Career
She set three world records in the 100 m (1958, 1:203 and 1:196) and 200 m (1961, 2:480) breaststroke events. At the 1958 European Championships she finished fourth in the 4×100 m medley relay. The same year she was selected as East German Sportspersonality of the Year.
Between 1961 and 1965 she studied physiotherapy at a medical institute in Leipzig and later worked as a coach, retiring in 2002.
She lives in Halle.