United Team of Germany

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United Team of Germany at the Olympic Games
Flag of Germany superimposed with the Olympic rings
IOC code: EUA
Summer Olympic Games appearances
1956 • 1960 • 1964
Winter Olympic Games appearances
1956 • 1960 • 1964

Athletes from the East Germany (German Democratic Republic; GDR) and West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany; FRG) competed together as the United Team of Germany (Gesamtdeutsche Mannschaft) in the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Winter and Summer Olympics.

During the Games of 1956, 1960 and 1964 the abbrevation GER was used. Later the IOC code EUA (from the official French-language IOC designation, Equipe Unifiée Allemande) was created for the United Team to allow for the political circumstances during the German divide between 1949 and 1990. The team used a flag similar to the black-red-gold tricolour flags of West Germany and of East Germany, but with Olympic rings in white placed upon the red middle stripe. At medal ceremonies the Ode an die Freude (Ode to Joy) was played for the athletes instead of the national anthems.

The two countries had fielded separate teams for the 1952 Winter Olympics, their first Olympic Games since before World War II. Only West German athletes took part in the 1952 Summer Olympics. Starting with the 1968 Winter Olympics, German athletes returned to competing as separate East and West teams (using the IOC codes GDR and FRG, respectively). This arrangement continued until German Reunification in 1990. The 1968 separation was a consequence of [somebody research this please]. The Federal Republic's recognition of the GDR was cemented when the GDR football team played a highly-charged match against the host team in the 1974 FIFA World Cup in West Germany.