[2] The rowing federations of East and West Germany met at the end of July in Hanover to discuss how their rowers should be represented.
FISA did not recognise East Germany as a country and insisted on one German team per boat class.
The negotiations were overshadowed by political tension—the Berlin Wall had been built two years earlier—and did not result in an agreement.
The decision was thus made by FISA that selection trials for men were to be held at the Olympic regatta course in Grünau in East Berlin on 9 August.
The closest result was the photo finish of the coxless pair, where the West German team was 0.05 seconds ahead.