Klaus Urbanczyk
Encyclopedia
Klaus Urbanczyk, nicknamed Banne, born 4 June 1940 in Halle (Saale), is a former East German football player
and manager.
Urbanczyk began his football career at Turbine Halle
in 1948. Beginning in 1960, he played for this team - in the meantime renamed Chemie Halle and later Hallescher FC Chemie - in the DDR-Oberliga
. His first Oberliga match was against Wismut Karl-Marx-Stadt
on 20 March 1960, as a right midfielder. During his career, however, he made his home on the position of right defender.
At the beginning of the 1960s, Urbanczyk was held to be one of the best right defenders in the world, on account of his speed and his slide-tackling skills.
In a survey among managers of the magazine "Deutsches Sportecho", Urbanczyk was voted the best right defender of the 1962-63 season. At the Olympic Games
in Tokyo
in 1964, Urbanczyk's popularity rose further. He was one of the key figures of East Germany's team
(representing the United Team of Germany
) that reached the semi-final of the tournament. In the semi-final against the Czechoslovakia
, Urbanczyk collided with his own goalkeeper Jürgen Heinsch and suffered a complicated knee injury, including torn cruciates
. East Germany lost the semi-final, but won the bronze medal against Egypt.
In the same year, Urbanczyk was won the East German Sportsperson of the Year award - the only team that a footballer was given an inidivual award. Urbanczyk also won the East German Footballer of the Year award in 1964.
In 1971 Urbanczyk was part of the HFC Chemie team that fell victim to a hotel fire while staying in Eindhoven for a UEFA Cup
tie. Urbanczyk rescued several people and suffered severe injuries.
After ending his active career, Urbanczyk enjoyed success managing several Oberliga clubs, starting at HFC Chemie
, then FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt. From 1976 to 1982 he was manager of 1. FC Magdeburg
, winning the FDGB-Pokal in 1978 and 1979. His team was represented in the European competitions in every season, reaching the quarter-finals three times. After managing several other clubs, he returned to his home club in 1992, now called Hallescher FC, to manage them until 1994. Later, he enjoyed a small measure of success at FSV Lok Altmark Stendal
who he guided to the DFB-Pokal
quarter-final in 1995.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and manager.
Urbanczyk began his football career at Turbine Halle
Hallescher FC
Hallescher 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...
in 1948. Beginning in 1960, he played for this team - in the meantime renamed Chemie Halle and later Hallescher FC Chemie - 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...
. His first Oberliga match was against Wismut Karl-Marx-Stadt
FC Erzgebirge Aue
FC Erzgebirge Aue is a German football club based in Aue, Saxony. The former East German side was a charter member of the 3. Liga in 2008–09, after being relegated from the 2. Bundesliga in 2007–08. The city of Aue has a population of about 18,000 making it one of the smallest cities to ever...
on 20 March 1960, as a right midfielder. During his career, however, he made his home on the position of right defender.
At the beginning of the 1960s, Urbanczyk was held to be one of the best right defenders in the world, on account of his speed and his slide-tackling skills.
In a survey among managers of the magazine "Deutsches Sportecho", Urbanczyk was voted the best right defender of the 1962-63 season. At the Olympic Games
Football at the 1964 Summer Olympics
The football competition at the 1964 Summer Olympics started on October 11 and ended on October 23. Only one event, the men's tournament, was contested...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
in 1964, Urbanczyk's popularity rose further. He was one of the key figures of East Germany's team
East Germany national football team
The East Germany national football team was from 1952 to 1990 the football team of East Germany, playing as one of three post-war German teams, along with Saarland and West Germany....
(representing the United Team of Germany
United Team of Germany
The Unified Team of Germany , competed in the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Winter and Summer Olympic Games as a united team of athletes from the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic...
) that reached the semi-final of the tournament. In the semi-final against the Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia national football team
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
, Urbanczyk collided with his own goalkeeper Jürgen Heinsch and suffered a complicated knee injury, including torn cruciates
Cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligaments are pairs of ligaments arranged like a letter X. They occur in several joints of the body, such as the knee...
. East Germany lost the semi-final, but won the bronze medal against Egypt.
In the same year, Urbanczyk was won the East German Sportsperson of the Year award - the only team that a footballer was given an inidivual award. Urbanczyk also won the East German Footballer of the Year award in 1964.
In 1971 Urbanczyk was part of the HFC Chemie team that fell victim to a hotel fire while staying in Eindhoven for a UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
tie. Urbanczyk rescued several people and suffered severe injuries.
After ending his active career, Urbanczyk enjoyed success managing several Oberliga clubs, starting at HFC Chemie
Hallescher FC
Hallescher 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...
, then FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt. From 1976 to 1982 he was manager of 1. FC Magdeburg
1. FC Magdeburg
1. 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...
, winning the FDGB-Pokal in 1978 and 1979. His team was represented in the European competitions in every season, reaching the quarter-finals three times. After managing several other clubs, he returned to his home club in 1992, now called Hallescher FC, to manage them until 1994. Later, he enjoyed a small measure of success at FSV Lok Altmark Stendal
Lok Stendal
1. FC Lok Stendal is a German association football club that plays in Stendal, Saxony-Anhalt.- History :Founded in 1909, FC Viktoria Stendal was dissolved in the aftermath of World War II and re-established in Soviet-occupied East Germany in 1945 as SG Stendal-Nord. The club underwent a number of...
who he guided to the DFB-Pokal
DFB Cup 1995-96
The DFB-Pokal 1995–96 was the 53rd season of the competition. 64 teams competed in the tournament of six rounds which began on 15 August 1995 and ended on 24 May 1996. In the final 1. FC Kaiserslautern defeated Karlsruher SC 1–0 thereby claiming their second title...
quarter-final in 1995.