The German skateboarding scene found its unlikely pioneer in Titus Dittmann. In the late 1970s, a sports student, Titus was captivated by skateboarders in Münster and quickly recognized the scarcity of skate gear in Germany. He began clearing out all the leftover gear in shops from the previous generation, and soon after started importing products directly from the USA, laying the groundwork for the first small Titus shop in his kitchen, which rapidly grew into Europe’s largest skateboard importer.
1982 was a pivotal year. Titus organized the inaugural Münster Monster Mastership and launched Monster Skateboard Magazine with Claus Grabke and Jörg Ludewig. The magazine, printed in Spain, soon became Europe’s leading skate publication. Titus then formed a legendary “Tirus Skates Team” and established Europe’s first pro model deck company, with Claus Grabke becoming the first official TITUS pro and holding the title of best european vert skater. Nicky Guerrero from Danmark also joined the Titus Skates Team in the early 80´s and became later Pro for US Companies like G&S and Powell Peralta. Ralf Middendorf also Titus Skates Pro for many years was the first guy from Europe who landet a 540 Mc Twist in 1988.The mid-80s brought another skateboarding boom, and by 1987, the Münster Monster Mastership had evolved into the European championship, attracting US pros and solidifying its reputation as a global skateboarding event. The 1989 completion of Skatepark Berg Fidel in Münster, featuring an integrated bowl and snake run, further cemented Westphalia’s global standing in skateboarding, with Titus at its heart.
The early 1990s marked a significant shift from vert skating to street skating where street skating eclipsed vert. The 1989 Mastership contest saw 270 skaters from 26 nations and 25,000 spectators, was getting bigger every year, necessitating a move to the larger Dortmund Westfalenhallefrom 1999-2004. In the early 90’s skaters opted for smaller wheels, baggy pants, and more technical deck constructions. Monster Skateboard Magazine, initially vibrant, downsized to a 52-page black and white format in 1992. Amidst a surge of new board companies, Titus launched their own, “T-Boards.” The summer of 1993 saw the release of “Trouble,” the first T-Boards team video, featuring German skate icons like Nu Heinzel and Klaus Dieter Span, who was featured in 411 and later turned Pro for Neighborhood Skateboard (USA). By 1995, top US pros returned to the Monster Mastership, sparking another surge in popularity. The Monster Magazine regained its color in 1996, and by 1998, major events like the X-tra Sport in Dortmund and the European Skate Open in Bochum underscored a turbulent yet creatively rich period for skateboarding.
The late 90s marked a new era in skateboarding, ignited by Tony Hawk’s 900 and the “Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2” game. Tony was also sponsored by Titus company TSG “Titus Safety Gear”. Mike Vallely, Rune Glifberg, Buster Halterman, Renton Millar and many more also joined the TSG team back then. While public interest in the US soared, TITUS focused on the European scene, launching the “Monster Movie Mag” and expanding “Monster Skateboard Magazine.” The popularity led to TITUS TV with MTV in 2005 filming all over Europe and in the US with Pros like Danny Way, Mike V., Steve Caballero, Chad Muska, a young Curren Caples and many more.. After the boom, skateboarding normalized.
In 2011, Julius Dittmann took over TITUS, prioritizing premium deck constructions and DIY projects. TEAM TITUS embarked on tours, releasing videos like “Ist nicht leicht in Californien.” New talents like Jost Arens joined, and the “Brettkollegen” magazine launched. The annual “DIY-Riot” began in 2014, and in 2018, Titua celebrated 40 years as “Home of Skateboarding.”
He thought he would retire to working on his racing cars, but found a new spark when he founded skate-aid (NGO) in 2009 using the pedagogical power of skateboarding in worldwide projects like Uganda, Syria, Namibia, Palestine, Nepal, Tansania, Kenya, Sri Lanka etc. It gives kids and teenagers orientation and identity-creating freedom in their orientation phase and helps them to develop into strong individuals
Until today, skate-aid initiated projects in more than 20 countries, using skateboarding to strengthen kids with resilience, confidence, self determination, deep sense of self-worth and joy. The skate-aid motto: We empower kids!“ says it all.
~ J. Greenwood 2025
Covers:
I’m not a skateboarder, but pretty much everyone in my generation in Germany knows Titus.
Congratulations on the award, and I hope I’ll be as cool as him when I’m that age.