| Final | | time | | | 1. Hermann Köhler |  West Germany | 48.76s | | | 2. Josip Alebić |  Yugoslavia | 49.04s | | | 3. Semyon Kocher |  Soviet Union | 49.33s | | | 4. Józef Laskowski |  Poland | 49.72s | | | 5. Stavros Tziortzis |  Greece | 50.90s | |
|
|
|
| | First 2 from each Semi advanced to Final. |
| Semi 1 | | time | | | 1. Josip Alebić | Yugoslavia | 48.07s | Q | | 2. Hermann Köhler | West Germany | 48.19s | Q | | 3. Alfons Brijdenbach |  Belgium | 48.39s | | | 4. Michael Fredriksson |  Sweden | 49.18s | |
|
|
| Semi 2 | | time | | | 1. Stavros Tziortzis | Greece | 50.13s | Q | | 2. Józef Laskowski | Poland | 50.16s | Q |
|
| Semi 2a | | time | | | 1. Semyon Kocher | Soviet Union | 48.64s | q | | 2. Ossi Karttunen |  Finland | 49.52s | |
|
Only two athletes started in semifinal 2 because the other two were not informed about it.
A special third heat was run on 9 March to let those compete for one extra spot in the final.
|
|
Heats - Saturday, 8th March | | First 2 from each Heat and Best 2 advanced to Semi-Finals. |
| Heat 1 | | time | | | 2. Semyon Kocher | Soviet Union | 48.55s | Q | | 3. Stavros Tziortzis | Greece | 48.69s | Q | | 7. Ossi Karttunen | Finland | 49.30s | q |
|
|
| Heat 2 | | time | | | 4. Hermann Köhler | West Germany | 48.88s | Q | | 8. Józef Laskowski | Poland | 49.46s | Q | | 9. Flavio Borghi |  Italy | 49.92s | |
|
| Heat 3 | | time | | | 1. Alfons Brijdenbach | Belgium | 48.47s | Q | | 5. Josip Alebić | Yugoslavia | 49.00s | Q | | 6. Michael Fredriksson | Sweden | 49.00s | q |
|
|
| 