Georg Buschner

Georg Buschner was an East German footballer and manager who played as a midfielder but, above all, was the coach of East Germany national team from 1970 to 1981. After studying history, pedagogy, and motor sciences in Jena, Buschner began his career as a footballer in 1949 with Motor Gera, playing a total of 84 games, including the 1949 FDGB Pokal final loss against Waggonbau Dessau. In 1952 Buschner moved to SC Motor Jena, a team for whom he played 69 matches in the DDR-Oberliga until 1958, the year of his retirement.

With the national team Buschner played six matches from 1954 to 1957. After retiring in 1958, he began coaching SC Motor Jena and then with the Thuringian team, re-formed in 1966 as FC Carl Zeiss Jena, he won three championships and one FDGB Pokal. Called upon to manage the national team, Buschner stopped coaching in Jena in 1971, leaving this position to the young Hans Meyer.

As manager of East Germany, Buschner took charge of 112 matches from 1970 to 1981. He was the coach when East Germany played made their only World Cup appearance in 1974, and produced one of their most famous victories by beating West Germany their group game in one of the competition’s biggest upsets. He also led East Germany to the bronze medal at the 1972 Olympics before the highlight of his international coach career, which was winning the gold medal at the 1976 Montréal Olympics by beating Poland in the final.