A large factor in Suzuki's success in two-stroke competition was the East German Grand Prix racer Ernst Degner, who defected to the West in 1961,[38] bringing with him expertise in two-stroke engines from the East German manufacturer MZ. The secrets Degner brought with him were the work of Walter Kaaden, who combined three crucial technologies for the first time: the boost port,[39][40] the expansion chamber, and the rotary valve.[41]