He was from Liberec. He started skiing in the age of 15, and was in the national ski team from 1948 to 1955. As a conscript he served at the army sports club in Prague (Armádní tělocvičný klub). Before they went to Saint Moritz, they trained in Špindlerův Mlýn.
In the rank of a Vojín he was a member of the national Olympic military patrol team in 1948 which placed sixth.