„Run GERMANY“ – Horst Milde turns eighty-five – The „inventor and founder of the BERLIN MARATHON“ in a permanent state of unrest with many ideas and activities.

On 24 October 2023, Horst Milde, the father of the BERLIN MARATHON, will celebrate his eighty- fifth birthday.

Like no other, the agile jubilarian stands for the running movement in Berlin and in Germany with a great culture of events such as the cross-country race at Teufelsberg (since 1964), the women’s race in Tiergarten, the half marathon, the team relay and, and, and …

Conversations with the founding member and long-time chairman of the German Road Races e.V. (GRR) always turn into a replica of more than half a
century of running in Germany. Close companions describe as a special characteristic his ability not only to have promoted and advanced many developments, but also to have always looked beyond the horizon of his own events.

Despite his own sporting ambitions (800 m best time 1:49.8 minutes, 2 x 3 x 1000 relay German champion with the SCC Berlin) and his job in the family bakery, Horst Milde proved to be an excellent organiser of (race) events.

With the sports department of the Free University Berlin,  he first founded the cross-country race under the motto „All Berliners can join in“. Thanks to his advertising campaigns, 700 (!) students, club runners and hobby runners were already taking part in 1964 (8.11.1964).

Ten years after the cross-country premiere, Horst Milde, in the meantime the first running director of the Berlin Athletics Association (BLV), organised
the first marathon with a few helpers – with 286 participants – with the introduction of further endurance events such as “Volksgehen/-marsch” (1966) and 10 km Volkslauf (1967) Volks-walking  (1971). The foundation stone of the BERLIN-MARATHON had been laid, even though the course in October 1974 was still far away from the public in the forest terrain.

Start of the 1. Berlin-Marathon on 13.10.1974 in the Waldschulallee 80 in Berlin-Charlottenburg – Photo: private

„We lacked experience, of course, but our helpers were euphoric. There were two water stations with salt tablets and hot soup at the finish!“ recalls Horst Milde, thinking of the epicurean delights on the course or at the finish that are common today. And he added in the same breath: „And it said in the announcement: No training, no marathon!“ In the past as well as today, this is an important credo for the former middle-distance runner and later extremely successful organiser. As a business graduate and master baker and confectioner, he also went full speed ahead professionally.

The BERLIN MARATHON’s rise came in 1981 with its move to the city centre and finally to the Brandenburg Gate in 2003. And became a giant of the international scene early on. „I never dreamed of this development. We did everything on a voluntary basis, unlike today, and always looked to New York with
wide eyes!“

Until politics came into the play. And three days before reunification in 1990, 25,000 marathon runners raced through West and East Berlin. The winners were the Australian Steve Moneghetti, who ran under 2:10 hours for the first time, and Uta Pippig, who came from the eastern part of the previously divided Berlin.
Moving moments – also for Horst Milde, who travels the world for marathons.

Race director of the groundbreaking races in Berlin, head of the athletics department at SCC Berlin, founding member of the German Road Races interest group, co-founder and board member of the International Running Association (AIMS), member of the national running committee of the German
Athletics Association (DLV)… truly a jack-of-all-trades!

Under the direction of chief organiser Horst Milde, 355 events were held with over 1.3 million runners. „

We have indeed managed to shake up the population with these race ideas, so that they think first and foremost of their own health. We have managed to integrate young people as well as the disabled withcompetitions for wheelchair users and hand cyclists….“

Always bubbling over with ideas, he created elements for a supporting programme at the BERLN- MARATHON that have long since become the global standard of modern running events: Ecumenical church services, marathon fair,  children’s painting competitions, Jubilee Club, emergency rescue system,
doctors‘ symposia, medical forums and literature readings are a few examples.

Acted as an idea generator for the modern marathon at World Championships or Olympic Games, in which he proposed a multi-lap course in the inner cities to the IAAF – which was ultimately realised.

As a critical spirit, Horst Milde has also always dealt with the developments in running and finalised many a manoeuvre criticism to the address of the national and international federations.

BERLIN-MARATHON with Brandenburg Gate in the background – Photo: Horst Milde

In 2014, Horst Milde also initiated the „Berlin 10 km race for prisoners“, which has already been held seven times at the Plötzensee prison.

And is also the largest collector of the Berlin-based AIMS Marathon Museum of Running (MARATHONEUM).

Since 2014, the Horst Milde Award has been presented as an honorary prize by the Forum for Sports History, the support association for the Berlin Sports Museum. Proof of the highest in which the agile eighty-five-year-old is held in the national and international running movement.

Invitations as a guest of honour to the world’s most prestigious events, such as the recent 100th anniversary of the Peace Marathon in Košice, Slovakia, are also always on the agenda.

Despite a full-time job with intensive research and editing (German-English) for the German Road Races website, looking after the five grandchildren of his three children Karsten, Mark and Gesine and regular running and walking lessons of his own, there is still time to relax at the theatre and concerts.

„Of course, none of this would have been possible without the great support of my wife Sabine, our children and understanding employees of our bakery and confectionery, who incidentally provided their own refreshment point at the BERLIN MARATHON!“

Congratulations!

Wilfried Raatz
Member of the Board  – German Road Races

Prof. Helmut Winter made a special documentary with Horst Milde, which can be seen here on the internet (you tube):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4828&v=sEGve18Drf8