DDR – ranked 14th. The same old, same old division of teams remained, although new strong generation was more or less in place – the one which would play professionally in the unified Germany, but not knowing it yet.
The second teams of top league clubs were not eligible for promotion from Second Division as before, and as before there was little to say about the second level: the few former top league clubs were the only candidates for going up. There was next to nothing challenge.
Chemie (Leipzig) entirely lost its edge by now – 10th in Group A of Second Division.
Hansa (Rostock), just relegated from First Division was way too strong and had no rival whatsoever – they won the Group A with 58 points from 26 wins, 6 ties, 2 lost games and 89-25 goal-difference. Too strong for Second Division – the second-place finisher, Dynamo (Furstenwalde), was 17 points behind. Not only Hansa was quick to go back to top flight, but they made a minor sensation this year.
In Group B Sachsenring (Zwickau), freshly relegated, and Chemie (Halle) competed for top position, but Sachsenring was weaker and lost steam on the way, finishing 2nd and 5 points behind the winners.
Chemie (Halle) won Group B with 53 points from 21 wins, 11 ties, 2 losses and 63-28 goal-difference. Chemie was relegated from First Division in 1983-84 and now were coming back.
Both promoted teams were familiar names with long top-league history, but the real question was not getting promoted – it was staying in the First Division.
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