They were replaced by Rot-Weiss Essen and Rot-Weiß Oberhausen, who won their respective promotion play-off groups.
Key to their success was a, in comparison to the previous seasons, significantly improved defense.
The situation was impaired by the upcoming World Cup, which was to begin only three weeks after the end of the season.
Other notable events were the cup victory of Regionalliga sides Kickers Offenbach (although the team had already been promoted by the time the final was played) and an incident in a game between rivals Borussia Dortmund and FC Schalke 04 where Schalke player Friedel Rausch was bitten into his rear by a shepherd.
The dog had been used by local police to ensure that the pitch in Dortmund's Stadion Rote Erde was kept free of spectators, who gathered until the sidelines in a hopelessly overcrowded venue.
Defenders: Berti Vogts (34 / 5); Klaus-Dieter Sieloff (33 / 3); Ludwig Müller (33 / 1); Hartwig Bleidick (28 / 2); Gerd Zimmermann (6); Erwin Spinnler (2).