Bernd Bransch

Bernd Bransch (24 September 1944 – 11 June 2022)^[1] was a footballer from East Germany who played as a sweeper.

Bernd Bransch

Bransch at the 1974 World Cup
Personal information
Date of birth	(1944-09-24)24 September 1944
Place of birth	Halle, Halle-Merseburg, Prussia, Germany
Date of death	11 June 2022(2022-06-11) (aged 77)
Position(s)	Sweeper
Youth career
1954–1962	Chemie Halle
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1962–1973	Chemie Halle
1973–1974	Carl Zeiss Jena
1974–1977	Chemie Halle
International career
1967–1976	East Germany	64	(3)
Medal record Men's football 1976 Montreal Team 1972 Munich Team
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Bransch began his sporting career as a youngster at BSG Motor Halle-Süd. The son of a locksmith was then allowed to join sports club SC Chemie Halle in 1954. Bransch played throughout his career for SC Chemie Halle and its successor, Hallescher FC Chemie – except for the 1973/74 season, in which he played for FC Carl Zeiss Jena.^[2]

In 1968 and 1974 he was honoured as East German Footballer of the Year.

Bransch participated in the Munich Olympics 1972, in which his East German team secured a bronze medal, and in the gold-medal winning Montreal Olympics 1976 side.^[3] He also played in the 1974 FIFA World Cup.^[4]

In total Bransch played 317 league games, scoring 43 goals.

Bransch (in white) takes a free-kick against the Netherlands at the 1974 World Cup.