Rudolf Czech

Polish ice hockey player Rudolf Czech began his career with Opole HK in 1947 before playing two seasons with Budowlani Opole in the early 1950s. Afterwards Czech joined Legia Warszawa where he won four consecutive league titles from 1954 to 1957. During his time in the Polish league he played in 234 matches and scored 31 goals. From 1952 to 1958 he also played in 55 matches for the national team including representing the side at the 1952 Oslo and 1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympics.

In 1958 Czech was part of tour with Legia Warszawa that played in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in southern Germany. He had previously faced difficulties in obtaining a passport due to conflicts with the Polish authorities. During the tour with the team he defected to West Germany, where his family were already living. For the next decade he played for KTSV Preussen, making almost 200 appearances for the team. He was only 44-years-old when he died suddenly from a heart attack.