Axel Wittke
Encyclopedia
Axel Wittke is a former football player who has played both in the DDR-Oberliga
and the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga
. In 1983, he won the FDGB-Pokal, the East German cup with 1. FC Magdeburg
. He played for his country at youth level and was part of the Olympic Games squad that failed to qualify for the 1988 Summer Olympics
.
Aufbau Börde Magdeburg, but already joined 1. FC Magdeburg's youth department in 1968, at age 8. Here he went through all youth teams, and won four call-ups for East Germany's youth national team
. In 1978 Wittke was part of 1. FC Magdeburg's Oberliga squad for the first time and debuted in a cup match against BSG Stahl Thale on 14 October 1978. After that, however, he had to wait 16 more months for his first Oberliga appearance. During this time he continued to play in the youth team. On day 14 of the 1979-80 season
he replaced unavailable team mate Klaus Decker
as right midfielder
in a match against BSG Wismut Aue
on 23 February 1980. Wittke finished the season with ten appearances, making his breakthrough in the 1982-83 season
when he played in 20 of 26 Oberliga matches. By then he had played in three matches in East Germany's Under 21/23 national team. On 4 June 1983, Wittke celebrated his biggest success as a footballer when he won the FDGB-Pokal, scoring the second goal in Magdeburg's 4-0 victory over FC Karl-Marx-Stadt. In the 1984-85 season
Wittke played in 23 matches, a personal record for season appearances. In 1987 he took part in three qualifying matches for the 1988 Summer Olympics
. When he left 1. FC Magdeburg in 1988, he had played in 149 Oberliga matches, 21 FDGB-Pokal matches and 4 European Cup matches for the club.
in the summer of 1988, but as his former club did not release him, he was banned for 6 months. Only in December 1988 did he give his debut for his new club in a match against SG Dynamo Dresden
, a 1-3 loss. Wittke did score the equaliser for Berlin, but then missed a penalty. In his first season, he played in 14 matches, but could not prevent Berlin's relegation. In one year in the second-tier DDR-Liga, Wittke played in 23 of 34 matches, but his team missed out on promotion to the Oberliga.
for the 1990-91 season who had been playing in the Oberliga since the previous season. Stahl only finished 9th and missed qualifying for the 2nd Bundesliga, despite Wittke playing in 24 of 26 Oberliga matches. For this reason, Wittke joined FC Carl Zeiss Jena
who had qualified for 2nd Bundesliga. He quickly became a regular and played in 100 2nd Bundesliga matches between 1991 and 1994. When Jena was relegated to the third-tier Regionalliga Nordost
, Wittke transferred to VfB Leipzig, playing 25 matches over two seasons, but then ended his playing career in June 1996, after he had broken his fibula a month earlier.
DDR-Oberliga
The DDR-Oberliga was, prior to German reunification in 1990, the elite level of football competition in the DDR , being roughly equivalent to the Oberliga or Bundesliga in West Germany.-Overview:Following World...
and the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
. In 1983, he won the FDGB-Pokal, the East German cup with 1. FC Magdeburg
1. FC Magdeburg
1. FC Magdeburg is a German association football club playing in Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt.-History:Football has been played in Magdeburg since the end of the 19th century. On 15 June 1896 SV Victoria 96 Magdeburg was founded, a club that had its best days before World War II, when it participated...
. He played for his country at youth level and was part of the Olympic Games squad that failed to qualify for the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
.
1. FC Magdeburg
Wittke began his playing career at BSGBetriebssportgemeinschaft (GDR)
A Betriebssportgemeinschaft was an organizational form of sports clubs in East Germany.After World War II, the Allied Control Commission had dissolved all existing sports structures, including the dissolution of all existing sports clubs on the basis of directive 23, dated 17 December 1945. This...
Aufbau Börde Magdeburg, but already joined 1. FC Magdeburg's youth department in 1968, at age 8. Here he went through all youth teams, and won four call-ups for East Germany's youth national team
East Germany national football team
The East Germany national football team was from 1952 to 1990 the football team of East Germany, playing as one of three post-war German teams, along with Saarland and West Germany....
. In 1978 Wittke was part of 1. FC Magdeburg's Oberliga squad for the first time and debuted in a cup match against BSG Stahl Thale on 14 October 1978. After that, however, he had to wait 16 more months for his first Oberliga appearance. During this time he continued to play in the youth team. On day 14 of the 1979-80 season
DDR-Oberliga 1979-80
-League standings:-References:...
he replaced unavailable team mate Klaus Decker
Klaus Decker
Klaus Decker is a former East German football player who spent his entire senior career with 1. FC Magdeburg in the DDR-Oberliga.- Career :...
as right midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
in a match against BSG Wismut Aue
FC Erzgebirge Aue
FC Erzgebirge Aue is a German football club based in Aue, Saxony. The former East German side was a charter member of the 3. Liga in 2008–09, after being relegated from the 2. Bundesliga in 2007–08. The city of Aue has a population of about 18,000 making it one of the smallest cities to ever...
on 23 February 1980. Wittke finished the season with ten appearances, making his breakthrough in the 1982-83 season
DDR-Oberliga 1982-83
-League standings:-References:...
when he played in 20 of 26 Oberliga matches. By then he had played in three matches in East Germany's Under 21/23 national team. On 4 June 1983, Wittke celebrated his biggest success as a footballer when he won the FDGB-Pokal, scoring the second goal in Magdeburg's 4-0 victory over FC Karl-Marx-Stadt. In the 1984-85 season
DDR-Oberliga 1984-85
-League standings:-References:...
Wittke played in 23 matches, a personal record for season appearances. In 1987 he took part in three qualifying matches for the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
. When he left 1. FC Magdeburg in 1988, he had played in 149 Oberliga matches, 21 FDGB-Pokal matches and 4 European Cup matches for the club.
1. FC Union
Wittke moved to 1. FC Union Berlin1. FC Union Berlin
1. FC Union Berlin is a German association football club based in Berlin. It is one of two sides in the city bearing the name Union that emerged during the Cold War and played in East Germany, while the other played in the west. The club currently plays in the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga.-Foundation to...
in the summer of 1988, but as his former club did not release him, he was banned for 6 months. Only in December 1988 did he give his debut for his new club in a match against SG Dynamo Dresden
Dynamo Dresden
SG Dynamo Dresden are a German association football club, based in Dresden, Saxony. They were founded in 1950, as a club affiliated with the East German police, and became one of the most popular and successful clubs in East German football, winning eight league titles...
, a 1-3 loss. Wittke did score the equaliser for Berlin, but then missed a penalty. In his first season, he played in 14 matches, but could not prevent Berlin's relegation. In one year in the second-tier DDR-Liga, Wittke played in 23 of 34 matches, but his team missed out on promotion to the Oberliga.
Eisenhüttenstadt, Jena und Leipzig
Wittke then moved back to the Oberliga, joining Eisenhüttenstädter FC StahlFC Stahl Eisenhüttenstadt
Eisenhüttenstädter FC Stahl is a German association football club based in Eisenhüttenstadt, Brandenburg, near the Polish border.-History:The club's predecessors were founded as BSG Stahl Fürstenberg Ost in 1950. The community of Stalinstadt was built nearby for the workers of the local ironworks,...
for the 1990-91 season who had been playing in the Oberliga since the previous season. Stahl only finished 9th and missed qualifying for the 2nd Bundesliga, despite Wittke playing in 24 of 26 Oberliga matches. For this reason, Wittke joined FC Carl Zeiss Jena
FC Carl Zeiss Jena
FC Carl Zeiss Jena is a German association football club based in Jena, Thuringia.-History:The club was founded in May 1903 by workers at the Carl Zeiss AG optics factory as the company-sponsored Fussball-Club der Firma Carl Zeiss. The club underwent name changes in 1911 to Fussball Club Carl Zeiss...
who had qualified for 2nd Bundesliga. He quickly became a regular and played in 100 2nd Bundesliga matches between 1991 and 1994. When Jena was relegated to the third-tier Regionalliga Nordost
Regionalliga Nordost
The Regionalliga Nordost was the third tier of the German football league system in the states of former East Germany and West-Berlin from 1994 to 2000. As such, it was almost identical in territorial cover to the old DDR-Oberliga....
, Wittke transferred to VfB Leipzig, playing 25 matches over two seasons, but then ended his playing career in June 1996, after he had broken his fibula a month earlier.