East Germany men's national basketball teamFirst internationalEast Germany 37–87 Soviet Union(Istanbul, Turkey; 22 May 1959)Biggest winEast Germany 87–42 Sweden(Halle, East Germany; 5 May 1967)Biggest defeatEast Germany 37–87 Soviet Union(Istanbul, Turkey; 22 May 1959)The East Germany men's national basketball team was recognised by FIBA as the German Democratic Republic basketball team from 1952 to 1990. East Germany's biggest success during international events came at the EuroBasket 1963 in Wrocław.
FIBA Men's World RankingThe FIBA Men's World Ranking is FIBA's rankings of national basketball teams. FIBA ranks both men's and women's national teams for both senior and junior competitions. It also publishes combined rankings for all mixed-sex competitions. Excluded are the rankings for three-on-three competitions, which are tabulated for individual players. The current ranking system, introduced in November 2025, compares teams based on the total rating points they earn in all games.
FIBAInternational basketball governing bodyThe International Basketball Federation (FIBA ; French: Fédération Internationale de Basketball) is an association of national organizations which governs the sport of basketball worldwide. FIBA defines the rules of basketball, specifies the equipment and facilities required, organizes international competitions, regulates the transfer of athletes across countries, and controls the appointment of international referees.
Basketball in GermanyBasketball is one of the most popular sports in Germany, and is played on both the amateur and professional levels. Basketball has a long history in Germany, with its popularity having developed slowly. BeginningBasketball was first introduced to Germany in 1896, by August Hermann, a physical education pioneer. Hermann's son Ernst had emigrated to Boston and introduced the game of basketball to his father.
West GermanyToday part ofGermanyFrom 1952 onwards, the official national anthem of West Germany was Deutschlandlied in its entirety, but only the third stanza was typically sung at official events.The state did not cease to exist after reunification but continued as the Federal Republic in an enlarged territory.Population statistics according to the Federal Statistical Office of GermanyIn the state of Saarland, between January 1957 and July 1959, the French franc and Saar francAt first, Bonn was referred to only as the provisional seat of government institutions, but from the early 1970s it was called the "federal capital" (Bundeshauptstadt).Although West Berlin was formally under the sovereignty of the Western Allies and separate from West Germany, it operated as a de facto state of West Germany in many ways, including being represented by non-voting delegates in the West German legislative bodies.West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990.
GermanyCountry in EuropeGermany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Western and Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north with the Alps to the south. Its 16 constituent states have a total population of over 83 million, making it the most populous member state of the European Union (EU).
German Basketball FederationThe German Basketball Federation (German: Deutscher Basketball Bund, abbreviated as DBB) is the governing body for basketball in Germany. It is headquartered in Hagen, Germany.
East GermanyEast Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from its formation on 7 October 1949 until its reunification with West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) on 3 October 1990. Until 1989, it was generally viewed as a communist state and described itself as a socialist workers' and peasants' state.
BasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players each (excluding substitutes) oppose one another on a rectangular court. Players compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball through a hoop (a basket mounted to a backboard) at each end of the court. Teams alternate between offense (when they attempt to score), and defense (when they try to prevent the opposing side from scoring).
Allied-occupied GermanyPost-World War II occupation of Germany Occupation of Germany1945–1949Map of Germany from 1947 under Allied occupation Saar Protectorate (de facto not a part of Germany) French occupation zone British occupation zone American occupation zone Soviet occupation zoneThe four sectors and exclaves of BerlinStatusMilitary occupationHistory • Surrender of German armed forces 8 May 1945• Allied Control Council 5 June 1945• Saar Protectorate 17 December 1947• West Germany 23 May 1949• East Germany 7 October 1949 ^ The two American exclaves in the British sector is the state of Bremen.German languageGerman (Deutsch, pronounced [dɔɪ̯tʃ] ) is a West Germanic language in the Indo-European language family, mainly spoken in Western and Central Europe. It is the majority and official (or co-official) language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It is also an official language of Luxembourg, Belgium and the Italian autonomous province of South Tyrol, French autonomous region of Alsace and as well as a recognised national language in Namibia.
German reunificationGerman reunification (German: Deutsche Wiedervereinigung), also known as the expansion of the Federal Republic of Germany (BRD), was the process of re-establishing Germany as a single sovereign state, which began on 9 November 1989 and culminated on 3 October 1990 with the dissolution of the German Democratic Republic and the integration of its re-established constituent federated states into the Federal Republic of Germany to form present-day Germany.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.