# Zentralstadion (1956)

Central Stadium (German: Zentralstadion, pronounced ) 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

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

* Moving construction material
* Aerial photo in 1956
* The Werner Seelenbinder clock tower
* The Zentralstadion packed with spectators on 4 August 1956
* The main entrance
* 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 | **:** | East Germany | 2:1 (1:1) Goals scored:Charles (WAL) 6', Wirth (GDR) 21', Tröger (GDR) 61′ | Wales | 1958 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Nikolay Latyshev | 105,000 |
| 1957-10-27 | **:** | East Germany | 1:4 (1:3) Goals scored: Kraus (TCH) 4′, Moravčík (TCH) 23', Müller (GDR) 23′, Novák (TCH) 43', Kraus (TCH) 88′ | Czechoslovakia | 1958 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Pierre Schwinte | 110,000 |
| 1957-11-09 | **:** | Poland | 0:2 (0:1) Goals scored: Streltsov (URS) 31′, Fiedosov (URS) 75′ | Soviet Union | 1958 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Clough John Harold | 110,000 |
| 1958-09-14 | **:** | 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 | Exhibition match – Referee: Nikolai Balakin | 60,000 |
| 1958-11-02 | **:** | East Germany | 4:1 (2:1) Goals scored: Assmy (GDR) 4′, Müller (GDR) 12′, Hennum (NOR) 42′, Schröter (GDR) 56′, Müller (GDR) 65′ | Norway | Exhibition match – Referee: Antonín Vrbovec | 60,000 |
| 1959-08-12 | **:** | East Germany | 2:1 (2:0) Goals scored: Schröter (GDR) 3′, Franz (GDR) 44′, Kadraba (TCH) 53′ | Czechoslovakia | Exhibition match – Referee: Nikolai Latychev | 100,000 |
| 1960-08-17 | **:** | East Germany | 0:1 (0:0) Goals scored: Ponedelnik (URS) 75′ | USSR | Exhibition match – Referee: Josef Stoll | 70,000 |
| 1961-05-14 | **:** | East Germany | 1:1 (0:0) Goals scored: Groot (NED) 63′, Erler (GDR) 80′ | Netherlands | 1962 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Carl Jorgensen | 70,000 |
| 1961-05-14 | **:** | East Germany | 4:1 (2:1) Goals scored: Schröter (GDR) 8′, Madsen (DEN) 20′, Ducke (GDR) 29′, Schröter (GDR) 56′, Schröter (GDR) 88′ | Denmark | Exhibition match – Referee: Józef Kowal | 30,000 |
| 1961-05-14 | **:** | East Germany | 2:2 (0:2) Goals scored: Zambata (YUG) 20′, Jerković (YUG) 43′, Wirth (GDR) 45′, Schröter (GDR) 52′ | Yugoslavia | Exhibition match – Referee: Václav Korelus | 35,000 |
| 1964-05-23 | **:** | East Germany | 1:1 (?:?) Goals scored: ? (GDR) ?′, ? (URS) ?′ | USSR | Exhibition match – Referee: ? | 80,000 |
| 1965-05-23 | **:** | East Germany | 1:1 (1:1) Goals scored: Vogel (GDR) 17′, Bene (HUN) 28′ | Hungary | 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Fredrik Johansson | 110,000 |
| 1965-10-31 | **:** | East Germany | 1:0 (1:0) Goals scored: Nöldner (GDR) 1′ | AUT | 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Samuel Carswell | 95,000 |
| 1966-04-27 | **:** | East Germany | 4:1 (3:1) Goals scored: Ducke (GDR) 2′, Nöldner (GDR) 23′, Kindvall (SWE) 43′, Frenzel (GDR) 57′ | Sweden | Exhibition match – Referee: Laurens van Ravens | 50,000 |
| 1966-07-02 | **:** | 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 | Exhibition match – Referee: Per Engblom | 45,000 |
| 1967-04-05 | **:** | 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 | UEFA Euro 1968 qualifying – Referee: Hannes Sigurðsson | 40,000 |
| 1967-10-11 | 17:00 | East Germany | 3:2 (1:2) Goals scored: Dyreborg (DEN) 25′, Körner (GDR) 35′, Søndergaard (DEN) 38′, Pankau (GDR) 59′, Pankau (GDR) 73′ | Denmark | UEFA Euro 1968 qualifying – Referee: Ryszard Banasiuk | 25,000 |
| 1967-10-29 | 14:00 | East Germany | 1:0 (0:0) Goals scored: Frenzel (GDR) 51′ | Hungary | UEFA Euro 1968 qualifying – Referee: Robert Helies | 110,000 |
| 1968-04-24 | **:** | East Germany | 3:2 (?:?) Goals scored: ? | Bulgaria | ? – Referee: ? | 35,000 |
| 1969-07-25 | **:** | 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 | Exhibition match – Referee: Gyula Emsberger | 90,000 |
| 1971-05-09 | 15:00 | East Germany | 1:2 (0:2) Goals scored: Filipović (YUG) 11′, Džajić (YUG) 19′, Puzach (YUG) 35′, Löwe (GDR) 70′ | Yugoslavia | UEFA Euro 1972 qualifying – Referee: Paul Schiller | 100,000 |
| 1971-09-18 | **:** | East Germany | 1:1 (0:0) Goals scored: Borja (MEX) 50′, Löwe (GDR) 80′ | Mexico | Exhibition match – Referee: Gyula Emsberger | 20,000 |
| 1972-05-27 | **:** | East Germany | 1:0 (0:0) Goals scored: Irmscher (GDR) 81′ | Uruguay | Exhibition match – Referee: Bohumil Smejkal | 20,000 |
| 1973-03-26 | **:** | East Germany | 2:0 (?:?) Goals scored: ? | Romania | Exhibition match – Referee: ? | 95,000 |
| 1974-05-29 | **:** | East Germany | 1:1 (0:0) Goals scored: Streich (GDR) 66', Channon (GDR) 68' | England | Exhibition match – Referee: György Müncz | 100,000 |
| 1974-12-07 | 17:30 | East Germany | 0:0 (0:0) Goals scored: 0 | Belgium | UEFA Euro 1976 qualifying – Referee: Sergio Gonella | 35,000 |
| 1975-10-12 | 14:30 | East Germany | 2:1 (0:0) Goals scored: Bathenay (FRA) 50′, Streich (GDR) 55′, Vogel (GDR) 77′ | France | UEFA Euro 1976 qualifying – Referee: Erik Fredriksson | 35,000 |
| 1976-04-07 | **:** | East Germany | 0:0 (0:0) Goals scored: 0 | Czechoslovakia | Football at the 1976 Summer Olympics – Men's qualification – Referee: Vladimir Rudnev | 45,000 |
| 1977-07-28 | **:** | East Germany | 2:1 (1:1) Goals scored: Häfner (GDR) 8', Bubnov (USSR) 22', Sparwasser (GDR) 90' | Soviet Union | Exhibition match – Referee: Marian Kuston | 95,000 |
| 1977-10-12 | **:** | East Germany | 1:1 (0:1) Goals scored: Hattenberger (AUT) 43', Löwe (GDR) 50' | Austria | 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Ian Foote | 100,000 |
| 1978-04-04 | **:** | East Germany | 0:1 (0:0) Goals scored: Åslund (SWE) 75' | Sweden | Exhibition match – Referee: Bogdan Dotchev | 25,000 |
| 1978-09-06 | **:** | East Germany | 2:1 (1:0) Goals scored: Pommerenke (GDR) 20', Eigendorf (GDR) 66', Ondruš (TCH) 84' | Czechoslovakia | Exhibition match – Referee: Franz Wöhrer | 15,000 |
| 1979-04-18 | **:** | East Germany | 2:1 (0:1) Goals scored: Boniek (POL) 7', Streich (GDR) 50', Lindemann (GDR) 63' | Poland | UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying – Referee: Azim Zade | 55,000 |
| 1979-11-21 | 17:00 | East Germany | 2:3 (2:1) Goals scored: Schnuphase (GDR) 17', Streich (GDR) 33', Thijssen (NED) 45', Kist (NED) 50', Kerkhof (NED) 67' | Netherlands | UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying – Referee: António Garrido | 100,000 |
| 1980-04-16 | **:** | East Germany | 2:0 (0:0) Goals scored: Weber (GDR) 64', Streich (GDR) 69' | Greece | Exhibition match – Referee: Torben Månsson | 20,000 |
| 1980-10-15 | **:** | East Germany | 0:0 (0:0) Goals scored:0 | Spain | Exhibition match – Referee: Jan Veverka | 30,000 |
| 1981-10-10 | **:** | East Germany | 2:3 (0:2) Goals scored: Szarmach (POL) 2', Smolarek (POL) 5', Schnuphase (GDR) 53', Smolarek (POL) 62', Streich (GDR) 63' | Poland | 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Augusto Lamo Castillo | 85,000 |
| 1982-04-14 | **:** | East Germany | 1:0 (1:0) Goals scored: Hause (GDR) 20' | Italy | Exhibition match – Referee: Dusan Krchnak | 28,000 |
| 1983-03-30 | 17:00 | East Germany | 1:2 (0:1) Goals scored: Van Der Elst (BEL) 35', Vandenbergh (BEL) 70', Streich (GDR) 82' | Belgium | UEFA Euro 1984 qualifying Group 1 – Referee: John Carpenter | 75,000 |
| 1983-06-26 | **:** | East Germany | 1:3 (1:2) Goals scored: Blokhin (URS) 10', Streich (GDR) 24', Oganesyan (URS) 35', Yevtushenko (URS) 64' | Soviet Union | Exhibition match – Referee: Károly Palotai | 70,000 |
| 1984-10-20 | **:** | East Germany | 2:3 (1:1) Goals scored: Glowatzky (GDR) 11', Baždarević (YUG) 30', Vokri (YUG) 48', Ernst (GDR) 59', Šestić (YUG) 80' | Yugoslavia | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Horst Brummeier | 63,000 |
| 1985-09-11 | **:** | East Germany | 2:0 (0:0) Goals scored: Ernst (GDR) 53', Kreer (GDR) 81' | France | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Pietro D'Elia | 78,000 |
| 1987-07-28 | **:** | East Germany | 0:0 (0:0) Goals scored: 0 | Hungary | Exhibition match – Referee: Jan Damgaard | 71,000 |
| 1989-05-20 | **:** | East Germany | 1:1 (0:1) Goals scored: Polster (AUT) 3', Kirsten (GDR) 86' | Austria | 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification – Referee: Alphonse Constantin | 22,000 |

## German Sports Festival (National Olympics for East Germans)

During this festival came at least 150,000.
* 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