York City, Boston, Chicago, Tokyo, Berlin)
Initiator and founder of German Road Races (GRR) e.V.- 1995

2007 – 2019 Co-founder and chairman of the AIMS Marathon Symposium in Marathon/Athens
2007 ff. Advisor Athens Marathon

BERLIN-MARATHON held two measurement seminars for German organizers together with the Deutscher Leichtathletik-Verband (DLV) and the IAAF.
The BERLIN-MARATHON organized two congresses for sports physicians under the direction of Medical Director Dr. Willi Heepe.

Other events organized by BERLIN-MARATHON:

Berlin Mountain Run/New Year’s Eve Run (1977)
10 km race in the Tiergarten (since 1984)
AVON Women’s Run (since 1984)
Berlin Half Marathon (since 1984)
5 x 5 km team relay (since 2000)

Honors
2004 BERLIN-MARATHON – “Race of the Decade” – Award from the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS)

2023 The BERLIN-MARATHON receives the „Heritage Plaque“ of the World Athletics Federation on November 1, 2023 in the „Rotes Rathaus“
Video speech by World Athletics President Sebastian Coe
https://vimeo.com/user/130671154/folder/18199365

 

The winners of the BERLIN MARATHON Jutta von Haase 1974 (far left) and the winner Günter Hallas 1974 (third from left) – Ingo Sensburg (second from right) three-time winner between 1974-1980 and Uta Pippig (far right) three-time winner from 1990 onwards – Horst Milde (second from left) – Photo: Laura Donath/Senate Chancellery Berlin

The YouTube video by Prof. Helmut Winter with Horst Milde about the history of the BERLIN-MARATHON (1974) and the cross-country race
on the Teufelsberg (1964):
https://youtu.be/sEGve18Drf8

To mark the anniversary, Gerd Steins (President) of the Forum für Sportgeschichte – Fördererverein für das Sportmuseum Berlin is publishing the BOOK: “Immer wieder Marathon! Horst Milde and the history of the 50-year Berlin Marathon. The volume contains 248 pages, 4 color throughout, in DIN A 4 format. 820 illustrations (photos, graphics, tables, etc.) are printed in it, the volume should be available in print in the 37th calendar week.

Berlin Marathon – 50 Jahre – Cover-BOOK 

Horst Milde