The hockey section had evolved from BSG Wismut Zwickau, a successful club that had won the first two East German Championships. It took the former club's place in the DDR-Oberliga. Karl-Marx-Stadt played in the Oberliga from 1954 to 1963, and enjoyed a relative amount of success, finishing in second place twice and third place five times. The club merged with SC Motor Karl-Marx-Stadt in 1963, forming SC Karl-Marx-Stadt.