“Germany vs. the GDR”: What we still don’t know about the 1974 World Cup

Are you more of a historian or a football fan?

I'm an industrial engineer and worked as a management consultant for 28 years. However, I've always been interested in Berlin's urban history and now allow myself the luxury of delving deeper into the subject. Back in 2014, I researched the story of the last Berliner to die while fleeing across the border, which first led to a play and then a radio play for RBB . A few weeks after Chris Gueffroy, Winfried Freudenberg died while attempting to escape in a self-made balloon.

How did you get into football and the 1974 World Cup?

I grew up in the shadow of the Olympic Stadium , so it's hard to escape the blue and white. I had already come to terms with the 1974 World Cup when I rewatched the Netherlands-West Germany final, which is often described as a lucky victory. I don't think that's true at all. I developed a revue with the Dutch actor Willem de Wolf, and we dedicated ourselves to the game and the social context in both countries. It was great fun, with lots of music.

What are your memories of the East German vs. West German match? We were born in 1964. I come from the Magdeburg region; 1. FC Magdeburg had just sensationally won the European Cup and provided many players for the national team.

I have to admit, I really have no memories at all.

You probably watched the game more closely today as a video…

Yes, again and again. During the game, I also want to bring two spectators onto the stage as coaches – they will give a dressing room speech about the significance of the game for them. Both teams had already qualified for the next round. I see today as a game between a team that doesn't really want to win, West Germany, and a team that actually can't win this game. The GDR defended diligently, but played more of a kick-and-rush approach going forward. After the crowd's boos, national coach Helmut Schön replaced his goalkeeper Wolfgang Overath with the out-of-form Günter Netzer and his best defender "Katsche" Schwarzenbeck with 31-year-old Horst-Dieter Höttges, who had already been there in 1966 and then couldn't keep up with Jürgen Sparwasser. But it was a Pyrrhic victory for the GDR. They were drawn into a group with Brazil, the Netherlands, and Argentina. In my opinion, they easily could have reached the third-place play-off in the other group.

What else did you notice on your journey back to 1974?

I was surprised that the 1972 German-German Olympic clash played no role at all just two years later, neither in the East nor in the West. There was some personnel continuity, though: Jupp Derwall was the coach of the West German Olympic team, who was Helmut Schön's assistant in 1974. ZDF commentator Werner Schneider only mentions that Uli Hoeneß knows many GDR players from the European Cup clashes between Bayern Munich and Dynamo Dresden. Yet he had already played against the entire GDR national team at the 1972 Olympics and even scored a beautiful goal.

It was even named "Goal of the Month for September 1972" on ARD's "Sportschau," with the caption "Germany vs. GDR." The medals won by East German footballers at the Olympic Games were very important for East Germany; the bronze medalists of 1964 and 1972 and the winners of 1976 were enthusiastically celebrated. You also count the four Olympic qualification matches of 1959 and 1963 as German-German selection duels. What images and sounds are there from those years?

There are stills, newspaper reports, and interviews. The two 1959 matches—the first leg in Berlin's Walter Ulbricht Stadium and the second leg in Düsseldorf's Rheinstadion—were played behind closed doors. The West German team won both matches. In 1963, the East German team prevailed, winning 3-0 in front of a packed stadium in Karl-Marx-Stadt. Incidentally, the commentator was Heinz-Florian Oertel , as in 1974. The West German team's coach was Helmut Schön, the future World Cup coach.

Alexander Schmid with football memorabilia from both teams Markus Wächter/Berliner Zeitung

Who do you expect to be in the audience for the driving squad?

Two-thirds of the guests will probably be interested in general matters. I am, of course, happy to welcome any expert or eyewitness who can help me, and I have invited the senior citizens of the Lichtenberg clubs.

Have you been or are you active on the football pitch yourself?

I've discovered the trendy sport of walking football and play for BSC. No one is allowed to run, balls are only played at waist height, and physical contact is prohibited. People with artificial hips and knees can play – and I'm the youngest.

There are friends everywhere. A performative lecture by Alexander Schmid: Sunday, May 25, at 3 p.m.; on Sunday, June 15, he continues his series on myths with the topic of the "Airlift."

As part of the "Consider Listening" event series , the panel discussion "Where Has GDR Culture Gone?" is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Sunday. With Ingeborg Ruthe of the Berliner Zeitung newspaper, Andrea Pichl, Sung Tieu, and Gerd Harry Lybke, moderated by Axel Haubrok. Venue: Kulturraum der Fahrbereitschaft, Herzbergstraße 40–43. Admission is free.