ents ▁became ▁clear ▁at ▁a ▁young ▁age , ▁but ▁he ▁could ▁not ▁display ▁them ▁intern ation ally ▁until ▁after ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁During ▁the ▁war , ▁The ide mann ▁commanded ▁a ▁caval ry ▁unit ▁and ▁was ▁captured ▁and ▁inter red ▁at ▁a ▁Russian ▁prison ▁camp ▁by ▁war ' s ▁end . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁Olympics ▁in ▁Hels ink i , ▁Th ied emann ▁won ▁med als ▁in ▁two ▁e quest rian ▁discipl ines , ▁a ▁fe at ▁since ▁une qu alled . ▁He ▁placed ▁third ▁in ▁the ▁dress age ▁team ▁event , ▁and ▁won ▁another ▁bronze ▁medal ▁in ▁the ▁individual ▁jump ing ▁contest ▁with ▁his ▁favour ite ▁horse ▁Meteor , ▁with ▁which ▁he ▁would ▁win ▁all ▁major ▁pri zes ▁in ▁his ▁career . ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁Th ied emann ▁won ▁a ▁jump ing ▁silver ▁at ▁the ▁World ▁Championships ▁in ▁Paris . ▁Win ning ▁another ▁medal ▁( br on ze ) ▁in ▁that ▁event ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁in ▁A achen . ▁That ▁same ▁year , ▁he ▁won ▁a ▁gold ▁medal ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁Team ▁of ▁Germany ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁Olympics ▁in ▁Stockholm , ▁while ▁just ▁missing ▁out ▁on ▁an ▁individual ▁medal ▁with ▁a ▁fourth ▁position . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁European ▁Championships ▁in ▁A achen , ▁he ▁took ▁the ▁title . ▁Th ied emann ▁was ▁the ▁flag - b ear er ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Team ▁of ▁Germany ▁( com posed ▁of ▁both ▁East ▁and ▁West