Her last wish comes as no surprise, because Rosi Mittermaier never made a fuss about her person, her status as a ski icon and “Gold-Rosi”.
The Olympic champion, who died last Thursday at the age of 72, would like to be buried with close family and friends. As the “image” reports, there should therefore be no public memorial service. “She didn’t want any hustle and bustle,” said Markus Wasmeier, a former world-class skier and family friend, the newspaper.
In an interview with RTL, Wasmeier remembered Mittermaier’s “giant heart and extreme energy” even in her last few weeks, when the cancer was progressing unstoppably. “She fought her way through it – unbelievable.”
Mittermaier should find her final resting place in her home town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. She had won two golds and one silver at the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck and also won the overall World Cup at the end of the winter season. Thanks to her success and her likeable nature, “Gold-Rosi” has become one of the biggest stars in German sports history.
“She will always be the Rosi we all have in our hearts”
Mittermaier’s legacy? Wasmeier on RTL: “To this day, she is one of the most famous skiers of all. Modern times simply can’t get there. She will also be over her death. She will always remain the Rosi we all have in our hearts. That is unique, but because she is not seen as an athlete, but as a person.”