Als Maradona 80.000 lockte

The performances of East German clubs on the international stage garnered immense interest from their supporters, especially when they faced the giants of the football world, such as Beckenbauer, Eusébio, Maradona, or Cruyff in Jena's "Paradies." A highlight was the triumph of 1. FC Magdeburg, which won the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup against the great AC Milan in 1974, sending its players on a victory lap in white bathrobes. However, the book also covers all other clubs that played in Europe: from Wismut Aue, which kicked off in 1957, to Dynamo Dresden and its great duels against Bayern Munich, up to Hansa Rostock, which narrowly missed out against the great FC Barcelona in 1991. The author succeeds in creating an engaging account of this period in history, brought to life through reports and conversations with prominent eyewitnesses. A particularly enlightening conversation stands out.