Oh come on, get real. How on earth could anyone have been a major sports star in the GDR and criticise the system?

It is exactly the same as China these days - very few are outspoken. And don't even go there on the old Soviet Union - they looked like control freaks

As others have said I think you're being very harsh! I suspect it was either conform or die under the old Eastern European regimes! It would be one of my worst nightmares to have to live in a totalitarian country wher torture exists and didn't allow freedom of thought and speech - if I had lived in one though I suspect I'd conform because I'm a coward and I'd be frightened for my family.

If you do dislike her so much and find her very annoying - I tell you what - we'll keep the lovely, talented Katarina Witt and you can have the uber annoying Katie Price and just to show how generous us Brits are we'll throw in Kerry Katona.....there that's a good swap....you can't say fairer than that

I think you and penelopesimpson are being a bit harsh to the poster here. They are from the same country and have seen this progress through the years so they are in the best position to comment on what they seen going on with her in their home country. People here will only know her from her performances not what she did in Germany as such so we can't judge and say this poster is wrong.

You have your view of her and think she is wonderful but you have to also take into account that this is someone who has potentially seen that there is more to her. Any other issues aside everyone is entitled to their opinion and if they think that Katarina is not nice based on what they know of her then it is their right to express that opinion.

The poster is entitled to their express their opinion but we're entitled to disagree with it and they didn't really give any strong enough reasons to dislike her. I don't agree that just because they're based in Germany that somehow makes their opinion more valid.

The poster was criticising her for praising the GDR system but the question that penelope posed still stands - how would Katarina have been able to become a skating star if she hadn't?

The 'annoying' argument I wasn't convinced by either.

Its not praising the GDR the poster has issues with its the fact she became in their words a turncoat because she then basically changed sides to suit her own means. People here only see the pretty skating and think she is wonderful from that. The poster has obviously seen from being in Germany at the time another side to her and if you weren't there through that time then you cannot say that it is wrong.

You are obviously a Katarina fan and when you are a fan you can see no wrong in them and have been there and done that myself in the past so know how it goes but this person has obviously seen her actions through the years and knows enough to know she maybe isn't as perfect as people believe its hardly fair to say that they are being harsh if what they have seen is true.

Even Wiki makes reference to her having to be basically bribed to stop her from defecting


So yes it is reasonable for them to have the opinion that she is not that nice a person. So while here she may be considered wonderful in her homecountry she may be less so and I don't think its harsh of the poster if they are telling what they know of her.

I like her as a skater but I can see it from this posters point of view.

Point taken, but there's a difference between "not criticising" and "praising" the system. The GDR had many successful athletes but very few of them openly rose to speak for the system. One notable exception was cyclist Täve Schur - but at least he's not an opportunist: He was a member of the GDR parliament for 30 years and later a member of the Bundestag for PDS, the East German socialist party.

What I find fishy about Kati Witt is her fast-track adjustment to the new system. In the 80s, West German media named her "the most beautiful face of socialism". In the early 90s, she already had a sort of americanised aura about her. She just doesn't seem authentic to me. In fact, she never did.

But of course I have to acknowledge that she's a worldwide figurehead of German sports. For example, she was an ambassador of Munich's candidacy for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

I'm not saying Karl is 'wrong' to dislike her on that basis but I do think he's being harsh - personally I would be more forgiving of her not just because she's talented but because I can only imagine how how hard it is to be young in a totalitarian society - she probably hated it as much as the average East German but was afraid to speak out against it! I wouldn't be surprised if the Stasi persuaded her to speak in parliament! And so what if she changed allegiances - the Soviet bloc had crumbled afterall!

It's not just because she's talented I'm cutting her slack- believe me there are plenty of celebrities whose talent I admire but I dislike them as people - though I save my real scorn for ghastly untalented z listers like Price and Katona! I bet they don't have anyone has ghastly as those two in Germany - perhaps Karl should thank his lucky stars for that!

Plenty of z list personnel over here. For example, we've got Verona Pooth and Daniela Katzenberger. And by the way, RTL has just sent Brigitte Nielsen to the Australian jungle.


Err... thanks, but no thanks. However, I'd gladly take singers like Sharleen Spiteri, Sian Evans or Amy MacDonald instead.

Its amazing isn't how appearing on television results in adoration no matter what the person is like.

I have noticed this particularly with DOI that is watched by lots of children. The children admire these professional skaters so much and yet in my experience the majority can't be bothered to acknowledge them.

A beautiful face and great body will never substitute for an ugly attitude and a hateful heart.

My experience is different to yours.

As with Tiger Rose, my niece meet Matt E, and were more than happy to chat with her and acknowledge when they saw her whilst training at a local rink

I didn't say all !!! I really don't want to go into greater detail, but some of them have a very poor attitude indeed believe me .

Fair Enough, Guess everyone's experiences are different. Sorry to hear you had a poor experience

Mind you , if you look on Twitter some haven't got time for their own children let alone anyone else's !!!

She's speaks better English than the English - which is not hard quite frankly! Most Europeans do.

She's one class act.

Can't believe anyone is questioning her right to be on this show.....she is a genuine all time great figure skater (2 Olympic titles for starters) and this show is lucky to have a genuine skating superstar on it.


....couldn't help noticing that Robin described himself as a Free skating world champion in the judges profile last week....he won the professional versions of this title rather than the type that were competed for by competitors during their prime international careers.I seem to recall that Robin could be relied upon to fluff the Figures part of major championships on most occasions and although his Free programmes allowed him to rally he was usually a safe bet NOT to win the equivalent of titles that Witt would win regularly with ease........just saying.

thanks for that. Of course you would know much more than I can about what went on so I take your points absolutely. However, over here I am simply judging her on her professional prowess and reputation, the dignified way she is acquitting herself on the judging panel and the huge difference between a true professional and a rather silly pop star - Emma Bunton. Also, bit of my youth looking here because I've always loved ice skating and Katarina was at her peak when I was watching.

Katarina was great tonight! Really knows What she's talking about and is very amusing too.

Erm .. no, they won't, but your dislike of Katerina is no substitute for trusting my own judgement and I think she's great!

They should be made to say why they are saving (or not) someone, so that we at home can understand. There was no earthly reason to send Andy home last week, until, of course, you watched this week's show and realised that had they kept Andy in, there would have been too many good male celebs and very few good female celebs. That wouldn't matter to me, it's often been the other way round and I'm fed up with female celebs just being lifted up and swung around and then getting high marks. At least the male celebs can't hide behind their partners.

But she will always be an Ice Queen in my eyes


I hang on every word

Katarina Witt has a natural wit.

I like her input but concede there are those with issues if they have knowledge of something detrimental about her. Even so, it's her judging on the panel we are concerned with here.

Yes I thought that.