DSK DSK: Yesterday and today
January 22nd, 2010
W enn not as popular either, but at least as energetic sat down Dr. Eduard Rothenfelder advocated safety in German motorsport in the 1970s. In the German Sports Driver Circle e. V. 'Doc Edi' found a strong ally at that time to ensure the care of accident victims on the racetracks.
Rothenfelder discovered his love for motorsport in 1957 at the “Saarland Grand Prix” for motorcycles. His motorsport home was the Mannheim-Heidelberger Sports Touring Club, for and through which he was the medical director at various racetracks in Europe for twelve years. He found his way to the DSK in 1969 during the annual general meeting. Here he believed that his suggestions and ideas would meet with open ears - and he was right.
First motorsport ambulance from the DSK
The DSK did everything it could to achieve its goals financially and in 1970 presented the first motorsport ambulance. Ambulance in service. The basis for basic medical care on the racetrack was born. As the head physician at the Mannheim location at Johanniter Unfall Hilfe, “Edi” put himself at the service of safety at the DSK and ONS with creativity and a lot of personal commitment. He played a key role in the formation of the ONS squadron, the forerunner of today's DMSB squadron, and prepared reports and drafts for national and international motor sport associations in matters of safety and medical care.
On January 20, 1975, Dr. Eduard Rothenfelder suddenly and unexpectedly. 'He combined profession, idealism and tenacity in this fertile, selfless form like no other', Rothenfelder is described in the obituary of the DSK on the occasion of his death. On the initiative of DSK member Walter Struckmann, an aid fund was founded after Rothenfelder's death. The funds from the “Dr. Rothenfelder Aid Fund 'should serve to repatriate drivers who have had an accident from abroad. Up until 1982, numerous active drivers were brought back to their homeland through the fund.
Seven years later, medical care and insurance for active motor sports enthusiasts were meanwhile The fund was dissolved many times better than ten years earlier. 15,000 marks, that is the amount of money left in the fund, were paid for at the ONS championship award in EssenONS route safety relay donated. The DSK Presidium was of the opinion that this was the best use in the interests of the sports drivers and that Edi Rothenfelder would certainly have approved.
