FC Lokomotive Leipzig was the league's top scorer with 21 goals,[5] while Hans-Ulrich Grapenthin of FC Carl Zeiss Jena took out the seasons East German Footballer of the year award.
[6] On the strength of the 1979–80 title BFC Dynamo qualified for the 1980–81 European Cup where the club was knocked out by Baník Ostrava in the second round.
Second-placed Dynamo Dresden qualified for the 1980–81 UEFA Cup where it was knocked out in the third round by Standard Liège while fourth-placed 1.
and fifth-placed FC Vorwärts Frankfurt was eliminated by VfB Stuttgart, both in the second round.
[7] The 1979–80 season saw two newly promoted clubs FC Vorwärts Frankfurt and BSG Chemie Leipzig.