World Cup 1974 Archives ⋆ An Old International

Bernd Bransch, 1944 – 2022

There are few players who are remembered by one photograph only. Bernd Bransch was one of them. His mos famour photo was a hand shake with Franz Beckenbauer ahead of the only all-German football in June 1974. Most importantly, it was Bransch whose goals got the GDR there. a quiet hero The football world has…

Erich Hamann – The Passing Assistant

It is the first encounter between East and West in 1974 and almost 3 quarters of the game have passed without any major incident. And yet, for many unnoticed, Georg Buschner, the East German coach has pulled his secret weapon from his sleeve: Erich Hamann. It was the game the East was eagerly awaiting ever…

We against Us: 22 June 1974 Hamburg

Every time a World Cup is about to kick-off, the Germans are somehow said to be among the favourites. While some teams were great, many German or West German teams were simply lucky: the team of in 1982 that beat France on penalties in a semi-final which was overshadowed by Toni Schumacher’s criminal assault on…

East Germany’s Golden Decade

The Seventies in German football history are dominated by discussion of the team that have won the 1972 European Championship and the 1974 World Cup. On course for their triumph against Holland, West Germany had to face East Germany for the one and only time. It was we against us. However, there was more to…