[2][3][4][5][6] In October 1986, he was awarded a Patriotic Order of Merit in gold (first class) for his sporting success.

[7] Niesecke could not participate due to the Soviet-led boycott at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

But he won the gold medal with the East German coxed fours at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

He was a policeman until German re-unification, and was then taken over by the Special Mission Command (SEK) Berlin.

This article about a rowing Olympic medalist for Germany is a stub.