2014 KMAM-HOF PIONEER INDUCTEE
Detlof Klos
Grand Master Kloss began his martial art career in 1966, and he studied with several Korean Masters who
immigrated to Germany. Among these Masters were: Kim Sou-Bong and the same Grandmaster from whom I
learned the art of Kong Shin Bup and Kuk Sool Hap Ki Do, Pak In-Shyuk. So in effect, we were teammates, even
though living in different countries. After GM Pak left Germany and immigrated to Canada, GM Klos continued
training with his senior student, the late K. H. Kickuth, who founded the first German Hap Ki Do Association. GM
Klos also found time to train with Masters Hong Ki-Bok and Oh Kun-Kyo, both Kuk Sool Hap Ki Do Masters. Later,
GM Kloss traveled to the USA, where he attended seminars by GM Suh In-Hyuk and Dr. Kimm He-Young. He also
attended seminars by DojuNim Ji Han Jae, in San Francisco.
Grand Master Detlef Kloss was born in Rheda, West Germany, on the 24th of May, and his interest in martial arts
began after watching the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, while he was just a young boy. Two German athletes won medals
at this event and this prompted the young Detlef to begin his training in the art of Judo. Jiu Jitsu and Judo were the
only organized martial arts at that time and Jiu Jitsu was mainly practiced at Police training centers. This was about
the same in Holland when I began practicing Jiu Jitsu and Catch-as-Catch-Can, in 1950. Karate, Kung Fu, and
Korean martial arts, had not yet become firmly established in the west.
In 1976, after the split in Kuk Sool and Hap Ki Do, the German school decided NOT to follow the demands of GM
Suh In-Hyuk to change the designation of their association to Kuk Sool ONLY. Instead, they followed Master
Kickuth and designated their association to Hap Ki Do, when GM Klos became the Technical Director for the
organization. In 1982, martial arts were reorganized by the NRW, and a “Budo” Federation was established,
bringing all independent Associations under one roof. Again, GM Klos was appointed as Technical Director. From
1985-1995, the NWHV worked closely with Master Kim Sung-Do from Australia, and he promoted GM Klos to 6th
dan. Today, the NWHV consists of about 1600 Hap Ki Do students and most of them studied with GM Klos at one
time or another. In 1991, GM Klos founded the Deutscher Hap Ki Do Bund (German Hap Ki Do Association) and this
organization is now the largest Hap Ki Do organization in Germany.