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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Zentralstadion (1956)
Central Stadium (German: Zentralstadion, pronounced [tsɛnˈtra:lˈʃta:di̯ɔn] ) was a stadium with a capacity of 120,000 in Leipzig which was initially used for matches of SC Rotation Leipzig.

About 1.5 million cubic metres of debris from the World War II bombing of Leipzig was used in the stadium's construction. Its name derives from the Soviet "Central Stadium".

Background

After the 1896 Summer Olympics, the city of Leipzig began to plan a stadium. The Zentralstadion was built first for the sports students in the Sportforum Leipzig, with a capacity of 100,000. Next to it was an Olympic-style swimming stadium. After the sports university, rowing channel and the swimming stadium were established, plans were made for a new stadium downtown; Leipzig wanted to be awarded the Olympic Games. Blueprints by architect Werner March, the architect of Berlin's Olympiastadion, were used. Finishing the plan took 15 months, with 180,000 volunteers. Walter Ulbricht called the stadium "Stadion der Hunderttausend" (Stadium of 100,000), and made it the home of the German Gym and Sports Celebrations.

Construction

Part of Sports Forum Leipzig

Children and adults pushing a rail car full of earth
Volunteers moving earth for the stadium in 1952

After the War of the Fourth Coalition, educators Ernst Moritz Arndt and Friedrich Ludwig Jahn wanted German national sports celebrations to train the Lützow Free Corps to defend against the French. Leipzig became one of the wealthiest cities in Germany, with a number of sports festivals; the only larger sports gathering was the 1936 Summer Olympics. Leader Walter Ulbricht wanted a national-class stadium to commemorate the 100,000 fallen soldiers in the Battle of Leipzig.

Free German Youth regional leader Heinz Haferkorn was tasked with finding 200 volunteers per day, and work on the stadium began on August 2, 1955. To save money, debris from the 1945 bombings was used. Its architect of record was Karl Souradny, who only completed the ground drawings and never visited the site. A total of 180,000 volunteers worked for 735,992 hours on the stadium, which cost M28 million (DM5.6 million). A small train brought debris to the stadium, which was mixed with ash, soil and water and compressed into bricks.

Replacement

In 1990, due to riots in other European countries and in Leipzig's Alfred-Kunze-Sportpark, access to Zentralstadion was banned to reduce further rioting. The bell in the stadium's Werner Seelenbinder Tower was silenced.

Due to the rising maintenance costs, the city decided to build a smaller, soccer-only stadium in 1997. According to critics, Berlin's similar-size Olympiastadion was renovated at the same time and the Zentralstadion could have been saved. Germany won the right to host the 2006 FIFA World Cup in 2000, prompting renovation of many German soccer-specific stadiums (including the Olympiastadion).

Gallery

  • Steam locomotive moving earth
    Moving construction material
  • See caption
    Aerial photo in 1956
  • Clock tower at the front of the stadium
    The Werner Seelenbinder clock tower
  • The Zentralstadion packed with spectators on 4 August 1956
    The Zentralstadion packed with spectators on 4 August 1956
  • The main entrance
    The main entrance
  • See caption
    Model of the Sportsforum

International Soccer Matches of the East Germany national football team

Between 1957 and 2004, all matches were broadcast by the Deutscher Fernsehfunk and later Eurosport. 2,812,000 visitors came to the matches in all. The Soviet Union was the team with the most matches as foreign team here. The average of the visitor numbers is 63,909 without club team matches, Spartakiade and the East German Sports Festival. The East Germany national team won 20 matches with 13 drawns and 10 defeats. One match was hosted as national stadium for Poland. 21 matches took place as qualifying matches. 23 matches were exhibition matches.

Date Local time Home Final score (halftime score) Visitor Game type Attendance
1957-05-19 **:** Germany East Germany 2:1 (1:1) Goals scored:Charles (WAL) 6', Wirth (GDR) 21', Tröger (GDR) 61′ Wales Wales 1958 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Nikolay Latyshev Soviet Union 105,000
1957-10-27 **:** Germany East Germany 1:4 (1:3) Goals scored: Kraus (TCH) 4′, Moravčík (TCH) 23', Müller (GDR) 23′, Novák (TCH) 43', Kraus (TCH) 88′ Czech Republic Czechoslovakia 1958 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Pierre Schwinte France 110,000
1957-11-09 **:** Poland Poland 0:2 (0:1) Goals scored: Streltsov (URS) 31′, Fiedosov (URS) 75′ Soviet Union Soviet Union 1958 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Clough John Harold England 110,000
1958-09-14 **:** Germany East Germany 3:2 (1:1) Goals scored: Schröter (GDR) 25′, Penalty Constantin (ROU) 27′, Penalty Assmy (GDR) 57′, Ene (ROU) 61′, Wirth (GDR) 76′ Romania Romania Exhibition match – Referee: Nikolai Balakin Soviet Union 60,000
1958-11-02 **:** Germany East Germany 4:1 (2:1) Goals scored: Assmy (GDR) 4′, Müller (GDR) 12′, Hennum (NOR) 42′, Schröter (GDR) 56′, Müller (GDR) 65′ Norway Norway Exhibition match – Referee: Antonín Vrbovec Czech Republic 60,000
1959-08-12 **:** Germany East Germany 2:1 (2:0) Goals scored: Schröter (GDR) 3′, Franz (GDR) 44′, Kadraba (TCH) 53′ Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Exhibition match – Referee: Nikolai Latychev Soviet Union 100,000
1960-08-17 **:** East Germany East Germany 0:1 (0:0) Goals scored: Ponedelnik (URS) 75′ Soviet Union USSR Exhibition match – Referee: Josef Stoll Austria 70,000
1961-05-14 **:** East Germany East Germany 1:1 (0:0) Goals scored: Groot (NED) 63′, Erler (GDR) 80′ Netherlands Netherlands 1962 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Carl Jorgensen Denmark 70,000
1961-05-14 **:** East Germany East Germany 4:1 (2:1) Goals scored: Schröter (GDR) 8′, Madsen (DEN) 20′, Ducke (GDR) 29′, Schröter (GDR) 56′, Schröter (GDR) 88′ Denmark Denmark Exhibition match – Referee: Józef Kowal Poland 30,000
1961-05-14 **:** East Germany East Germany 2:2 (0:2) Goals scored: Zambata (YUG) 20′, Jerković (YUG) 43′, Wirth (GDR) 45′, Schröter (GDR) 52′ Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia Exhibition match – Referee: Václav Korelus Czechoslovakia 35,000
1964-05-23 **:** East Germany East Germany 1:1 (?:?) Goals scored: ? (GDR) ?′, ? (URS) ?′ Soviet Union USSR Exhibition match – Referee: ? 80,000
1965-05-23 **:** East Germany East Germany 1:1 (1:1) Goals scored: Vogel (GDR) 17′, Bene (HUN) 28′ Hungary Hungary 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Fredrik Johansson Sweden 110,000
1965-10-31 **:** East Germany East Germany 1:0 (1:0) Goals scored: Nöldner (GDR) 1′ Austria AUT 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Samuel Carswell Northern Ireland 95,000
1966-04-27 **:** East Germany East Germany 4:1 (3:1) Goals scored: Ducke (GDR) 2′, Nöldner (GDR) 23′, Kindvall (SWE) 43′, Frenzel (GDR) 57′ Sweden Sweden Exhibition match – Referee: Laurens van Ravens Netherlands 50,000
1966-07-02 **:** East Germany East Germany 5:2 (2:0) Goals scored: Nöldner (GDR) 3′, Frenzel (GDR) 44′, Tobar (CHI) 62′, Vogel (GDR) 72′, Fräßdorf (GDR) 79′, Marcos (CHI) 81′, Geisler (GDR) 86′ Chile Chile Exhibition match – Referee: Per Engblom Finland 45,000
1967-04-05 **:** East Germany East Germany 4:3 (0:2) Goals scored: Mulder (NED) 10′, Keizer (NED) 12′, Vogel (GDR) 50′, Frenzel (GDR) 62′, Keizer (NED) 65′, Frenzel (GDR) 69′, Frenzel (GDR) 85′ Netherlands Netherlands UEFA Euro 1968 qualifying – Referee: Hannes Sigurðsson Iceland 40,000
1967-10-11 17:00 East Germany East Germany 3:2 (1:2) Goals scored: Dyreborg (DEN) 25′, Körner (GDR) 35′, Søndergaard (DEN) 38′, Pankau (GDR) 59′, Pankau (GDR) 73′ Denmark Denmark UEFA Euro 1968 qualifying – Referee: Ryszard Banasiuk Poland 25,000
1967-10-29 14:00 East Germany East Germany 1:0 (0:0) Goals scored: Frenzel (GDR) 51′ Hungary Hungary UEFA Euro 1968 qualifying – Referee: Robert Helies France 110,000
1968-04-24 **:** East Germany East Germany 3:2 (?:?) Goals scored: ? Bulgaria Bulgaria ? – Referee: ? 35,000
1969-07-25 **:** East Germany East Germany 2:2 (1:1) Goals scored: Löwe (GDR) 6′, Löwe (GDR) 6′, Puzach (URS) 35′, Khmelnytskyi (URS) 59′, Frenzel (GDR) 87′ Soviet Union Soviet Union Exhibition match – Referee: Gyula Emsberger Hungary 90,000
1971-05-09 15:00 East Germany East Germany 1:2 (0:2) Goals scored: Filipović (YUG) 11′, Džajić (YUG) 19′, Puzach (YUG) 35′, Löwe (GDR) 70′ Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia UEFA Euro 1972 qualifying – Referee: Paul Schiller Austria 100,000
1971-09-18 **:** East Germany East Germany 1:1 (0:0) Goals scored: Borja (MEX) 50′, Löwe (GDR) 80′ Mexico Mexico Exhibition match – Referee: Gyula Emsberger Hungary 20,000
1972-05-27 **:** East Germany East Germany 1:0 (0:0) Goals scored: Irmscher (GDR) 81′ Uruguay Uruguay Exhibition match – Referee: Bohumil Smejkal Czech Republic 20,000
1973-03-26 **:** East Germany East Germany 2:0 (?:?) Goals scored: ? Romania Romania Exhibition match – Referee: ? 95,000
1974-05-29 **:** East Germany East Germany 1:1 (0:0) Goals scored: Streich (GDR) 66', Channon (GDR) 68' England England Exhibition match – Referee: György Müncz Hungary 100,000
1974-12-07 17:30 East Germany East Germany 0:0 (0:0) Goals scored: 0 Belgium Belgium UEFA Euro 1976 qualifying – Referee: Sergio Gonella Italy 35,000

1975-10-12 14:30 East Germany East Germany 2:1 (0:0) Goals scored: Bathenay (FRA) 50′, Streich (GDR) 55′, Vogel (GDR) 77′ France France UEFA Euro 1976 qualifying – Referee: Erik Fredriksson Sweden 35,000

1976-04-07 **:** East Germany East Germany 0:0 (0:0) Goals scored: 0 Czech Republic Czechoslovakia Football at the 1976 Summer Olympics – Men's qualification – Referee: Vladimir Rudnev Soviet Union 45,000
1977-07-28 **:** East Germany East Germany 2:1 (1:1) Goals scored: Häfner (GDR) 8', Bubnov (USSR) 22', Sparwasser (GDR) 90' Soviet Union Soviet Union Exhibition match – Referee: Marian Kuston Poland 95,000
1977-10-12 **:** East Germany East Germany 1:1 (0:1) Goals scored: Hattenberger (AUT) 43', Löwe (GDR) 50' Austria Austria 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Ian Foote Scotland 100,000
1978-04-04 **:** East Germany East Germany 0:1 (0:0) Goals scored: Åslund (SWE) 75' Sweden Sweden Exhibition match – Referee: Bogdan Dotchev Bulgaria 25,000
1978-09-06 **:** East Germany East Germany 2:1 (1:0) Goals scored: Pommerenke (GDR) 20', Eigendorf (GDR) 66', Ondruš (TCH) 84' Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Exhibition match – Referee: Franz Wöhrer Austria 15,000
1979-04-18 **:** East Germany East Germany 2:1 (0:1) Goals scored: Boniek (POL) 7', Streich (GDR) 50', Lindemann (GDR) 63' Poland Poland UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying – Referee: Azim Zade Soviet Union 55,000
1979-11-21 17:00 East Germany East Germany 2:3 (2:1) Goals scored: Schnuphase (GDR) 17', Streich (GDR) 33', Thijssen (NED) 45', Kist (NED) 50', Kerkhof (NED) 67' Netherlands Netherlands UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying – Referee: António Garrido Portugal 100,000
1980-04-16 **:** East Germany East Germany 2:0 (0:0) Goals scored: Weber (GDR) 64', Streich (GDR) 69' Greece Greece Exhibition match – Referee: Torben Månsson Denmark 20,000
1980-10-15 **:** East Germany East Germany 0:0 (0:0) Goals scored:0 Spain Spain Exhibition match – Referee: Jan Veverka Czechoslovakia 30,000
1981-10-10 **:** East Germany East Germany 2:3 (0:2) Goals scored: Szarmach (POL) 2', Smolarek (POL) 5', Schnuphase (GDR) 53', Smolarek (POL) 62', Streich (GDR) 63' Poland Poland 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Augusto Lamo Castillo Spain 85,000
1982-04-14 **:** East Germany East Germany 1:0 (1:0) Goals scored: Hause (GDR) 20' Italy Italy Exhibition match – Referee: Dusan Krchnak Czechoslovakia 28,000
1983-03-30 17:00 East Germany East Germany 1:2 (0:1) Goals scored: Van Der Elst (BEL) 35', Vandenbergh (BEL) 70', Streich (GDR) 82' Belgium Belgium UEFA Euro 1984 qualifying Group 1 – Referee: John Carpenter Republic of Ireland 75,000
1983-06-26 **:** East Germany East Germany 1:3 (1:2) Goals scored: Blokhin (URS) 10', Streich (GDR) 24', Oganesyan (URS) 35', Yevtushenko (URS) 64' Soviet Union Soviet Union Exhibition match – Referee: Károly Palotai Hungary 70,000
1984-10-20 **:** East Germany East Germany 2:3 (1:1) Goals scored: Glowatzky (GDR) 11', Baždarević (YUG) 30', Vokri (YUG) 48', Ernst (GDR) 59', Šestić (YUG) 80' Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Horst Brummeier Austria 63,000
1985-09-11 **:** East Germany East Germany 2:0 (0:0) Goals scored: Ernst (GDR) 53', Kreer (GDR) 81' France France 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Pietro D'Elia Italy 78,000
1987-07-28 **:** East Germany East Germany 0:0 (0:0) Goals scored: 0 Hungary Hungary Exhibition match – Referee: Jan Damgaard Denmark 71,000
1989-05-20 **:** East Germany East Germany 1:1 (0:1) Goals scored: Polster (AUT) 3', Kirsten (GDR) 86' Austria Austria 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Alphonse Constantin Belgium 22,000

German Sports Festival (National Olympics for East Germans)

During this festival came at least 150,000.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Turn- und Sportfest der DDR.
  • 1956 (2.–5. August): II. Deutsches Turn- und Sportfest
  • 1959 (13.–16. August): III. Deutsches Turn- und Sportfest
  • 1963 (1.–4. August): IV. Deutsches Turn- und Sportfest
  • 1969 (24.–27. July): V. Turn- und Sportfest der DDR
  • 1977 (25.–31. July): VI. Turn- und Sportfest der DDR und VI. Kinder- und Jugendspartakiade
  • 1983 (25.–31. July): VII. Turn- und Sportfest der DDR und IX. Kinder- und Jugendspartakiade
  • 1987 (27. July–2. August): VIII. Turn- und Sportfest der DDR und XI. Kinder- und Jugendspartakiade