Bernd Bransch

Midfielder Bernd Bransch came on as an 86th minute substitute for East Germany (GDR) as they beat Poland 3-1 at the 1976 Montréal Olympics, as an honor for him by coach Georg Buschner, to become the first German team to win the Olympic title. Four years earlier, Bransch was in the GDR team that won the bronze medal at the München Olympics, following a 2-2 draw, after extra-time, against the Soviet Union. During the period of extra-time, neither team tried to win, because they knew a draw would secure both of them a medal. Bransch was also in the East German team that surprisingly beat West Germany 1-0 in the 1974 World Cup.

Bransch retired after the Montréal final, having played 72 international matches (and scored two goals) between 1967-76. He played 20 more matches with the GDR Olympic team, of which he was captain from 1972-75. With his club side, SC Chemie Halle (since 1966 Hallescher FC Chemie), he was top scorer in the 1965 season in East Germany’s Oberliga, and in 1974, Bransch won the East German Cup with FC Carl Zeiss Jena, for whom he played for one season. He was also named Footballer of the Year in 1968 and 1974.

After his playing career, Bransch worked with youths and sports in Halle, and from 1983-90 was president of Hallescher FC. After reunification. he became jobless and then worked as an insurance agent. In 2007 he was named vice president of the municipal sports federation of Halle, and sports consultant of Hallescher FC.