In 1968, Paul Ulbrich started the Kano Heilbronn Judo Club and has been working on a voluntary basis for his favorite sport since 1975 until now. He started as a club coach and soon became an official. At first he was a district manager, and just four years later he became a member of the association’s committee, where he was until the end.
He particularly influenced the WJV during his time as president from 1989 to 2009. It was also here that he began working in many higher level organizations, such as the State Sports Association (LSV), where he was a member of the State Committee for Competitive Sports for over 20 years. The busy Heilbronner holds a wide variety of positions at the Württemberg State Sports Association (WLSB), where he sits on various committees up to the executive committee.
In 1989, Paul Ulbrich took over as president of WJV during very turbulent times. He quickly took the association to calmer waters. The association is still benefiting today from what he started during this time. Under his leadership, the federal base in Sindelfingen was expanded and the highly successful ARGE BW was established together with the Baden Judo Association. WJV was one of the first associations to hire a full-time trainer during this time. The president even acted with a view to the financial side. The building in Waiblingen where the WJV office was located was bought by the association. Under his direction, several major championships were organized in Württemberg, including the 2007 Over-30 European Championships and the 2009 Over-30 World Championships at the Sindelfingen Glass Palace. The sporting crowning glory of his tenure was Ole Bischof’s Olympic gold medal in Beijing 2008.
Immediately upon his departure from the presidency, Paul Ulbrich was appointed honorary president of WJV by the general meeting. At that time he already received the Federal Cross of Merit, which Prime Minister Günther Öttinger awarded him in 2008 for his services. In 2020, the German Judo Association awarded him the 8th Dan degree. And the honorary president continues to work on a voluntary basis, for the WJV as chairman of the honorary council, also in the revision of the history of sports in Baden-Württemberg and as a board member of Sporthilfe Württemberg. No major judo championship or event in Württemberg took place without him.
The Württemberg Judo Association has lost one of its most loyal and worthy members. Paul Ulbrich has worked with great commitment on a voluntary basis for our association for half a century. His work and his humanity will always be gratefully remembered. In this difficult time, we are thinking of his wife Gisela and his family.