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Katarina Witt Turns 60 as ARD Debuts Five-Part Life Documentary

The two-time Olympic champion marks the milestone privately, with a new series revisiting her journey from East German prodigy to global icon.

Overview

  • ARD's Being Katarina Witt traces her career with newly surfaced archival footage and extensive interviews that explore both triumphs and pressures.
  • Shortly before her birthday, Witt returned to Calgary's Olympic Saddledome and briefly skated again after six years off the ice, calling the city her "ticket for the journey of my life."
  • She remains publicly active through her Kurvenstar studio in Potsdam and a foundation that has supported children and young people with impairments for about two decades.
  • Witt has voiced support for German pair Minerva-Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin, describing them as contenders for success at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
  • Current coverage revisits her dual status in the former GDR as a celebrated showcase athlete under Stasi surveillance and her later harsh reception in parts of the West.