They were the only figure skating pair representing East Germany to win the World or European championships.

Altogether, Thierbach skated with five partners: Romy Kermer (silver medallist at the Olympic Games with Rolf Österreich in 1976); Antje Heck; Petra Ronge; Sylvia Walter; and finally Sabine Baeß.

[1] A mistake in the short program took them out of any chance of a medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid however, and they came in fifth overall.

They won both Europeans and Worlds in 1982, defeating the Soviet Union,[1] on the basis of huge throws and consistency.

He has also worked as figure skating coach in collaboration with Ingo Steuer in Chemnitz.