A historic goal, a risky bet, whiskey smuggled under the Iron Curtain and a striker kicked out of his national team by the secret police just before the big game.

An incredible sequence of events started after the victory of East Germany over West Germany (1:0) at the 1974 FIFA World Cup.

The BBC is reminded of the background of the only football match between two ideological opposites, now a single country, then divided by the historical events after the Second World War.

With the fall of Nazi Germany, the communist East became a satellite state of the Soviet Union, while the capitalist West was an occupation zone ruled by America, Britain and France.

Until 1964, the two Germanys competed together at the Olympics - as the United German Team.

However, the Berlin Wall in East Germany, erected only three years earlier, was a clear sign of the cooling of political relations. Even when Erik Honecker took over the leadership of the only party in East Germany in 1971 - it was clear that unification was no longer the goal.

For years, East Germans rejected West German attempts to play soccer. It was simply considered too much of a risk - there was, in fact, a much greater chance of defeat than in individual sports such as swimming or weightlifting.

But, at the World Cup in football - there was no choice. Especially when the draw for the World Cup in 1974 brought together West (host) and East Germany, already in the group stage.

ZEBNJA OFFICIAL

- Our officials hoped that we would not experience shame - said Hans-Jirgen Krajše, former striker of Dinamo Dresden and East Germany, who played the famous game on that famous June 22, 1974 at the "Volkspark" stadium in Hamburg.

- However, the players did not feel any pressure. On the contrary, we were looking forward to the showdown with the West. This is something we have always strived for, but the authorities have always prevented - added Krajše.

There was first-class quality on the West German side - the national team was led by legendary captain Franz Beckenbauer and unsurpassed scorer Gerd Müller.

West Germany was also the host of the World Cup, as well as the current European champion - that's why the East Germans were given only a few chances before the clash in Hamburg.

- I was sure that we would beat them at least 3:0 - West German Finance Minister Hans Apel said later, shortly before his death in 2011.

- I was in the stands, I wasn't nervous, I wasn't even excited. We were very good at football, but no one knew anything about East German players - said Apel.

On the field, however, not everything went as expected. The West Germans did not manage to dominate the field, and then 12 minutes before the end they were shocked by Jürgen Šparvase, who undefendedly shot into the net for 0:1 - a victory for East Germany and silence in the stadium in Hamburg.

According to Krajše, the match was played in friendly circumstances, it was even called a "brotherly battle".

- It didn't look like a meeting of enemy states - Krajše said.

- After the match, we exchanged jerseys. However, not on the field itself because it was officially forbidden. It was a tough but fair battle. After all, we spoke the same language.

East Germany sensationally took 1st place in the group, which sent its footballers to the second stage at the feet of the Dutch, Brazilians and Argentines, instead of the group that included Yugoslavia, Sweden and Poland, which competed with West Germany.

MEET ON THE FLIGHT TO DUSSELDORF

The circus, however, moved on - a typical World Cup story.

Football players, fans, journalists traveled with their national teams, and by chance Apel and Krajše met on the plane - and they sat next to each other.

For Apel, the finance minister, it was a return to the real world of government in West Germany - via Dusseldorf, he traveled to Bonn, the capital.

On the same flight to Dusseldorf was a soccer player from East Germany, who continued with his teammates to Hanover, for the match against Brazil.

- We were sitting next to each other, he asked me who I was - Apel recalled.

- I answered him: 'I am the Minister of Finance of the Federal Republic of Germany'. He laughed, so I showed him my personal identification card. He was stunned, maybe even a little scared.

- Disappointed with the outcome of the match, I told him that one thing is absolutely clear - West Germany will never win the World Cup - said Apel.

- He told me: "No, no, that is completely wrong, you will be world champions"

- You're just talking nonsense, I replied. Maybe you're too kind to tell me what a bad team we are. Let's make a bet. Five bottles of whiskey?

He finally accepted the bet, but he didn't have the funds to buy whiskey, much less send it across the border, so they agreed that only Apel would have to pay if he lost.

The rest is history - West Germany continued its journey to the top of the world, and won the World Cup with a victory in the unforgettable final against the Netherlands (2:1). East Germany finished last in a daunting group - losing to the Netherlands and Brazil, drawing with Argentina.

After returning to Bonn after the World Cup in July 1974, Appel asked his secretary to buy him five bottles of premium whiskey.

- I called the East German ambassador in Bonn and told him: 'You will get five bottles of whiskey, and you will make sure they reach Mr. Krajše.'

That's how a diplomatic bag with valuable bottles of refined whiskey passed through one of the most sensitive and dangerous borders in the world.

"I HOPE WE WILL MEET AGAIN"

- I was shocked at first, because I didn't know Apel at all - said Krajše, who received the goods in Dresden.

- In East Germany, we couldn't watch West German TV, so we weren't well informed. Many of us, including myself, did not know who Apel was. And it was forbidden to have any contact with any person in West Germany - said Krajše.

- However, I was allowed to keep the bottles. I shared them with my friends. That was a great whiskey.

The matter dragged on for several weeks. Until the letter arrived at Apel's office.

- Krejše later told me that it was written by the secret service, and he had to sign it - said Apel.

The East German secret service, the infamous Stasi, infiltrated every pore of society. Informants were recruited, who had the task of "informing" - it was impossible for Krejše not to take into account the potential consequences of taking whiskey, and that from a minister in the Government of West Germany.

- I was aware of the fact that someone might find out about the affair, but I wasn't really afraid. I played great in Dynamo from Dresden, I had a high position and I couldn't even imagine that I could be expelled from professional sports - said Krejše.

How wrong he was.

The whiskey, as well as the letter that Apel sent with the gift, had a devastating effect on Krejci's career.

The letter said: "I hope to meet again soon".

This created the impression that it was not just football talk and a simple bet.

Krajše was under great suspicion - he was kicked out of the East German national team that won the gold medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

His great football career was definitely over, although he played for Dinamo Dresden for another two years, with great success. And then he retired in 1978.

- I only read Staze's file in 2004. It read: 'Athlete Krejše is not acceptable to represent East Germany at the Olympic Games - said Krejše, who has no regrets:

- I missed the Olympic gold medal, but now I can't change things. I became very good friends with Apel. And he's sorry that such a harmless bet could have hurt me so much.