Football club (GDR)
Encyclopedia
Football club was a designation for the elite football teams in the GDR (German Democratic Republic, commonly East Germany). They were formed in the mid-1960s as centers of high-level football.
After World War II
and the occupation of Germany
by Allied forces, a separate football competition emerged in the Soviet-held eastern half of the country. The term "FC" continued to be used in its traditional sense in West Germany, but eventually became a specialized designation in the east.
Since the introduction of the Sportclub
system in the mid-1950s their football departments had dominated play in the DDR-Oberliga
. In late 1965 football was granted a special status in the East German elite sports, when the footballing departments were dissociated from the Sportclubs and - under the new designation of football club - were given the same rights as sport clubs.
This special status of the sports clubs and football clubs as the only centers of elite sports led to an establishment of a two-class society in the DDR-Oberliga
: The heavily supported and largely professionalized clubs dominated play in every respect, the best Betriebssportgemeinschaften (BSG) were used as a talent pool. Their players were delegated to the big football clubs. After 1954, when the sportclubs were first established, there is just one instance when a BSG won the DDR-Oberliga: BSG Chemie Leipzig
were crowned champions in 1964, however, the team had been formed from two dissolved sportclubs the year before. From 1968 to 1991 only football clubs finished in the top 3 of the DDR-Oberliga.
° While the SG Dynamo Dresden was a Sportgemeinschaft (Sports association) by name, they had the same status as the football clubs.
°° Until 1971, the club was based in Berlin
and played under the name of Vorwärts Berlin
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the occupation of Germany
Allied Occupation Zones in Germany
The Allied powers who defeated Nazi Germany in World War II divided the country west of the Oder-Neisse line into four occupation zones for administrative purposes during 1945–49. In the closing weeks of fighting in Europe, US forces had pushed beyond the previously agreed boundaries for the...
by Allied forces, a separate football competition emerged in the Soviet-held eastern half of the country. The term "FC" continued to be used in its traditional sense in West Germany, but eventually became a specialized designation in the east.
Since the introduction of the Sportclub
Sport club (GDR)
Sport clubs were institutions to promote competitive sports in East Germany.They were created beginning in 1954 as part of a programme to promote excellence in East German sports. Some sportclubs were part of the Sportvereinigung Dynamo and the Armeesportvereinigung Vorwärts . The biggest sport...
system in the mid-1950s their football departments had dominated play in the DDR-Oberliga
DDR-Oberliga
The DDR-Oberliga was, prior to German reunification in 1990, the elite level of football competition in the DDR , being roughly equivalent to the Oberliga or Bundesliga in West Germany.-Overview:Following World...
. In late 1965 football was granted a special status in the East German elite sports, when the footballing departments were dissociated from the Sportclubs and - under the new designation of football club - were given the same rights as sport clubs.
This special status of the sports clubs and football clubs as the only centers of elite sports led to an establishment of a two-class society in the DDR-Oberliga
DDR-Oberliga
The DDR-Oberliga was, prior to German reunification in 1990, the elite level of football competition in the DDR , being roughly equivalent to the Oberliga or Bundesliga in West Germany.-Overview:Following World...
: The heavily supported and largely professionalized clubs dominated play in every respect, the best Betriebssportgemeinschaften (BSG) were used as a talent pool. Their players were delegated to the big football clubs. After 1954, when the sportclubs were first established, there is just one instance when a BSG won the DDR-Oberliga: BSG Chemie Leipzig
FC Sachsen Leipzig
FC Sachsen Leipzig was a German football club from Leipzig, Saxony. The roots of the club go back to 1899 and the founding of Britannia Leipzig. Following World War I, a 1919 merger with FC Hertha 05 Leipzig created Leipziger Sportverein 1899...
were crowned champions in 1964, however, the team had been formed from two dissolved sportclubs the year before. From 1968 to 1991 only football clubs finished in the top 3 of the DDR-Oberliga.
The football clubs in the GDR
- BFC Dynamo
- 1. FC Union Berlin1. FC Union Berlin1. FC Union Berlin is a German association football club based in Berlin. It is one of two sides in the city bearing the name Union that emerged during the Cold War and played in East Germany, while the other played in the west. The club currently plays in the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga.-Foundation to...
- SG Dynamo Dresden°
- FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt
- FC Vorwärts Frankfurt°°
- Hallescher FC ChemieHallescher FCHallescher FC is a German association football club based in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt.-History:The club's roots are in the 1946 formation of SG Glaucha in Soviet-occupied East Germany around the core of Hallescher Fußball-Club Wacker which was founded in 1900...
- FC Carl Zeiss JenaFC Carl Zeiss JenaFC Carl Zeiss Jena is a German association football club based in Jena, Thuringia.-History:The club was founded in May 1903 by workers at the Carl Zeiss AG optics factory as the company-sponsored Fussball-Club der Firma Carl Zeiss. The club underwent name changes in 1911 to Fussball Club Carl Zeiss...
- FC Karl-Marx-Stadt
- 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig
- 1. FC Magdeburg1. FC Magdeburg1. FC Magdeburg is a German association football club playing in Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt.-History:Football has been played in Magdeburg since the end of the 19th century. On 15 June 1896 SV Victoria 96 Magdeburg was founded, a club that had its best days before World War II, when it participated...
- FC Hansa RostockFC Hansa RostockF.C. Hansa Rostock is a German association football club based in the city of Rostock, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. They have emerged as one of the most successful clubs from the former East Germany and have made several appearances in the 1. Bundesliga. Rostock currently compete in the 2. Bundesliga...
° While the SG Dynamo Dresden was a Sportgemeinschaft (Sports association) by name, they had the same status as the football clubs.
°° Until 1971, the club was based in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and played under the name of Vorwärts Berlin