The Oberliga or DDR-Eishockey-Oberliga was the top level of ice hockey in East Germany. From 1949 to 1970, the increasingly popular sport of ice hockey saw the creation of a variety of leagues, with the Oberliga at the top level. However, in 1970 funding for all but two ice hockey teams (SG Dynamo Weißwasser and SC Dynamo Berlin) was abruptly ended by the Politburo. Some of the de-funded teams went on to participate in the DDR-Bestenermittlung, an unofficial continuation of the former "Gruppenliga" (the second league below the Oberliga until 1970).[1]
