Erwin Thiesies

Erwin Thiesies (22 August 1908 – 18 February 1993) was a German international rugby union player, playing for the Berliner SV 92 Rugby and the German national rugby union team. After the Second World War, Thiesies helped form the rugby department of BSG Stahl Hennigsdorf, which he coached until 1977. He was also the coach of the German Democratic Republic national rugby union team from 1951 to 1972. Thiesies was born in 1908 in Berlin, as the son of the custodian of a block of rental flats. After his school years, he took out an apprenticeship as a tailor and took up boxing and gymnastics as sports. He came in contact with the sport of rugby union through Tennis Borussia Berlin and the Berliner SV 92 Rugby and, despite his humble origins was ambitious in life. He broke through as a forward to the first team of the Berliner SV and the German national team. He was described as a player of iron discipline by Hermann Meister, long term president of the German Rugby Federation, and was...