Football from behind the wall - A look at East German football part 1

I'm taking a look back at football back in the old East German state, and where they are now in the German footballing ladder.

The DDR-Oberliga was formed in 1949 with 14 teams competing to be East Germany's top side, the inaugural winners of this new division was the ZSG Horch Zwickau, which was won in a highly controversial circumstances.

ZSG were playing away at Dresden Friedrichstadt, communist authorities were adamant that Friedrichstadt were to lose, due to the clubs bourgeoisie attitude. The referee refused Dresden the use of substitutes and a physical game played by ZSG assured a 5-1 against 8 men. The Friedricstadt fans had invaded the pitch sevreal times during the game, and by full time they invaded one last time, attacking a Zwickau player in the process. Weeks after the game the Dresden team had been disbanded. The players went west to play for Herta BSC Berlin.

This is just one of a number of cases where Soviet/ East German officials interfered in football. The most blatant bit of interference was with BFC Dynamo Berlin they won the Oberliga 10 times consecutively. Their patron was Erich Mielke the head of the Stasi. between the years of 1979-1988. BFC and Mielke were involved in allsorts. Crooked referees, unfair transfers and unsporting behaviour. a match between Dynamo and Lokomotive Leipzig in 1986 would go down in history.


Loko were down to 10 men but were in the lead 1-0 going to the 90th minute. The referee Bernd Stumpf not content with just a red card, carried on playing until Dynamo were 'awarded' a penalty. The game ended 1-1 Dynamo were champions and the nation protested. Stumpf was banned from refereeing for life. However BFC Dynamo title they won that day stood, and no sanctions placed upon them or Mielke.


The club which were hampered most by the antics of BFC Dynamo were Dynamo Dresden. in 1954 a year after their first Oberliga win, the Dresden squad were moved to Berlin to play for BFC Dynamo, Erich Mielke moved the team to Berlin. The reason behind it was because of the lack of a quality team there. 


Dresden's form predictably slipped, and were playing in the 4th tier by 1957. It wasn't until 1969 until they re-established themselves back in the Oberliga. in the 70's Dynamo Dreseden won 5 Oberliga titles (71, 73, 76, 77, 78) and 2 FDGB-Pokal titles (71 and 77) Erich Mielke was jealous of Dresden's success again, and manipulated BFC Dynamo's 10 consecutive league wins. 


During the time of BFC's dominance, Dynamo Dresden finished runners up 6 times. When the Stasi's power was on the decline, so did the influence of BFC Dynamo. The 1988/1989 and 89/90 seasons Dresden were double winners. A year later Dresden were one of only two teams selected to be part of the now unified Germany's Bundesliga. BFC Dynamo Berlin were in the NOFV-Oberliga Nord, the 3rd tier of German football.

 

Matthias Sammer with the FDGB-Pokal trophy, as part of the double winning 1989/1990 season

One team managed to win European honours during the cold war was 1. FC Magdeburg to add to their 3 Oberliga titles (72, 74, 75) and 7 FDGB-Pokal victories (64, 65, 69, 73, 78, 79 and 83) their finest hour came in 1974 when they lifted the European Cup Winners Cup. They beat NAC Breda, FC Baník Ostrava, PFC Beroe Stara Zagora to set up a semi final with Sporting Lisbon. Magdeburg went through 3-2 on aggregate to set up a final with AC Milan.


AC Milan were defending champions, and went into the final as favourites. An own goal from Enrico Lanzi  and a 2nd half strike from Wolfgang Seguin, sealed a 2-0 win and an upset completed. 1. FC Magdeburg had their place in history.

1. FC Magdeburg parading the European Cup Winners Cup

But where are the East German clubs in today's set up? You will have to wait for part 2 to find out...