GDR 1948-49


Once again, the Eastern Zone championship was organized along the knock-out method. Once again, each state would have two representatives, with Berlin still excluded. The first surprise was that defending champion SG Planitz was unable to qualify out of their group. They played poorly, although in a home loss to Industrie Leipzig, the referee Gerhard Schulz (later to run the final) was almost lynched by the home fans, as he denied two goals by Planitz star Horst Weiss.

The new champions were basically the same squad that had competed as Freiimfelde in the last competition, losing in the finals to Planitz. This time they were not to be denied, as they dominated the proceedings and romped to the title. However, there were rumblings of favoritism that color this title. Halle, as one of the "Betriebssportgemeinsschaft" organizations that the Communists were building, was given certain advantages. The original rules stated that only players that had participated in the squad for local state championships were eligible, but Halle was "strengthened" by 4 ringers in the critical match against Dresden.

 
Ostzonenmeisterschaft

Qualifying round:

Franz Mehring Marga - SG Schwerin	2:0
SG Altenburg Nord - Eintracht Stendal	3:4

Quarterfinals:

Sg Meerane - SG Babelsberg			3:2
Eintracht Stendal - Franz Mehring Marga		4:0
Fortuna Erfurt - SG Wismar Süd		10:0
ZSG Union Halle - SG Dresden-Friedrichstadt	2:1

Semifinals:

ZSG Union Halle - Eintracht Stendal	2:1
Fortuna Erfurt - SG Meerane		4:3 aet

Finals:

26 June, 1949
Heinz-Steyer-Stadion, Dresden

ZSG Union Halle - Fortuna Erfurt	4:1 (1:0)

Halle:
Schmidt - Belger, Lehmann - Fritzsche, Knefler, Blanke -
Theile, Werkmeister, Rappsilber, Blüher, Gola

Erfurt:
Grünbeck - H.Müller, Vollrath - Brock, Nordhaus, J.Müller - 
Löbe, Dittmar, Schmidt, Herz, Thein

Scoring:
1:0 Rappsilber (13.)
2:0 Theile (48.)
3:0 Werkmeister (64.)
4:0 Rappsilber (71.)
4:1 Schmidt (77.)

Referee: Schulz (Dresden)

Attendance: 50,000

(c) Abseits Guide to German Soccer