Wolfsburg had tried everything to breach their opponents in the goalless first leg, and that stroke of luck they had been waiting for arrived less than three minutes from kick-off.
Joakim Maehle’s long ball down the left side released Adam Daghim, who pulled it back to the edge of the area for Dzenan Pejcinovic to arrive and side-foot coolly into the bottom corner.
But the joy of that perfect start quickly disappeared when Maehle was shown two yellow cards in quick succession, first for a scuffle with Filip Bilbija and then a high challenge on Mattes Hansen, reducing his side to 10 men earlier in the game than a Bundesliga relegation play-off had ever seen before.
The hosts predictably went straight on the offensive after that, and were totally dominant leading up to a vital equaliser.
Mika Baur and Santiago Castaneda went close, with Kamil Grabara having to make a fine save from the latter, but things were levelled up when Calvin Brackelmann flicked Laurin Curda’s long throw perfectly into the path of Bilbija, who buried a diving header from close range.
And there was no change to the momentum of play when it got back underway after half time, as Wolfsburg desperately clung on to their top-flight status.
Stefano Marino took to the air twice but couldn’t find the mark, with his first a front-post looping header cleared off the line by Jeanuel Belocian.
Sebastian Klaas then poked against the base of the post from the edge of the box, before club legend Sven Michel did the same with his header at the end of the regulation 90 minutes.
Registering an incredible 31 shots to their opponents’ two in normal time, Paderborn were nevertheless unable to prevent extra time, where Felix Gotze continued the onslaught, though Grabara was equal to his deflected effort.
But the clincher they had been waiting for finally came just before the 100-minute mark, with Michel’s cross to the far post finding a totally unmarked Curda, who kept his focus to volley it past Grabara.
The initial explosion of joy soon turned to nerves around the Home Deluxe Arena, but the home side held on to record a famous victory.
Ralf Kettemann therefore successfully guided his side to the promised land in his first season in charge, with Paderborn becoming just the second 2. Bundesliga team to win this play-off in the last 15 years.
The early dismissal made things very difficult for Wolfsburg, and their almost three-decade-long Bundesliga stay comes to an end despite Dieter Hecking’s best efforts since his appointment in March.