Silbernes Lorbeerblatt

Silbernes Lorbeerblatt
Awarded by the Federal Republic of Germany
Type	Badge and Ribbon
Status	Currently awarded
Statistics
Established	1950

Different types of the 'Silbernes Lorbeerblatt'

Silbernes Lorbeerblatt (Silver Laurel Leaf), the highest sports award in Germany, was endowed on 23 June 1950 by the German President Theodor Heuss. It is awarded to athletes and teams of exemplary character that have medalled at Olympic and Paralympic Games, won important international titles like the football World Cup, or placed several times at international championships.^[1]

To be honored with Silbernes Lorbeerblatt, an athlete or a team has to be nominated by the president of the German Olympic Sports Confederation to the German President. The request will be reviewed by the agency of the German President and the Federal Ministry of the Interior as this agency is responsible for sport in Germany. The Federal Ministry of the Interior signs the approved application, following article 58 of the 'Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany'.^[2]

Individual honourees

• Fritz Thiedemann, Equestrianism. Honoured 25 June 1950.
• Inge Pohmann, Tennis. Honoured 25 June 1950.
• Franz Beckenbauer, Football.
• Verena Bentele, blind Paralympic biathlete and cross-country skier.
• Kirsten Bruhn, Paralympic swimmer.
• Stefanie Graf, Tennis.
• Fabian Hambüchen, Gymnast.
• Matthias Steiner, Olympic weight-lifter.
• Birgit Prinz, Football
• Jens Weißflog, Ski jumping.
• Boris Becker, Tennis. Honoured in 1985
• Boris Becker and Michael Stich, 1992 Doubles Gold Medalists. Honoured 6 October 1992.^[3]
• Bengt Zikarsky, Swimming.
• Toni Ulmen, Motor Sport. Honoured in 1953
• Michael Schumacher, at that time, dual World Drivers Champion. Honoured in 1995.
• Sebastian Vettel, at that time, dual World Drivers Champion. Honoured on 22 February 2012.^[4][5]
• Dirk Nowitzki, NBA Champion 2011, NBA MVP 2007, NBA Finals MVP 2011, 13× NBA All-Star.
• Lena Schöneborn, Modern Pentathlon. Honoured in 2008^[6]
• Hans Lenk, rowing.^[7]
• Magdalena Neuner, biathlon.^[8]
• Heinrich Popow, paralympic sprinter. Honoured on 6 November 2012^[9]
• Claudia Nicoleitzik, paralympic sprinter. Honoured in 2008 and 2016.

Teams

The first Silbernes Lorbeerblatt which was awarded to a team

• Deutschlandachter (for winning Olympic Gold in the London 2012 Olympics)
• VfB Stuttgart (for the German football championship 1950)
• Team Telekom (First place at the 1997 Tour de France)
• TSG Bremerhaven A-Team (formation dance Latin American, World Champion 1977, 1979–1981, 1983–1985, 1987, 1991, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2007)^[10]
• Braunschweiger TSC A-Team (formation dance Standard, World Champion 1991–1994, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2011)^[10]
• 1. TC Ludwigsburg A-Team (formation dance Standard, World Champion 1985–1990, 1995, 1996, 2007)^[10]
• Germany national football team (European Champion 1972, 1980, 1996 and World Champion 1954, 1974, 1990, 2014)
• Germany women's national football team (European Champion 1989, 1991, 1995, 1997 and World Champion 2003, 2007)
• Germany national handball team (World Champion 2007)
• Germany national women's wheelchair basketball team (Paralympic silver medallists 2008, Paralympic gold medallists 2012)^[11]
• Pinta yachting team (One Ton Cup and Admiral's Cup in 1994^[12])

References

1. „Mit dem Silbernen Lorbeerblatt wird nicht nur die sportliche Höchstleistung gewürdigt. Es ist gleichfalls eine Würdigung der „menschlichen und charakterlichen Haltung“ (Federal Ministry of the Interior Otto Schily on 31 March 2003 in Berlin)
2. article 58 Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany: Anordnungen und Verfügungen des Bundespräsidenten bedürfen zu ihrer Gültigkeit der Gegenzeichnung durch den Bundeskanzler oder durch den zuständigen Bundesminister.
3. "Urkunde zum Silbernen Lorbeerblatt – Boris Becker, Michael Stich". Deutsches Sport & Olympia Museum. 8 July 2009. Retrieved 2013-02-06.
4. "Vettel Honoured by German Nation". James Allen on F1. 24 February 2012. Retrieved 2013-02-06.
5. "Vettel erhält Silbernes Lorbeerblatt: "Große Ehre"". Motorsport-total.com. 24 February 2012. Retrieved 2013-02-06.
6. "Lena Schoneborn – Modern Pentathlon". London 2012. Retrieved 2013-02-06.
7. Archived 10 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine.
8. Deutsche Presse-Agentur. Olympioniken erhalten höchste Ehrung. Frankfurter Rundschau. 30 April 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2011. (German)
9. ""Silbernes Lorbeerblatt" vom Bundespräsidenten für fünf TSV-Medaillengewinner". Leverkusen.com. 17 March 2005. Retrieved 2013-02-06.
10. "Historie: Internationale Meister". Formationstanzsport in Deutschland. Retrieved 2013-02-06.
11. "Verleihung des Silbernen Lorbeerblattes" (in German). Bundespräsidialamt. 7 November 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
12. "Lorbeer für alle". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. 2 July 1994. Retrieved 17 May 2012.