Bezirksliga

The Bezirksliga (also known as the East German District Championships) were regional competitions contested in East Germany. All 15 Bezirks (districts) of East Germany were allowed to hold a competition prior to the over haul of the league system in 1970, though often times competitions were not contested in certain Bezirks, or match results failed to be reported. Post 1970, some district competitions were merged.

Format

District teams were initially eligible for promotion to the DDR-Oberliga, but after the foundation of the 1. Liga for the 1952-53 season, they were only able to qualify for promotion to that league. After the 2. Liga was founded for the 1955-56 season, it became the league that Bezirksliga champions vied for promotion to.

The Gruppenliga became the new third tier league for the 1962-63 season and teams from the Bezirksliga were eligible to be promoted to it, just as they were with the 2. Liga. Beginning with the 1965-66 season, the Gruppenliga was contested as the second-level East German league, and Bezikrsliga teams retained the opportunity to be promoted to the league.

Ice hockey in East Germany was fundamentally restructured for the 1970-71 season, with the DDR-Oberliga being reduced to two teams, the Gruppenliga being shuttered, and some Districts getting merged. In place of the Gruppenliga, an unofficial competition, the DDR-Bestenermittlung was created, and that league became the new landing spot for promoted Bezirksliga squads.

From 1970-71 to 1973-74, district winners were allowed to register for the following season of play in the DDR-Bestenermittlung. Starting with the 1974-75 season, a playoff between the various Bezirksliga champions was held to decide the team that would participate in the promotion/relegation round of the DDR-Bestenermittlung. The playoff was not contested in the 1988-89 season due to ongoing social changes in East Germany. It did not take place in 1989-90 either, due to German reunification.

Champions/Results

1951-52

See: 1952–53 East German Liga season for results

• Berlin: BSG Motor Treptow
• Saxony: BSG Einheit Schönheide
• Saxony-Analt: BSG Chemie Granschütz
• Thuringia: BSG Turbine Erfurt
• Brandenburg: BSG Stahl Fürstenberg

1952-53

Qualifiers

Bezirk Group Dresden

• SG Oybin - Geising 7:1
• SG Oybin - BSG Forstrichtt Zittau 3:1

Bezirk Group Cottbus/Potsdam/Frankfurt

Pl.	Team	GP	W	T	L	Goals	Pts
1.	BSG Chemie Weißwasser 1b (Bez. Cottbus)	2	2	-	-	21:00	04:00
2.	BSG Stahl Fürstenberg (Bez. Potsdam)	2	1	-	1	08:09	02:02
3.	BSG Motor Hennigsdorf (Bez. Potsdam)	2	-	-	2	02:22	00:04
	BSG Einheit Potsdam (Bez. Potsdam)	Withdrew

Bezirk Group Leipzig/Gera

Pl.	Team	GP	W	T	L	Goals	Pts
1.	BSG Aufbau Südwest Leipzig (Bez. Leipzig)	2	2	-	-	31:04	04:00
2.	BSG Empor Gera (Bez. Gera)	1	-	-	1	03:10	02:02
3.	BSG Chemie Jena (Bez. Gera)	1	-	-	1	01:21	00:02

Promotion round to Liga

The 15 district champions were eligible for promotion to the Liga. As some districts merged to district groups, a total of 10 teams participated in the promotion tournament.

2nd round

BSG Lok Zittau	–	BSG Stahl Ilsenburg	9:2
BSG Wismut Frankenhausen 1b	–	BSG Fortschritt Apolda	N/A
BSG Aufbau Südwest Leipzig	–

BSG Lok Zittau, BSG Wismut Frankenhausen 1b and BSG Aufbau Südwest Leipzig earned places in the Liga.

1st round

BSG Fortschritt Apolda	–	BSG Einheit Oberhof	6:3
(Bez. Erfurt)		(Bez. Suhl)
SG Oybin	–	BSG Chemie Weißwasser 1b	3:2 OT
(Bez. Dresden)		(BG Cottbus/Potsdam/Frankfurt)
BSG Motor Rostock	–	BSG Aufbau Südwest Leipzig	N/A
(BG Rostock/Schwerin/Neubrandenburg])		(BG Leipzig/Gera)
BSG Stahl Ilsenburg	–
(Bez. Magdeburg)		(Bez. Halle)
BSG Wismut Frankenhausen 1b	–
(Bez. Chemnitz)		(|Berlin)

1953-54

The 15 district champions were eligible for promotion to the Liga, but not all districts held championships.

SC Dynamo Berlin	–	BSG Chemie Weißwasser	8:0
(Berlin)		(Bez. Cottbus)

Other teams promoted: BSG Traktor Oberwiesenthaland BSG Motor Rostock.

1954-55

The 15 district champions were eligible for promotion to the Liga, but not all districts held championships and some winners were reported too late.

BSG Wismut Eibenstock	–	BSG Fortschritt Apolda	8:0
(Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)		(Bez. Erfurt)

The German league system was restructured for the 1955-56 season with the creation of the new third-level 2. Liga. The two participants from the promotion game and all other interested Bezirksliga winners had the right to a place in the league. The following teams also joined it:

• BSG Fortschritt Apolda (Bez. Erfurt)
• BSG Stahl Stalinstadt (Bez. Frankfurt)
• BSG Lok Meiningen (Bez. Suhl)
• BSG Motor Fermersleben (Bez. Magdeburg)
• BSG Chemie Weißwasser (Bez. Cottbus)
• BSG Motor Hennigsdorf (Bez. Potsdam)
• HSG Wissenschaft DHfK Leipzig (Bez. Leipzig)
• BSG Motor Treptow (Berlin)
• BSG Einheit Mitte Halle (Bez. Halle)
• BSG Wismut Wilkau-Haßlau (Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)
• BSG Einheit Dresden Süd (Bez. Dresden)

1955-56

The 15 district champions were eligible for promotion to the Liga, but not all districts held championships and some winners were reported too late.

2nd round

BSG Motor Crimmitschau

–

BSG Stahl Ilsenburg

1st round

BSG Stahl Ilsenburg	–	BSG Einheit Mitte Schwerin
(Bez. Magdeburg)		(Bez. Schwerin)
BSG Stahl Brotterode	–	BSG Stahl Hettstedt	n. a.
(Bez. Suhl)		(Bez. Halle)
BSG Motor Weimar	–	BSG Aktivist Werk Großzössen	4:31
(Erfurt)		(Leipzig)
BSG Motor Crimmitschau	–	BSG Einheit Zittau
(Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)		(Bez. Dresden)
BSG Aktivist Knappenrode-Losa	–		bye
(Bez. Cottbus)		(Bez. Gera)

Complete schedules and results incomplete. ¹Game was cancelled due to "irregular conditions".

Due to poor weather conditions, the promotion games were discontinued in July 1956 and all interested district champions were granted a right to advanced to the 2. Liga. However, BSG Motor Crimmitschau could not benefit from it as it was learned that during the District Championship, they had used three players without valid players licenses in a decisive match against BSG Wismut Annaberg.

The following teams were promoted to the 2. Liga for 1956-57:

• BSG Wismut Annaberg (Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)
• BSG Einheit Zittau (Bez. Dresden)
• BSG Aktivist Knappenrode-Losa (Bez. Cottbus)
• BSG Motor Weimar (Bez. Erfurt)
• BSG Stahl Brotterode (Bez. Suhl)
• BSG Aktivist Werk Großzössen (Bez. Leipzig)
• BSG Stahl Ilsenburg (Bez. Magdeburg)

1956-57

Restrictions on promotion and relegation precluded the playing of a promotion tournament. At the end of the season, districts were permitted to nominate a team for promotion. Ultimately, BSG Motor Eisenach (Bez. Erfurt) earned a spot in the 2. Liga for 1957-58.

1957-58

The 15 district champions were eligible for promotion to the Liga, but not all districts held championships and some winners were not reported.

The teams that qualified for the 2. Liga for 1957-58 were:

• BSG Motor Crimmitschau (Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)
• BSG Aufbau Waldheim (Bez. Leipzig)
• SC Dynamo Berlin II (Berlin)
• BSG Traktor Groß Düben (Bez. Cottbus)
• BSG Einheit Görlitz (Bez. Dresden)
• BSG Lok Zittau II (Bez. Dresden)
• BSG Einheit Ballenstedt (Bez. Halle)

1958-59

A promotion-relegation round between the bottom four teams in the 2. Liga and the District champions was held. Some districts merged their competitions. Klingenthal was the only Bezirksliga squad to earn promotion.

BSG Aufbau Waldheim	–	SG Dynamo Klingenthal
(Last Group 1)		(Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt]
BSG Lok Zittau II	–
(Last Group 2)		(BG Frankfurt (Oder))/Dresden)
BSG Fortschritt Apolda	–
(Last Group 3)		(BG Suhl/Erfurt/Gera)
BSG Motor Magdeburg	–
(Last Group 4)		(Bez. Halle)

1959-60

Due to the reduction of teams in the 1. and 2. Liga's for 1960-61, no Bezirksliga teams were promoted.

1960-61

SG Dynamo Schierke	–	BSG Traktor Groß Düben	5:4
(Bez. Magdeburg)		(Bez. Cottbus)

Results incomplete.

BSG Chemie Granschütz (Bez. Hall) earned the opportunity to be promoted to the 1. Liga. BSG Forstrichtt Apolda (Bez. Erfurt) declined promotion and remained in the Bezirksliga. The following teams were promoted to the 2. Liga for 1961-62:

• SG Dynamo Schierke (Bez. Magdeburg)
• BSG Einheit Ballenstedt (Bez. Halle)
• BSG Traktor Eibenstock (Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)

1961-62

The following teams qualified for the 1962-63 Gruppenliga season:

• BSG Stahl Brotterode (Bez. Suhl)
• SC Turbine Erfurt II (Bez. Erfurt)
• ASG Vorwärts Crimmitschau II (Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)
• BSG Traktor Groß Düben (Bez. Cottbus)
• BSG Einheit Geising (Bez. Dresden)
• BSG Lok Zittau II (Bez. Dresden)
• BSG Einheit Görlitz (Bez. Dresden)

1962-63

The following teams qualified for the 1963-64 Gruppenliga season:

• BSG Empor Ilmenau (Bez. Suhl)
• BSG Lok Meiningen (Bez. Suhl)
• BSG Motor Eisenach (Bez. Erfurt)
• BSG Motor Weimar (Bez. Erfurt)
• BSG Chemie Granschütz (Bez. Halle) - replaced BSG Chemie Leuna II, who declined promotion
• SG Drespo Dresden (Bez. Dresden)
• SG Dynamo Malchin (Bez. Neubrandenburg)
• SG Boxberg (Bez. Cottbus)

1963-64

The following teams qualified for the 1964-65 Gruppenliga season:

• BSG Chemie Leuna II (Bez. Halle)
• ESG Zittau II (Bez. Dresden)
• ZSG Seifhennersdorf (Bez. Dresden)
• BSG Stahl Eisenhüttenstadt (Bez. Frankfurt (Oder))
• BSG Fortschritt Lichtenstein (Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)

1964-65

The following teams qualified for the 1965-66 Gruppenliga season:

• WSG Rudolf Harbig Dessau (Bez. Halle)
• BSG Motor Bad Muskau (Bez. Cottbus)
• BSG Einheit Geising (Bez. Dresden)
• BSG Traktor Oberwiesenthal (Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)
• BSG Vater Jahn Annaberg-Buchholz (Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)
• TSG Muldental Wilkau-Haßlau (Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)

1965-66

The following teams qualified for the 1966-67 Gruppenliga season:

• BSG Traktor Dargun (Bez. Neubrandenburg)
• BSG Einheit Teterow (Bez. Neubrandenburg)
• BSG Traktor Schönbeck (Bez. Neubrandenburg)
• BSG Stahl Rietschen (Bez. Cottbus)
• SG Dynamo Zittau (Bez. Dresden)
• BSG Einheit Niesky (Bez. Dresden)
• BSG Einheit Oberhof (Bez. Suhl)

1966-67

It is unknown if other promotion-relegation games were staged.

BSG Traktor Eibenstock	–	BSG Traktor Oberwiesenthal	??
(Last in Gruppenliga Group 3)		(Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)

BSG Traktor Oberwiesenthal qualified for the Gruppenliga along with the other following teams:

• BSG Aktivist Knappenrode-Lohsa (Bez. Cottbus)
• SG Drespo Dresden (Bez. Dresden)
• BSG Einheit Geising (Bez. Dresden)

1967-68

The following teams qualified for the 1968-69 Gruppenliga season:

• BSG Einheit Oberhof (Bez. Suhl)
• BSG Aufbau Waldheim (Bez. Leipzig)
• BSG Fortschritt Lichtenstein (Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)
• BSG Einheit Niesky (Bez. Dresden)
• ZSG Seifhennersdorf (Bez. Dresden)

1968-69

It is unknown if other promotion-relegation games were staged.

BSG Fortschritt Lichtenstein	–	BSG Traktor Eibenstock
(Last in Gruppenliga Group 3)		(Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)

Lichtenstein withdrew
BSG Traktor Eibenstock qualified for the Gruppenliga along with the other following teams:

• BSG Aufbau Halle (Bez. Halle)
• ASG Vorwärts Crimmitschau (Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)
• BSG Einheit Geising (Bez. Dresden)

1969-70

Details unknown.

1970-71

The following teams qualified for the 1971-72 DDR-Bestenermittlung season:

• BSG Aufbau Halle (Bez. Halle)
• BSG Chemie Leuna (Bez. Halle)
• VSG Rostock (Bez. Rostock)
• BSG Motor Bad Muskau (Bez. Cottbus)

1971-72

District winners were eligible for promotion - no teams were promoted.

1972-73

The following teams qualified for the 1973-74 DDR-Bestenermittlung season:

• SG Dynamo Klingenthal (Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)
• BSG Chemie Leuna (Bez. Halle)
• BSG Monsator Berlin (Berlin)

1973-74

District winners were eligible for promotion - no teams were promoted.

1974-75

It is unknown whether relegation matches took place - no new teams entered Bestenermittlung.

1975-76

It is unknown whether relegation matches took place - no new teams entered Bestenermittlung.

1976-77

It is unknown whether relegation matches took place - no new teams entered Bestenermittlung.

1977-78

Relegation (DDR-Bestenermittung - Bezirksliga)

BSG Chemie Leuna	–	BSG Fortschritt Hohenstein-Ernstthal	6:4
(Last in B Group/B.ermittlung)		(District Qualifier)

Leuna retained its spot in the Bestenermittlung. Ernstthal later received the chance to play in the league as BSG Chemie 70 Rostock withdrew on short notice.

District Qualifier

The district qualifiers were not staged as the only championships that took place were in Karl-Marx-Stadt. As the local champion, SG Dynamo Klingenthal already played in the Bestenermittlung, and the runner-up, BSG Aufbau Schonheide declined participation, third placed BSG Forstrichtt-Hohenstein-Ernstthal earned a spot in the relegation game.

1978-79

Relegation (DDR-Bestenermittlung - Bezirksliga)

The relegation game only took place in January 1980. BSG Chemie 70 Rostock, who had retired two weeks before the tournament, was placed in the relegation game automatically. They facedBSG Aufbau Schönheide, who had waived their right to participate in the relegation game the previous year.

BSG Chemie 70 Rostock	–	BSG Aufbau Schönheide	12:5
(Last in Group B/B.ermittlung)		(District Qualifier)

1979-80

Relegation (DDR-Bestenermittung - Bezirksliga)

BSG Chemie Leuna	–	BSG Aufbau Schönheide	6:2
(Last in B Group/B.ermittlung)		(District Qualifier)

The relegation game was played in January 1981.

District Qualifier

BSG Aufbau Schönheide	–	BSG Einheit Niesky	8:6
(Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)		(Union Bez. Cottbus/Dresden)

1980-81

Relegation (DDR-Bestenermittung - Bezirksliga)

BSG Chemie Leuna	–	BSG Aufbau Schönheide	6:12
(Last in B Group/B.ermittlung)		(District Qualifier)

The relegation game was played at the end of February 1982.

District Qualifier

BSG Aufbau Schönheide	–	BSG Traktor Groß Düben	6:5
(Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)		(Union Bez. Cottbus/Dresden)

The qualifier was played in mid-February 1982.

1981-82

Relegation (DDR-Bestenermittung - Bezirksliga)

BSG Aufbau Schönheide	–	BSG Fortschritt Hohenstein-Ernstthal	4:5
(Last in B Group/B.ermittlung)		(District Qualifier)

The relegation game was played in mid-February 1983.

District Qualifier

3rd round

BSG Chemie Leuna	–	BSG Fortschritt Hohenstein-Ernstthal	8:12
(Bez. Halle)		(2nd rd winner)

2nd round

BSG Fortschritt Hohenstein-Ernstthal	–	BSG Traktor Groß Düben	12:4
(Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)		(1st rd winner)

1st round

BSG Traktor Groß Düben	–	BSG Einheit Niesky	4:2
(Bez. Cottbus)		(Bez. Dresden)

The first two rounds were played in December 1982 and the final qualifier was played in January 1983.

1982-83

Relegation (DDR-Bestenermittung - Bezirksliga)

BSG Fortschritt Hohenstein-Ernstthal	–	BSG Verkehrsbetriebe Dresden	2:7
(Last in B Group/B.ermittlung)		(District Qualifier)

The relegation game was played in mid-February 1984.

District Qualifier

2nd round

BSG Aufbau Schönheide	–	BSG Verkehrsbetriebe Dresden	3:12
(Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)		(1st rd winner)

1st round

BSG Traktor Groß Düben	–	BSG Verkehrsbetriebe Dresden	1:10
(Bez. Cottbus)		(Bez. Dresden)

The first round was played in December 1983 and the final qualifier was played in February 1984.

1983-84

Relegation (DDR-Bestenermittung - Bezirksliga)

SG Dynamo Klingenthal	–	BSG Fortschritt Hohenstein-Ernstthal	1:6
(Last in B Group/B.ermittlung)		(District Qualifier)

The relegation game was played at the end of January 1985.

District Qualifier

2nd round

BSG Fortschritt Hohenstein-Ernstthal	–	BSG Traktor Groß Düben	12:8
(Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)		(1st rd. winner)

Hohenstein-Ernstthal, the Bezirk runner-up, represented Karl-Marx-Stadt as the second team of BSG Einheit Crimmitschau was not eligible for promotion.

1st round

BSG Traktor Groß Düben	–	BSG Einheit Niesky	20:7
(Bez. Cottbus)		(Bez. Dresden)

The first round and the final qualifier were played in December 1984.

1984-85

Relegation (DDR-Bestenermittung - Bezirksliga)

BSG Aufbau Halle	–	BSG Spartakus Berlin	6:8
(Last in B Group/B.ermittlung)		(District Qualifier)

The relegation game was played at the end of January 1986.

District Qualifier

The first two rounds were held in November and December 1985, the final round was held in January 1986.

3rd round

SG Dynamo Klingenthal	–	BSG Spartakus Berlin	5:5 / P. 9:10
(2nd rd. winner)		(1st rd./1 winner)

2nd round

SG Dynamo Klingenthal	–	BSG Einheit Niesky	8:1
(Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)		(1st rd./2 winner)
BSG Spartakus Berlin			bye

SG Dynamo Klingenthal represented Karl-Marx-Stadt as the runner-up as the champion BSG Einheit Crimmitschau II was not allowed to be promoted.

1st round

BSG Spartakus Berlin	–	BSG Schiffahrt/Hafen Rostock	19:3
(Berlin)		(Bez. Rostock)
BSG Traktor Groß Düben	–	BSG Einheit Niesky	3:9
(Bez. Cottbus)		(Bez. Dresden)

1985-86

Relegation (DDR-Bestenermittung - Bezirksliga)

BSG Fortschritt Hohenstein-Ernstthal	–	BSG Einheit Weißwasser	4:13
(Last in B Group/B.ermittlung)		(District Qualifier)

District Qualifier

3rd round

BSG Einheit Crimmitschau II	–	BSG Einheit Weißwasser	3:10
(2nd rd. winner)		(1st rd./1 winner)

2nd round

BSG Einheit Crimmitschau II	–	BSG Aufbau Halle	8:3
(Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)		(1st rd./2 winner)
BSG Einheit Weißwasser			bye

1st round

BSG Aufbau Halle	–	BSG Schiffahrt/Hafen Rostock	15:5
(Bez. Halle)		(Bez. Rostock)
BSG Einheit Weißwasser	–	BSG Einheit Niesky	16:0
(Bez. Cottbus)		(Bez. Dresden)

1986-87

Relegation (DDR-Bestenermittung - Bezirksliga)

BSG HO Lebensmittel Erfurt	–	BSG Einheit Crimmitschau II	13:4
(Last in B Group/B.ermittlung)		(District Qualifier)

The relegation game was played at the end of January 1988.

District Qualifier

3rd round

BSG Aufbau Halle	–	BSG Einheit Crimmitschau II	3:11
(2nd r.d winner)		(1st rd./3 winner)

2nd round

BSG Aufbau Halle	–	BSG Traktor Groß Düben	18:5
(1st rd./1 winner)		(1st rd./2 winner)
BSG Einheit Crimmitschau II			bye

1st round

BSG Aufbau Halle	–	BSG Schiffahrt/Hafen Rostock	14:1
(Bez. Halle)		(Bez. Rostock)
BSG Traktor Groß Düben	–	BSG Einheit Niesky	5:2
(Bez. Cottbus)		(Bez. Dresden)
BSG Einheit Crimmitschau II	–	BSG AdW Berlin	9:5
(Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)		(Berlin)

The first and second rounds were played in October and November 1987, while the final round was staged in January 1988.

1987-88

Relegation (DDR-Bestenermittung - Bezirksliga)

BSG Chemie 70 Rostock	–	BSG Einheit Crimmitschau II	1:4
(Last in B Group/B.ermittlung)		(District Qualifier)

The relegation game was played in February 1989.

District Qualifier

3rd round

BSG Einheit Crimmitschau II	–	BSG AdW Berlin	2:2 / P. 5:3
(2nd rd. winner)		(1st rd./3 winner)

2nd round

BSG Einheit Crimmitschau II	–	BSG Einheit Niesky	n. a.
(1st rd./1 winner)		(1st rd./2 winner)
BSG AdW Berlin			bye

1st round

BSG Aufbau Halle	–	BSG Einheit Crimmitschau II	4:11
(Bez. Halle)		(Bez. Karl-Marx-Stadt)
BSG Traktor Groß Düben	–	BSG Einheit Niesky	4:10
(Bez. Cottbus)		(Bez. Dresden)
BSG Schiffahrt/Hafen Rostock	–	BSG AdW Berlin	4:9
(Bez. Rostock)		(Berlin)

The first and second rounds were played in November and December 1988, while the final round was staged in January 1989.

1988-89

The envisaged district qualifiers and relegation match did not take place due to social changes in East Germany and their effects.

1989-90

The district qualifiers and relegation match did not take place. The reunification of Germany followed the next year.