Hertha Berlin's DFB-Pokal match with Hansa Rostock had to be suspended after fans caused havoc with huge numbers of pyrotechnics in the away end of the ground.
Coloured flames and smoke lit up the section of Ostseestadion housing the visiting Hertha supporters as several flares and fireworks were let off in the second half.
Referee Robert Hartmann had earlier briefly halted the match due to missiles being thrown onto the pitch, before the problems escalated.
Fireworks were aimed from the Hertha section towards Hansa fans, while seats were said to have been set on fire and flags burned among both sets of supporters.
The players and officials headed for the tunnel for a period of 15 minutes in the second half, with the scores at 0-0, before the game resumed after police stepped in to further segregate the supporters.
The referee calls both teams off the field for safety reasons. There's no place in football for scenes like this. (77') August 14, 2017
Hertha went on to win 2-0 thanks to goals from Mitchell Weiser and Vedad Ibisevic in the closing minutes.
Earlier, Schalke progressed from their clash with BFC Dynamo, Yevhen Konoplyanka's double securing a 2-0 win.
Nurnberg were 2-1 winners Duisburg and Paderborn saw off St Pauli by the same scoreline.
