// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's Walter Fritzsch? Fritzsch got a grip.

Not to be confused with Walter Fritsch or Walter Fritzsche.

Walter Fritzsch

Fritzsch with Dynamo Dresden in 1971
Personal information
Full name	Walter Fritzsch
Date of birth	21 November 1920
Place of birth	Zwickau, Saxony, Germany
Date of death	15 October 1997(1997-10-15) (aged 76)
Place of death	Dresden, Germany
Height	1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Position	Midfielder
Youth career
1927–1939	SC Planitz
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1939–1940	SC Planitz
1940–1943	VfL Leisnig
1943	BC Hartha
	SV Döbeln (de)
1945–	Zwickau-Oberhohndorf
0000–1950	BSG Wismut Crainsdorf
Managerial career
1950–1952	BSG Zentra Wismut Aue
1952–1953	BSG Empor Lauter (de)
1953–1955	BSG Motor Dessau
1956–1957	SC Motor Karl-Marx-Stadt
1958	BSG Stahl Riesa
1959–1965	SC Empor Rostock
1965–1969	BSG Stahl Riesa (de)
1969–1978	Dynamo Dresden
1978–1989	DFV der DDR
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Walter Fritzsch (21 November 1920 – 15 October 1997) was a German football player and manager.

Playing career

Born on 21 November 1920, Fritzsch began his career as a player in 1927 with SC Planitz. In 1940, he transferred to VfL Leisnig and played there until 1943 after which he played for several other clubs including BC Hartha, SV Döbeln and Zwickau-Oberhohndorf. After World War II, he stayed in what would become East Germany and finished his playing days with Wismut Cainsdorf in 1950.

Coaching career

Fritzsch's playing career ended due to a back injury, he became a coach with Wismut Aue in 1950. Fritzsch then went on to work as trainer with a number of sides between 1952 and 1969 including Empor Lauter, Motor Dessau, SC Motor Karl-Marx-Stadt, SC Empor Rostock (where he earned three vice-championships) and Stahl Riesa.

Dynamo Dresden

Fritzsch joined Dynamo Dresden as a coach on 30 June 1969 and the club soon began the most successful period of its history. Under his guidance the black and yellow won five East German championships in the first division DDR-Oberliga (1970–71, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1976–77 and 1977–78). The team also captured two East German Cups (FDGB-Pokal) in 1971 and 1977, and made 42 European Cup appearances. During his career the small, strict trainer also coached 40 national team players and helped uncover talents such as Ulf Kirsten and Matthias Sammer.

Later career

Fritzsch was succeeded as trainer at Dynamo by Gerhard Prautzsch and moved on to work for the East German Football Association (DFV), responsible for youth selections until 1989, when he retired. Over his career he had coached 1,900 games, coming away with 1,163 victories. His opinion was still sought out by his former club Dynamo Dresden when they became one of two former East German sides to join the Bundesliga after German reunification in 1990.

Death

Fritzsch died on 15 October 1997, shortly before his 77th birthday. The "Small General" was buried in the Heidefriedhof Dresden Cemetery. He was subsequently honored with a monument in the Rudolf Harbig Stadion, home of Dynamo Dresden, and an annual football tournament in Dresden has been organized in his memory. Today a movie filmed movie about his career at the SG Dynamo Dresden.

Honours

Club

Dynamo Dresden

• DDR-Oberliga: 1970–71, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78
• FDGB-Pokal: 1970–71, 1976–77

Literature

• Dynamo Dresden 1953–1983. ISBN 3-9803346-3-5; Publisher's: Thom Vlg., Leipzig (1993)

External links

• Walter Fritzsch at fussballdaten.de (in German)
• Walter Fritzsch at WorldFootball.net