Mathias Womacka was was born in East Germany in 1963 and learned to play chess at the age of six. After demonstrating considerable talent, he eventually moved to West Germany and became a chess professional.
Womacka participated extensively in national and international tournaments throughout his career. Notably, he became an International Master in 1987, and reached the peak of his career when he was bestowed with the prestigious title of Grandmaster by FIDE in 1993, making him one of the few chess players in the world to achieve this status.