Katarina Witt (GER) with her coach Jutta Müller during the Figure Skating competition at the 1994 Winter Olympic Games held on February 25, 1994 in Hamar, Norway.© Getty Images
It is with deep regret and sorrow that the ISU has learned of the passing of renowned Figure Skating coach Jutta Müller, who passed away at the age of 94 in Bernau, Germany on November 2, 2023.
Jutta Müller, née Lötzsch, was born on December 13, 1928 in Chemnitz, Germany and started a career as Roller Skater and Figure Skater. In 1949 she became a National Pair Skating Champion of the newly founded German Democratic Republic (GDR) with partner Inge Salzmann. Following World War II, all-female couples competed as there was a lack of male partners. As a Single Skater, Jutta Müller won the bronze medal at the national Figure Skating Championships and the silver medal at the national Roller Skating Championships in 1953.
The East German sports authorities encouraged Müller in 1954 to become a coach and she studied for a coaching diploma. As soon as in 1955 she began working as a coach and would go on to be respectfully known as “Frau Müller” (Mrs. Müller) in the Figure Skating world.
Frau Müller’s first internationally successful student was her own daughter Gaby Seyfert, born in 1948, whom she coached to two ISU World titles in 1969 and 1970. She would go on to become one of the most successful Figure Skating coaches in the history of the sport. Her students collected a total of 57 medals at Olympic Games and ISU Championships.
In 1980, even two of Frau Müller’s Skaters stood on the Olympic podium: Anett Pötzsch won gold in Lake Placid while Jan Hoffmann earned the silver medal.
Frau Müller’s most famous Skater was Katarina Witt, whom she led to Olympic gold in 1984 and in 1988 in the dramatic “battle of the Carmens”. She also was at Witt’s side when the super start returned to competition for the 1994 Olympic Winter Games.
Katarina Witt (GER) poses with her coach Jutta Müller and her Olympic Gold Medal won in the Women's Singles event of the Figure Skating competition of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games on February 27, 1988 at the Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada © Getty Images
Frau Müller was known as the “iron Lady” of Figure Skating, demanding strict discipline and hard work. However, at the same time she was a like a second mother to her Skaters and supported them on and off the ice. Already back then she created what today is known as “the whole package” for her Skaters, taking care of the music, choreography, the costumes, and the hair style. The result were memorable programs such as Katarina Witt’s “Carmen”, “West Side Story” or “I Got Rhythm”.
Katarina Witt (GER) with her coach Jutta Müller during the Figure Skating competition at the 1994 Winter Olympic Games held on February 23, 1994 in Hamar, Norway. © Getty Images
Following the German re-unification in 1990, Jutta Müller disappeared from the international scene and only returned to work with Katarina Witt for her comeback. Nevertheless, for many years Frau Müller was seen on the ice in her hometown Chemnitz, helping young Skaters. Among others, she consulted Pair Skater Aljona Savchenko, the 2018 Olympic Champion and 2010 and 2014 Olympic bronze medalist.
In 2003, Frau Müller was introduced into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame. On the occasion of her 90th birthday in December 2018, her club in Chemnitz organized an exhibition gala with many of her former students performing.
In 2022, Frau Müller moved to a retirement home in Bernau near Berlin to be close to her daughter Gaby Seyfert. She peacefully passed away on November 2, 2023.
The ISU pays tribute to Frau Müller and will remember her with great affection.
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