 Claus was born in Dresden, but later moved to East Berlin.She won East German championships in the long jump in 1957–1962 and 1964, and set three world records (6.36 m and 6.40 m in 1960 and 6.42 m in 1961).She married Peter Laufer, a German Olympic pole vaulter, and at the 1964 Games competed as Hildrun Laufer-Claus.