Professor Keith R. Kernspecht has established the Leung Ting System of WingTsun (spelled as one word and abbreviated as 'WT') in all European countries on behalf of the IWTA in Hong Kong and there is a current total of more than 1,500 associated schools in Germany, Austria and Switzerland alone!

The EWTO (the Western section of IWTA founded and led by Grandmaster Kernspecht) is the world's largest professional martial arts association and has branches in all the continents except in Asia where World Chief-Instructor Leung Ting is in charge himself.

Since 1982, Dai-Sifu Kernspecht's organization has published its own magazine 'WingTsun World', which is published now twice a year.

The 12th issue in 1991 marked also the celebration of 20 years of WingTsun (WT) in Germany.

One of the headlines: "Germany re-united - WingTsun was already there". WingTsun Welt No. 12 features among others a 2-page article about the beginnings of WT in East Germany titled "A WT-Martyr". A portrait of Ralph Haenel's work as first WT student and trainer in East Germany long before the 'Iron Wall' fell.

The photos show two instructors that aside from his Sifu Keith Kernspecht influenced Ralph Haenel's WT career the most. On the first page you see (WT Welt 12, page 46) Sifu Leo Czech, a former professional boxer and WingTsun pioneer in West Germany.

The smaller photo on the second page (WT Welt 12, page 47) shows Sifu Peter Vilimek, who supported Ralph's 'underground' work tremendously. Sifu Vilimek became later one of the first WT Master in the EWTO.

On the left you can click on the WingTsun World pages to view the large version (German text).

To read Ralph Haenel's bio (English text) and see more photos please go to his bio page.