In 1968, the Bulgarian student Vladimir Zvetkov founded the first women's team as a section of
BSG Empor Dresden-Mitte (today
Dresdner SC). While several local functionaries were opposed to the idea of women playing football, Zvetkov was eventually allowed to pursue his idea. The first women's football game in the GDR was held on 4 August 1969. Dresden defeated Empor Possendorf 2–0 in front of 1,600 spectators. Since women's football was not an
Olympic sport, and thus had little prestige, the local authorities did not patronize the sport, instead treating it as a mere recreational activity. Despite this lack of governmental interest, the pioneers from
Dresden were able to set up an eight-team league in 1970. By the end of 1971, the number of women's football teams in East Germany had grown to 150. Supra-regional competitions were refused for several years until, in 1979, a national championship was held for the first time. A cup competition was inaugurated in 1987 and a national league was founded in 1990, the year before
German reunification was completed. The national football team was organized in 1989, its only game being a 0–3 defeat at the hands of
Czechoslovakia on 9 May 1990 in
Potsdam. After the 1990–91 season, the clubs from the former GDR were integrated into the
German Football Association. The top two finishers from the only Oberliga season,
USV Jena and
Wismut Aue, were assigned spots in the
Bundesliga, but both were immediately relegated. In 1994, former GDR club
Turbine Potsdam was promoted to the Bundesliga and has since won every major honour in women's club football, including the
UEFA Cup in
2005. == Champions ==