For 17 young footballers from the GDR, it was the summer of their lives, and for the GDR football, it was their greatest ever triumph. Two years after taking part in the 1974 World Cup, coach Georg Buschner’s team won gold by beating title-holders Poland 3-1 in the final of the Olympic football tournament. 40 years after this Olympic victory – the only one in history for a Germany team – we take a look at the curious tale behind the success.
It is the summer of 1976, and the GDR football team are watching the Olympics opening ceremony on television. They are in Toronto and will face Brazil the next day. In their opening game of the tournament, they only manage a draw. Goalkeeper Jürgen Croy (Sachsenring Zwickau) is the best player. It wasn’t a great game, but they know that themselves: the main thing is that they didn’t lose!
Manfred Ewald, president of the GDR’s Olympics Committee, wants to see medals. Just like the pistol shooting team, who picked up gold and silver just hours before. The spirited official is not a football fan: 17 athletes for one medal? That simply doesn’t comply with his efficient way of thinking, and so he rages on: "I would love to put you all on the next plane home!"
The players from Dresden, Jena and Leipzig endure this tirade in silence. Resistance is futile. It eventually ends, but before they all head back to their rooms, the coach gathers his troops once again. Georg Buschner points his finger: "Let him say what he wants. Just to be clear: what I said earlier still stands! And I will say it once again. That 0-0 is a good result for us! Do you understand?"
Improvement from game to game
Conflict between footballers and officials from the German Sports and Athletics Federation was nothing new, and so under these circumstances, qualification for the tournament in Brazil was a huge success. Dörner, the legendary sweeper from Dresden, lived out the summer of his dreams during the Olympic Games. The first thing: three weeks in Canada – an unbelievable dream for any “normal” GDR citizen! The other thing was the great success. After a tough start, Buschner’s team improved from game to game, beating Spain (with Arconada), then France (with Platini) and in the semi-final the USSR (with Blochin). Defensive leader Dörner became the most successful goalscorer in his team, with four goals to his name.
Before the final against slight favourites Poland, the GDR boys were all united: full steam ahead! In 1964 in Tokyo and in 1972 in Munich, their predecessors had managed to take bronze. They already had silver in the bag, but they wanted more! The GDR squad made a furious start to the match. They tried to take the title-holders by surprise with quick and direct play. This tactical bravery was rewarded with two goals from Hartmut Schade (Dynamo Dresden) and Martin Hoffmann (FC Magdeburg). It was 2-0 after just 14 minutes. It may well have been the best 45 minutes of football ever by a GDR side – and in such an important game.
The football final was the last event to take place at the Olympic Games. Poland’s star striker Lato, top goalscorer at the World Cup two years earlier, pulled one back. However, shortly before the end, Reinhard Häfner (Dynamo Dresden) made sure of the victory. 3-1 to the GDR! Just before midnight on 31st July 1976, the winning team were standing arm in arm, completely overjoyed. Then the party began.
The Olympic football champions returned to their headquarters in the early hours of the morning. Dixie Dörner reports: “we were all about to get into the elevator, at around half past five or so, when Manfred Ewald suddenly walked out. He was probably on his way to breakfast."
