Awarded the Order of Merit to Tave Schur
German sports icon Taev Schur, a 94-year-old cycling legend, was awarded the Landesverdienstorden by Minister President Reiner Haseloff in Magdeburg on September 2025. The award ceremony took place at the Palais am Fürstenwall, with several politicians, family members, and friends in attendance.
Schur, born Gustav-Adolf, is a name synonymous with cycling in Germany, particularly East Germany. He made history in 1958 by winning the World Championship in road cycling, making him the first East German driver and the second driver with German nationality to do so in France.
Schur's achievements extend beyond his World Championship win. He was also a multiple-time winner of the Peace Race and was publicly voted "Sportsman of the Year" in the GDR nine times.
However, Schur's biography is not without controversy. He was a member of the SED for over 30 years and was active in the Volkskammer of the GDR, and later in its successor party, the PDS. This has led to debates about his induction into the "Hall of Fame" of German sports.
The Sports Aid Foundation and an expert committee will review the option of inducting Schur into the Hall of Fame. The expert group of the German Sports Aid Foundation views Schur's biography as controversial and considers it problematic for his induction.
Andreas Silbersack, a member of the state parliament, supports Schur's induction. He believes that Schur is an icon of East German sports and that it is important to rewrite the social history of the DDR with its sports heroes.
The initiative to induct Schur was launched by the state government of Saxony-Anhalt. The Universities of Jena, Leipzig, Magdeburg, and Rostock are also tracing the long-term effects of totalitarianism, including the SED Dictatorship, which may provide further context to Schur's biography.
The debate about Schur's induction into the "Hall of Fame" of German sports has arisen for the third time. Some argue that it would not be the first time an inducted athlete has a controversial past.
As the examination of Schur's biography continues, the outcome remains open. Regardless, Schur's contributions to cycling and German sports remain undeniable.
Meanwhile, there are more sports news from Saxony-Anhalt, including decisions in city councils, investments in new swimming centers, and the preservation of sports facilities. A look at life, everyday life, and people in the GDR - including the Stasi, the Trabant, or bands like the Puhdys - is also being taken.
Read also:
- United States tariffs pose a threat to India, necessitating the recruitment of adept negotiators or strategists, similar to those who had influenced Trump's decisions.
- Weekly happenings in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Southwest region's most popular posts, accompanied by an inquiry:
- Discussion between Putin and Trump in Alaska could potentially overshadow Ukraine's concerns
