Grandmaster Klaus G.W. Trogemann
Founder of the Traditional Global Tang Soo Do Association
KCN Klaus Trogemann began his Martial Arts journey in 1965 at the age of 19 when he started training at a private Judo school in Bonn, Germany where he was completing an apprenticeship as an electronics technician. For years he enjoyed the intense training regime with falling, rolling, locks, throwing a.s.o. After finishing his apprenticeship, he had to serve in the German army and became fascinated with Ju Jutsu. He adapted these Ju Jutsu techniques to include them into his Judo practice for efficient self-defence. After his military service and studies at the technical university of Cologne, where he achieved a master degree as a telecommunications engineer in 1973, he was employed at a global operating electronics company in Munich for 30 years. He was travelling and working for the company worldwide. In the sports centre of this company, he took over the training of Judo and Ju Jutsu and achieved a 2nd Dan in Judo in 1979 and a 3rd Dan in Ju Jutsu 1985.
In 1977 whilst working for this company he was assigned to a development and research centre in New Jersey, USA. By accident he met Master Jae Chul Shin in one of his New Jersey TSD studios. Master Jae Chul Shin was at this time a 7th Dan Black Belt member of the United States Moo Duk Kwan TSD Federation. The exceptional martial artist invited Klaus Trogemann to join his evening classes in Tang Soo Do. Due to his experience in Judo and Ju Jutsu and his talent Klaus Trogemann progressed rapidly and he became fascinated and hooked on this wonderful art. Through the teaching of at this time already KCN Shin, after already practising martial sports for twelve years, Klaus Trogemann began to understand what martial art really means.
For years Klaus Trogemann had to go back and forth between Germany and the USA and always continued his training in KCN Shin’s and Master Yi’s NJ TSD studio. In 1981 Kwan Chang Nim Shin invited him to spend some weeks at his home with the goal to obtain a 1st Dan in TSD. Being promoted to Black Belt in 1982, he was keen to start instructing and sharing his passion for Tang Soo Do with others. At the tech company’s gym in Munich, he began to teach TSD with the influence of his knowledge in Judo and Ju Jutsu.
Since 1982, when he was one of the charter members of the World Tang Soo Do Association (WTSDA) and was appointed the first European director, up to today Klaus Trogemann has been developing clubs and studios under his leadership. He established the German Tang Soo Do Association (DTSDV) in 1997 with back then eight studios. Over the years Klaus Trogemann spent repeatedly weeks at Grandmaster Shin’s home with KCN Shin and his family and not only became a personal student but also a friend. Klaus Trogemann adopted and internalised Grandmaster Shin’s technical aspects as well as his way of thinking through the private teaching.
In 1993 after his first master clinic in Florida USA Klaus Trogemann was promoted to 4th Dan Master (SBN – Sah Bum Nim) in the WTSDA. As a key member of the WTSDA team, he was an initiator of growth in Europe up to association status. Throughout all this time, he was in high demand to teach traditional TSD in various European countries. He was rewarded for his hard work, unselfish support and commitment by the friendship of many martial arts practitioners in Europe and around the world.
He also trained Hap Ki Do with Do Ju Nim (founder) Ji Han Jae and Ki Gong with Grandmaster Shin and achieved a 7th degree in both Hap Ki Do and Ki Gong. He has been teaching these martial arts besides Tang Soo Do on many occasions. In 2017 after 40 years Klaus Trogemann achieved the rank of 7th Dan International Senior TSD Master in Tang Soo Do and an 8th degree in Chi Kung Karate.
Besides many other outstanding achievements, for now over 48 years Klaus Trogemann has successfully been organising various national and international martial art events and tournaments, such as TSD seminars, Masters- and Black Belt clinics, summer camps or International German Championships and European Championships.
Besides being the president of the German Tang Soo Do Association (DTSDV), he is also president in other traditional martial arts organisations where he is also continuing to develop and promote traditional Tang Soo Do both in Europe and the world. He enjoys the support and brother- and sisterhood of friendship of various Tang Soo Do organisations and the global Tang Soo Do family. In 2023 he has been tested by Dae KCN Ki Yun Yi (a student of KCN Shin) one of his former Korean master instructors in NJ/USA for 8th Dan Grandmaster. He took on this rank official in 2024.
Due to the demands of many TSD practitioners worldwide continuing training traditional TSD as KCN Klaus Trogemann has learnt it from late Grandmaster Shin, he decided to follow their demands to form and establish a traditional TSD organization, the Traditional Global Tang Soo Do Association, in the spirit of late Grandmaster Jae Chul Shin. Grandmaster Klaus Trogemann is eager to pass on this way of traditional TSD to future generations of traditional TSD practitioners in the motto of Global Spirit, Ethical Code of Honours, and One with Nature.
Tang Soo!!!