Bockenauer defected to West Germany on 20 December 1963 in West Berlin, soon after arriving at a qualifying competition for the German unified team to the 1964 Olympics. Though he originally intended to join an ice show, he eventually began competing for West Germany. After winning the national silver medal, he was sent to the 1966 World Championships and finished 20th. In 1968, he began coaching at SC Küsnacht in Switzerland.