Officials Supevisor Gerhard Lichtnecker -at the 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship.
photo: © IIHF / Matt Zambonin
One of only 13 referees inducted into Germany’s Ice Hockey Hall of Fame, Gerhard Lichtnecker has passed away after a long illness at the age of 68. During his illustrious career as a referee, he worked the 1992, 1994, and 2002 Men’s World Championships as well as the 2001 Men’s U18 Worlds. His career highlight came in 1992 when he officiated the bronze medal game.
Born in 1956 in Rosenheim, Germany, Lichtnecker was one of the most influential German referees both domestically and internationally. Over the course of his notable career, he not only called 1,706 games in various German leagues but also another 221 games internationally.
After he retired as a referee, he was named director of officiating by the German Ice Hockey Federation in 2006, a position he held until 2022.
Lichtnecker was not only a skilled organizer, he was a team player who approached life with a sense of humour. His greatest ambitions were to develop a deeper public appreciation of refereeing, nurturing new talent, and ensuring the highest quality of officiating at all levels.
“He raised the bar for German referees to that of the international level,” said referee Roland Wittmann. “Many top-flight referees are still profiting from his work to this day. He was a leader, but he also had time and an open ear for friends and colleagues alike. He was also a passionate golfer, an activity he participated in whenever time allowed.”
Together with his officiating team, Lichtnecker introduced a number of initiatives that have proven to be guiding lights in Germany’s refereeing community, enabling other German referees to gain international experience. Indeed, promoting and supporting the development of new referees seemed to be a life mission of his, one that led to him working with many young talents who then later began working at international tournaments at the highest level.
One of those bright lights for the future is German referee Seedo Janssen, who is currently working at the 2025 U18 Worlds in Frisco, Texas. “Gerhard has put in an incredible amount of work in bringing in referees for the DEB. His efforts have gone a long way in ensuring that the league operations across the country run smoothly. For young referees getting into the game, the appeal of one day refereeing in one of the top leagues has been a key incentive in increasing the pool of officials.”
In addition to his many years of service to the DEB’s world of officiating, he also served as an IIHF supervisor and was a member of the IIHF Officials’ Committee.
The IIHF extends its deepest condolences to his family. He will be greatly missed, but his contributions to the game will go on for years to come.
Born in 1956 in Rosenheim, Germany, Lichtnecker was one of the most influential German referees both domestically and internationally. Over the course of his notable career, he not only called 1,706 games in various German leagues but also another 221 games internationally.
After he retired as a referee, he was named director of officiating by the German Ice Hockey Federation in 2006, a position he held until 2022.
Lichtnecker was not only a skilled organizer, he was a team player who approached life with a sense of humour. His greatest ambitions were to develop a deeper public appreciation of refereeing, nurturing new talent, and ensuring the highest quality of officiating at all levels.
“He raised the bar for German referees to that of the international level,” said referee Roland Wittmann. “Many top-flight referees are still profiting from his work to this day. He was a leader, but he also had time and an open ear for friends and colleagues alike. He was also a passionate golfer, an activity he participated in whenever time allowed.”
Together with his officiating team, Lichtnecker introduced a number of initiatives that have proven to be guiding lights in Germany’s refereeing community, enabling other German referees to gain international experience. Indeed, promoting and supporting the development of new referees seemed to be a life mission of his, one that led to him working with many young talents who then later began working at international tournaments at the highest level.
One of those bright lights for the future is German referee Seedo Janssen, who is currently working at the 2025 U18 Worlds in Frisco, Texas. “Gerhard has put in an incredible amount of work in bringing in referees for the DEB. His efforts have gone a long way in ensuring that the league operations across the country run smoothly. For young referees getting into the game, the appeal of one day refereeing in one of the top leagues has been a key incentive in increasing the pool of officials.”
In addition to his many years of service to the DEB’s world of officiating, he also served as an IIHF supervisor and was a member of the IIHF Officials’ Committee.
The IIHF extends its deepest condolences to his family. He will be greatly missed, but his contributions to the game will go on for years to come.