Cup stokes memories of East German upset

DORTMUND, June 28: Juergen Sparwasser's heart swells with pride when he sees all the images of West Germany's 1974 World Cup triumph on display around the country spurring the hosts to another victory on home soil 32 years on.

His East Germany team was the only one to beat the 1974 champions -- immortalised on posters at this year's finals to boost the feel-good mood -- and it sparked a political storm.

Sparwasser's late goal clinched a 1-0 win for the East Germans over their ideological enemy in a first round group match -- the only ever meeting between East and West Germany.

Now another German-hosted World Cup brings back vivid memories to Sparwasser and his team mates, as well as sobering thoughts about the defunct East Germany's legacy to the game.

''Of course, watching the World Cup now makes you remember how it is to play for your country and all that happened since,'' Sparwasser told Reuters by telephone.

''Only this time I can see the euphoria of the fans, whereas previously we were shut away in a hotel.'' The fate of the 22 Germans who faced each other as adversaries that day in Hamburg reflects the wider fortunes of football in both parts of the formerly divided country.

Sparwasser's West German counterparts such as Franz Beckenbauer, Berti Vogts and Guenter Netzer enjoy high-profile media careers, while the East Germans, who went on to win Olympic gold in 1976, live in relative obscurity.

''It is success that counts, so it is understandable that they would have the attention,'' said Bernd Bransch, East Germany's 1974 captain who now works for the sports department of his local authority in Halle.

''History remembers the winners.'' Sparwasser still cherishes the goal that made him a hero, although his relations with the Communist state grew strained.

Whilst on a trip to West Germany in 1988 he decided to abandon the East and never returned home.

''Before the match people were asking how much East Germany would lose by, forgetting how strong a team we were. We won the game soundly and proved the stronger side.'' However, Sparwasser also believes his goal, which made East Germany group winners and consigned them to much harder second-round opponents in Netherlands, Argentina and Brazil, ultimately helped the West Germans to be crowned champions.

''West Germany would never have won in 1974 if they had not lost that game to us. They were not playing so well at the start and would have had no chance in that group.''

Bransch holds the same view: ''They learned from their defeat to us, and then went on to win,'' he said. Even Beckenbauer and Netzer have said the shock of losing to East Germany fused the team together.

POLITICAL GAIN

West Germany may have won the 1974 final 2-1 against Johan Cruyff's classy Netherlands team but the first-round defeat to their neighbours over the wall was a bitter humiliation.

It handed priceless political capital to East Germany's communist regime, even if the players themselves did not view the game in such weighty terms.

''The political, ideological aspect of playing West Germany was never uppermost in our minds. For us it was just a game, and we wanted to play our very best, and show East German football's strengths,'' said Bransch.

Sparwasser agreed that victory and not ideology was key.

Today the former player lives near Frankfurt but is working on setting up a new soccer training school in eastern Germany close to Potsdam.

''Football in the old east is not advancing because of the economic situation,'' he said.

''It is hard to find sponsors and, though there are still good youth training facilities, they can't afford to keep their talent.'' After reunification many clubs plummeted to the amateur leagues with little hope of promotion after struggling to adapt to the harsh business realities of top-flight soccer.

Yet the East has spawned some of Germany's best players, including internationals Michael Ballack, Bernd Schneider and Tim Borowski, though all left the region long ago.

''The whole East German sport training system was well organised and comprehensive. This shows in a number of players about the age of 30 who benefited from it,'' said Bransch.

The ex-footballer of the year said it was painful to see how few clubs from former East German clubs were in the top leagues.

In the 2005/2006 season the Bundesliga was without a team from the former East for the first time since reunification, prompting soccer chiefs to call crisis talks.

Energie Cottbus have just been promoted but the situation is still dire across the economically depressed region, home to almost a fifth of Germany's population.

The use of Leipzig as eastern Germany's sole World Cup venue has done much to boost the region and has strengthened its international profile, particularly as the feared far-right attacks on foreign visitors have failed to materialise.

''Looking at the public fan parties in cities like Leipzig or Jena, you can see how much people are enjoying the soccer and all standing behind the German team,'' said Sparwasser.

''But when this is all over and all the fun stops then I fear the region's problems will come to the fore once again.''

REUTERS