Talk:Katarina Witt

Biography assessment rating comment
WikiProject Biography Assessment

The article may be improved by following the WikiProject Biography 11 easy steps to producing at least a B article. -- Yamara 18:02, 2 June 2007 (UTC)

Deleted content
I have removed the following line from the article: "Katarina was to appear on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, but just prior to her appearance her publicist informed Mr. Leno, that Katarina would not discuss the Playboy layout. Katarina was subsequently asked to leave and never did appear on the show."

My rationale for doing so is as follows: 1. It is uncited and I cannot find any source that supports this as true, 2. I attended a press conference Witt gave in which she freely discussed and autographed copies of said pictorial, so it is not consistent for her not to be willing to discuss it on this show, 3. It is unlikely that a major series like Tonight Show would cancel a major performer like Witt at the last minute and to make such an uncited claim is actually a violation of WP:BLP with regards to Jay Leno.

If someone can provide a valid citation -- an interview with Witt, a news report, etc. -- then by all means feel free to put this back. 23skidoo 13:39, 20 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Extreme zombie-commenting, I know, but I happened across this Leno quote (which at least helps with de-BLPing him, if not necessarily Witt). "I remember we booked Katarina Witt, the ice skater, because she was in Playboy. Her publicist asked me not to mention Playboy. But that's why she's even booked! She didn't end up going on. I have to ask the questions. She could choose not to answer them. This is my job!"  https://www.ajc.com/blog/radiotvtalk/jay-leno-interview-cobb-energy-centre-august-talking-jimmy-fallon-robin-williams-rod-man/9w7hkzDsUw3EHFJQVYe4cO/  109.255.211.6 (talk) 19:48, 13 January 2021 (UTC)

Stasi
The reference for " Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (Stasi) secret police files revealed that Witt had fully cooperated with the Stasi.", the Daily Telegraph link, does not work.

Besides, in the German wikipedia it says that Witt was the target of Stasi, not informant. There's also a mention of her autobiography, in which she said that. And i remember the news coverage about that.

So, is there a source anywhere for either of these statements? Jr888 (talk) 16:10, 9 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Kati Witt was a target of Stasi like all sport stars. Her sport club (like all sport clubs) was a target and her friends and family, especialy from 1979 (14 years old), her first west event in dortmund. This was standard. But Kati Witt spoke directly, open and often with stasi officers.

Kati could not deny them, it would have been the end of their career. But her worldview was a very socialistic. She had never understand what for a level of privilegies she got. 1988 in a tour of Brian Adams, the people booed them out. They considered it normal for the East Germans travel to the world and take a smalltalk with superstars like Brian Adams. This was a slap in the face for many gdr-people. She lost all sympathy and clung to the sinking East German government. Kati Witt: "I just don't want to confront it anymore. I mean I haven't done anything wrong. That's the whole point." Kati Witt had lives always in a other reality, she lives miles far from the normal life of GDR. The Stasi gave her three cars (include a VW), 2 apartments in a prime downtown location, a cabin at the Werbellinsee and a house with especially interior - for her success and charity of gdr. Katie was almost never an East German citizens, not on this earth, but for the world she was one. Greets from eastgerman and sorry for my bad english. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 84.252.65.53 (talk) 14:11, 15 October 2010 (UTC)


 * I have changed the sentence regarding Katarina being an informant to 'accused' rather than 'proven', as no source is given for the claim, the German wikipedia only says she was a victim, and the Daily Mail article from 24 March 2012 listed as a reference for the sentence about her being spied on says she was falsely accused of being a Stasi informant. Jammycaketin (talk) 09:50, 15 August 2012 (UTC)

Updated Pic

 * Can we not find a pic that's less than 20 yrs old? --208.38.59.163 (talk) 20:22, 8 February 2010 (UTC)
 * Commons actually has one from last year that could be used.  However, the pictures used now are from the period that made her notable.   Might be useful around the sentence about her farewell tour, but I don't really know. Courcelles (talk) 20:26, 8 February 2010 (UTC)
 * Given a choice of images, I think the "main" image in the article should definitely represent Witt doing what she became most famous for. The one that's there now seems fine to me; the photo is of good quality, and it shows Witt skating the program for which she is probably most widely remembered.  I suspect many folks who are old enough to remember her skating that program probably wouldn't even recognize her from more recent off-ice photos. Dr.frog (talk) 20:57, 8 February 2010 (UTC)
 * Uh, no. Policy is to put a newer pic if we have a good, free one...which we do.  Example- Look at Scott Baio, we've got a pic from a few years ago and not the Charles in Charge era.  It's not about old people recognizing her- the article is about THE PERSON, not the career. I've updated it. --TheTruthiness (talk) 00:36, 9 February 2010 (UTC)
 * Uh, *what* policy is this, exactly? I see nothing at WP:BLP or WP:IUP that indicates the article must always have the most recent image of the subject.  Witt is only notable because of her skating career, thus a photo that shows her skating is more representative for this article.Dr.frog (talk) 02:27, 9 February 2010 (UTC)

Zero information on boyfriends or marriages.
— Preceding unsigned comment added by Ericg33 (talk • contribs) 06:23, 23 November 2012
 * We generally do not include information on boyfriends and I don't see any reliable sources discussing her being married. If you have reliable sources, feel free to bring them here for discussion. Otherwise, there is nothing to discuss here. - Sum mer PhD  (talk) 05:43, 25 November 2012 (UTC)

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 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20120112202551/http://aleph20-prod-acc.obvsg.at/F?func=find-b&find_code=IDN&local_base=acc01&request=AC05031512 to http://aleph20-prod-acc.obvsg.at/F?func=find-b&find_code=IDN&local_base=acc01&request=AC05031512

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I have just modified 3 external links on Katarina Witt. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
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 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20111206081439/http://www.itv.com/presscentre/pressreleases/programmepressreleases/dancingonicejudges/default.html to http://www.itv.com/presscentre/pressreleases/programmepressreleases/dancingonicejudges/default.html
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I have just modified one external link on Katarina Witt. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20140815204552/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/308598-the-40-hottest-female-athletes-of-the-decade/page/15 to http://bleacherreport.com/articles/308598-the-40-hottest-female-athletes-of-the-decade/page/15

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A Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion
The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion: Participate in the deletion discussion at the nomination page. —Community Tech bot (talk) 02:20, 13 April 2021 (UTC)
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Possible source(s)
Helena Michie, Sororophobia: Differences among Women in Literature and Culture (1992), pp. 169-174. Discussion/comparison between Witt and Debi Thomas's 1988 Olympic programs. Also see Ellyn Kestnbaum's discussion of Michie in Culture on Ice: Figure Skating & Cultural Meaning (2003), pp. 135-137. Christine (Figureskatingfan) (talk) 17:27, 21 April 2023 (UTC)