Rolf von Vogelsberg

### Rolf von Vogelsberg – A Foundation Sire of the Modern Boxer Born in 1908, **Rolf von Vogelsberg** (DBZB 1183) became one of the most influential sires in the early development of the Boxer breed. In 1911, Rolf was acquired by **Friederun and Philip Stockmann**, founders of the famous **vom Dom** kennel. Friederun Stockmann used money that had originally been intended for furnishing their home to purchase him, and Rolf became a foundation of the Stockmanns' breeding programme. Rolf was a highly successful show dog and became **Sieger five times**, winning his final Sieger title at the age of eleven after returning from service during the First World War. During the war, Rolf served as a military working dog. He survived the war and subsequently continued both his show career and his influence as a sire. His importance extended far beyond his own achievements. Rolf and his descendants played a significant role in the development of the vom Dom bloodline and in the transition from the early Boxer towards the breed type that developed during the following decades. His influence continued through later generations. **Sigurd vom Dom**, and subsequently dogs such as **Lustig vom Dom, Utz vom Dom and Dorian von Marienhof**, carried these bloodlines into the United States, where they became highly influential in American Boxer breeding. Friederun Stockmann later described Rolf's influence by stating that there was no Boxer alive without him somewhere in its pedigree. Whether understood literally or as an expression of his extraordinary genetic influence, the statement illustrates the exceptional position Rolf von Vogelsberg holds in the history of the breed. More than a century after his birth, **Rolf von Vogelsberg remains one of the key dogs in the development of the modern Boxer.** #### Sources * American Kennel Club (AKC): *Behind Bang Away: Breeder Friederun Stockmann & Her Vom Dom Boxers* * Club Nacional del Boxer España: *Historia – Perros importantes para la cría* * Boxer Tedesco: *I testimoni – Rolf von Vogelsberg* * Historical pedigree records: Rolf von Vogelsberg, DBZB 1183