Grand Master Prof. Em. Dr. Oliver König

10th WingTsun Master (Master of Comprehension)

Profile

• Doctor of Sport Sciences (PhD)
• Professor Emeritus at Paisii Hilendarski State University of Plovdiv (Bulgaria)
• National Coach for Austria, Czech Republic, and Slovakia
• School Director since 1980

Motto:
“For me, WingTsun is philosophy in motion. It is simple and complex. It is effective martial art and ChiKung. It is hard and soft, Yin and Yang. With WingTsun, I find my center, my balance, not only in combat but also in life!”

How the journey began

As a teenager, his goal was self-defense.
At 13, he started with Karate, but at 16, he discovered WingTsun, which has completely fascinated him ever since.

Why he continues to practice WingTsun/Escrima

• WingTsun is his life: not just a profession, but a vocation.
• In EWTO, he found a second family:
• SiFu Kernspecht as a mentor and spiritual father.
• Colleagues who became true brothers.
• He considers WingTsun a constantly evolving art, capable of renewing itself through constant innovations.

Memorable WT experiences

• The exam for the 5th student grade, with the incredibly tough "circle defense": passed with resistance and determination.
• 1996: together with GM Leung Ting and GM Giuseppe Schembri, he taught WingTsun in one of the largest Kung Fu schools in China (Loudi).
• The experience showed that modern and pedagogical WingTsun could also be appreciated in the cradle of martial arts.

Academic recognition and scientific contribution

In parallel with his martial arts career, he pursued a strong academic mission:

• 2004: decisive contribution to the creation of the first degree program in Sport Sciences with a specialization in WingTsun (University of Plovdiv).
  
• Degrees obtained:
  • Bachelor's and Master's in Sport Pedagogy
  • Doctorate in Sport Sciences (2011)
  • Associate Professor and then Professor Emeritus (2024, University of Plovdiv)
    
• International academic experiences:
  • Associate lecturer at the University of Derby (UK), Bachelor's degree in Martial Arts.
  • Creator of innovative projects such as:
    • Leadership Programme, for advanced training of EWTO instructors.
    • BlitzFight (with GM Thomas Schrön), to bridge the gap in ground fighting.

Conferment of 10th WingTsun Master

• January 10, 2025: he receives the title of 10th WingTsun Master – “Master of Comprehension”, at the behest of GM Prof. Dr. Keith R. Kernspecht, who personally signed the parchments for his three closest disciples:
  • Oliver König
  • Giuseppe Schembri
  • Thomas Schrön

Mission of the recognition

To safeguard and develop the legacy of GM Kernspecht, guiding the three main areas of modern WingTsun:

• Classic WingTsun
• WTplus (with Masters Cosimo My, Mark Tiez, and Lutz Trabert)
• Magic Hands (with Master Natalie Kernspecht)

The title is not the result of a traditional exam, but of:

• A lifetime of research and martial practice
• Academic and pedagogical contributions
• The responsibility of carrying forward a vision that unites martial art, science, and philosophy