If you live in Europe, especially Germany, you’ll be well aware of the iconic skateboarding company, Titus Skateboards which is a family business based in Münster. You can read about the company history on their website and their evolution from starting a small shop importing skateboard products, producing a popular magazine, followed by a sponsored team and board company, to hosting the Münster Monster Mastership in the 1980s on into the European Championships.
It’s an impressive legacy, and I’m not surprised to learn that there was a woman behind it even if she’s not mentioned on their webpage.
Brigitta Dittman (nee Schmidt) is the Titus matriarch, and I was delighted to see a feature about her, posted online on April 13, 2025 by her husband, Eberhard “Titus” Dittman celebrating her birthday and skateboarding history.
Typically, Titus is the one being recognized for his role in skateboarding. In fact, Titus is being honoured with a lifetime achievement award at this year’s Skateboarding Hall of Fame, but I suspect he’ll acknowledge his partner in crime at the ceremony!
Photos: Brigitta preparing for a skateboard contest
It was written online that, “a nearly 30-year-old sports student by the name of Titus Dittmann saw something truly fascinating near the ‘Aasee’ lake in Münster, a group of skateboarders! It wasn’t long after Titus saw the skateboard before he wrote his first academic work on skateboarding while at the Hittorf Gymnasium.”
The company was started in 1978, a few years after Brigitta and Titus were married. They obviously shared a love of skateboarding because there’s some photos of Brigitta cruising on her board, taken by Michael Frost in 1977, at Lake Aasee where it all began! Could Brigitta have been part of the skateboarding intrigue for Titus, I wonder?
Brigitta’s son, Julius Dittmann now runs Titus, and there’s been some really exciting projects they’ve supported including Skate-Aid, an international NGO that empowers children’s pursuit of skateboarding around the world.
Brigitta and Titus celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on October 12th, 2024, which I think is absolutely fantastic. A true skateboarding powerhouse couple!
Womxn Skateboard History 