Elke von Oehsen has been doing karate for 50 years and fought her way through in a male domain. Now the 66-year-old is the only woman in this country with the highest master’s degree.
Elke von Oehsen is an institution in Wadokai Karate, a traditional fighting style. The 66-year-old, who lives in Osterholz-Scharmbeck just outside Bremen, has been practicing this martial art for 50 years. And she had to fight against a lot of resistance in this male-dominated sport.
“Karate was the hardest thing I’ve ever done and it was also what meant the most to me. And that’s why everything else in life has been much easier.” (Karateka Elke von Oehsen)
Every Sunday, black belt holders and higher master degrees train under her in Bremen at Eiche Horn. Because Elke von Oehsen is the only woman in Germany who has the 8th Dan, i.e. the highest master’s degree.
“Pretty much all hurdles put in the way”
Elke von Oehsen started karate 50 years ago.
“We can train here very explicitly at a very high level,” says Andreas Mörsch, one of her students, “and she has endless expertise, I don’t get that anywhere else.” Elke von Oehsen worked hard for this. She started karate at the age of 16 – as the only woman in her club, as the only woman on courses.
“I’ve had pretty much every obstacle put in my way that you can imagine,” she says. For example, her long-time coach Teruo Kono ignored her for a whole year at the beginning of training and never spoke to her.
At the 1984 World Cup in the famous Budokan
At Eiche Horn, there are almost only men in their training group today.
At some point, as Elke von Oehsen remembers, they had a training session with her and 14 men on a very hot day. “Seven sat down because they couldn’t take it anymore,” she says with a smile. “I was standing there and he asked me my name.”
She and Kono later became friends and wrote books together. When competitive karate was allowed for women, Elke von Oehsen was present at the European Championships and also the World Championships in Japan in 1984 – in the famous Budokan competition venue. She narrowly missed the final round, but it was her sporting highlight.
“I was aware that I am the first and only woman”
Her competition days are long gone now. But at the age of 60 she passed the exam for the 8th Dan. There are high requirements in the theory and practice part. It took a year to prepare.
“I knew I was the first and only woman and that’s what I wanted to be. That’s why I did it at the time. I felt like I was ready. Why should I let that moment pass?” (Karateka Elke von Oehsen)
Fighting men made them strong
She is a pioneer, even today her training groups are almost exclusively men. Elke von Oehsen has made the argument with male athletes strong over the years.
“I always had to be better than the others, I had to be tougher than the others. And of course I’ve always had to deal with men who weighed 50 to 100 percent more than me.” (Karateka Elke von Oehsen)
The 9th Dan can only be awarded. And even though around half of the members of the karate association are now women, Elke von Oehsen doubts that she will receive this honor as a woman.
