Collaborative Project with Steinmühle: SF Blau-Gelb Marburg Receives the 2nd Jürgen-Markus Award for Accessible Participation in Sports

“People are not disabled—people are made disabled. If we consistently work to internalize this principle and eliminate disabilities, then we will have made significant progress toward inclusion,” said Mayor Dr. Thomas Spies. Jürgen Markus, who faced unexpected challenges after suffering a spinal cord injury, dedicated himself from that point on—until his death in 2010—to ensuring that people with disabilities could lead dignified and self-determined lives. “It is impressive to see the determination, consistency, and sensitivity with which Jürgen Markus worked tirelessly and unwaveringly on behalf of people with disabilities in our city,” said the mayor in his tribute. In this spirit, many people, organizations, and institutions in Marburg remain committed to this cause even today—an effort the city honors every two years with the Jürgen Markus Prize.

“This year, the jury selected two winners from among the nominations,” explained Susanne Holz, curator of the Jürgen-Markus Prize. The first prize, worth 10,000 euros, goes to the Marburg Basketball Club in 2022. “At BC Marburg, inclusion has become an integral part of the club’s culture,” Holz continued, adding, “The team for players with disabilities is a natural part of the club, just as people with disabilities are a natural part of the fan base.” The jury was impressed by the sustainability of inclusion at BC Marburg. This is not yet a given, especially in team sports. Hilde Rektorschek, a member of the BC Marburg board, accepted the 2022 Jürgen-Markus Prize from Spies and Holz.

Second prize was awarded to Sportfreunde Blau-Gelb Marburg, Steinmühle, fib, Kerstin-Heim, and Special Olympics for their project “Gemeinsam.” “It’s impressive that so many partners are working together to make inclusion in sports a reality,” the curator praised. The project is still in its early stages, so the award is intended to encourage the team and, at the same time, motivate other clubs to open their doors to people with disabilities. “Gemeinsam” receives 5,000 euros. The award was accepted by Dr. Anton Schmölz, chairman of Sportfreunde Blau-Gelb Marburg, and Martina Strube from the Kerstin-Heim.

 

Background

Jürgen Markus championed accessibility in Marburg to enable people with disabilities to lead more self-determined lives. After his death in 2010, there was widespread support for honoring Jürgen Markus in recognition of his tremendous dedication and impressive personality. Across party lines, the city council unanimously decided to establish an award on behalf of the city, which was first presented in 2012. Since then, it has been awarded every two years. The goal of the award is to achieve greater accessibility in order to make it easier for people with disabilities to participate in social life. The award is intended both to honor dedicated efforts and to inspire new ideas.

Jürgen Markus was born in 1957 in Bad Driburg, East Westphalia. In the late 1970s, he moved to Marburg to attend university. In February 1982, he suffered irreparable injuries to his cervical spine in an accident during the Philipps University sports festival, resulting in permanent paraplegia. This new situation presented him with unforeseen challenges in the most basic aspects of his life. His “second life”—as he himself called it—was shaped by the fight for a dignified and self-determined life for people with disabilities. He was active in the Marburg Disability Initiative (KRIM) and in the Association for the Promotion of Inclusion of People with Disabilities (fib), which he significantly shaped as its chairman for many years. In local politics, he served as a representative of Alliance 90/The Greens in the city council from 1998 to 2007, primarily on the Building Committee in the area of urban development. He helped establish the Advisory Board for People with Disabilities in 1997 and, as its vice chair until his death, had a profound influence on the board through his leadership.

The fact that accessibility is promoted and advocated for across party lines in Marburg, and that the Advisory Council for People with Disabilities is involved in decisions affecting people with disabilities, is primarily thanks to Jürgen Markus, who had a gift for winning people over by treating them with respect.

In the final years of his life, he was forced to gradually step back and relinquish his positions as he struggled increasingly with health complications resulting from his injuries. He died in February 2010 at the age of 52.