Southern German football championship
Founded1898
1945 (reformed)
Folded1933 (disbanded by the Nazis)
1963
Replaced bycompetition disbanded
Country German Empire
 Germany
StateSouthern Germany
Level on pyramidLevel 1
Last championsTSV 1860 Munich
(1962–63)

The Southern German football championship (German: Süddeutsche Meisterschaft) was the highest association football competition in the southern Germany, established in 1898. The competition was disbanded in 1933 with the rise of the Nazis to power.

While no senior Southern German championship exists nowadays, the under 15 juniors still play an annual competition for the title, often involving the junior teams of clubs who had once been involved in the senior edition.

Overview

German football was, from its beginnings, divided into regional associations which carried out their own championship, which often pre-dated the national German championship. With the inception of the latter in 1903, the former became qualifying tournaments for it but these regional championships still held a high value for the local clubs. These regional championships were:[1]

All this regional championships were suspended with the rise of the Nazis to power in 1933. At the end of the Second World War, some resumed, now in league format. Others completely disappeared, like the Baltic championship, as the territories they were held in were not part of Germany any more. With the South West German football championship, a new regional competition also appeared in 1945. Ultimately, with the formation of the Bundesliga, all this regional championships ceased altogether.

History

From 1897 to 1919

The Süddeutsche Fußball-Verband (SFV), the Southern German Football Association was formed in Karlsruhe on 17 October 1897,[2] three years before the German Football Association (DFB) was formed.[3] It originally was named Verband Süddeutscher Fußball-Vereine (English: Association of Southern German football clubs). One of the leading figures and driving force in the Southern German football was Walther Bensemann, founder of the kicker sportmagazin, a position he retained until the Nazis rise to power.[4] The other driving force behind football in the south of Germany was Friedrich Wilhelm Nohe, chairman of the Karlsruher FV. The association was formed by eight clubs, those being:[5]

The SFV originally covered a much larger area. Upon its formation in 1897, the following German states and regions were part of it:

From 1898, the SFV started to organise an annual Southern German football championship. With the inception of the German football championship in 1903, the Southern German championship functioned as a qualifying tournament for it. Nevertheless, it still enjoyed a high value of status. The competition went through a number of changes throughout its live time. From this season onwards, the competition also grew in size. Previously, only a few selected clubs from cities like Frankfurt, Mannheim and Karlsruhe had taken part, now clubs from Bavaria also entered the competition.[7]

In its early years, competition was very localised and patchy, with a handful of clubs dominating play. From 1907, football became more organised with Southern Germany being split in four local districts (German: Kreis), from 1910 each had their own top-league:

This step, away from localised competition and towards a more centralised system of leagues with strong competition was a vital factor in the rise of the Southern German clubs to dominance in Germany in the 1920s.[8]

1919 to 1933

After the end of the First World War, the region of Alsace-Lorraine once more became part of France and its clubs did not compete in the SFV-championship any more.

From the 1919–20 season, Southern Germany was sub-divided into ten regional leagues, those being:

The ten league champions then played in two groups of three and one group of four to determine four clubs to enter the semi-finals, the group winners and the second placed team in the group of four qualifying for it. The semi-final winners then entered the Southern German final.

The number of leagues remained the same for the 1922 edition but now league winner and runners-up both qualified for a knock-out round to determine the champion.

In 1923, the league winners again were the only once qualified and the ten teams played a knock-out round first, the remaining five then played a home-and-away tournament for the championship.

After the 1923 season, the German league system was reorganised and streamlined. In the region of the SFV, new Bezirksligas were established as the highest level of play:

For the 1924 championship, this meant, the five league champions and the 1923 champion were qualified to compete in a home-and-away round for the title. Only the champion would then move on to the German championship. In the following season, only the five league winners would compete for the southern title but the best three teams from this competition would then qualify for the German title tournament. For the 1926 edition, the modus remained unchanged apart from the Southern German cup winner also entering the finals tournament.

In 1927, the modus again remained unchanged. However, an additional tournament for the five Bezirksliga runners-up was introduced. The winner of this competition then took up the third Southern German spot in the German Finals, alongside the winner and runners-up of the championship tournament.

After this season, the Bezirksligas were partly reorganised and reduced to four in numbers. However, each Bezirksliga in turn was sub-divided into two regional groups:

From the 1928 season, the best team from each of the eight divisions qualified for southern tournament, still played in a home-and-away modus. Additionally, the second and third placed team from each league went to a consolidation tournament. These sixteen clubs were split into two divisions of eight, regionally subdivided. The two division winners then played an on-off final to determine the third southern team to go to the German finals.

This modus was in place for the 1928, 1929, 1930 and 1931 season.

For its last two seasons, 1932 and 1933, the modus was changed once more for the Southern German championship. The league winners and runners-up now qualified both for the finals tournament, which was played in two groups of eight teams, again regionally sub-divided. The two division winners then played out the Southern championship, with both teams still being qualified for the German finals. The two division runners-up played for the third and last spot at the German finals from the south. The 1932 and 1933 season only differed as far as the regional make up being changed in 1933, away from the system were Württemberg-Baden-Bayern played in one group and Main-Hessen-Rhein-Saar in the other, as it traditionally had been.

The 1932 Southern German final ended in something of a scandal, when the game between Eintracht Frankfurt and the FC Bayern Munich had to be stopped at a 2–0 lead for Eintracht, seven minutes before the end. Bayern supporters had stormed the field and Eintracht Frankfurt was declared the winner. Incidentally, the German final became a rematch which the FC Bayern won 2–0.[9][10]

1933 to 1945

With the Nazis rise to power in 1933, the Southern German championship was disbanded. The new Nazi Germany did not wish for regional identities to be preserved. Instead of the Bezirksligas, the Gauligas were established:

A Southern championship was not played anymore.

After 1945

Current region of Southern Germany

Shortly after the end of the Second World War, the Oberliga Süd was established and the South of Germany had a united highest football league for the first time. The region it covered in 1945 originally was:

From 1950, the southern half of the state of Baden also became part of the Oberliga Süd region. The area west of the river Rhine however remained separate from the SFV and formed the Oberliga Südwest.

Up until 1963, the winner of the Oberliga Süd was still referred to as Southern German champions. After 1963, a competition which would have determined a true Southern German champion was not played anymore.

The Oberliga system was disbanded in 1963 in favor of the Bundesliga and the Regionalliga Süd, a tier-two league became the highest regional league. With its disbanding in 1974 in favor of the 2. Bundesliga Süd, the region which was once covered by the Southern German football championship briefly had a united league again, even so it was only on the second tier. This league in turn was disbanded in 1981 for the 2. Bundesliga, which ended the days of a Southern German league.

Map of Germany:Position of the Oberliga/Regionalliga Süd highlighted

In 1994, the Regionalliga Süd was re-established, now as a tier-three league, covering the three states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hesse. From 2000 to 2008, the south western clubs also formed part of this league once more. From 2008, with the establishment of the 3. Liga, the three southern states are once more the only once covered by this league, now on the fourth tier of the German league system.

Nowadays the Southern German Football Association is made up of the following five federations:

  • Bavarian Football Federation (BFV)
  • Württemberg Football Federation (WFV)
  • (North-) Baden Football Federation (BFV)
  • Südbaden Football Federation (SBFV)
  • Hesse Football Federation (HFV)

Southern German champions

1899 to 1933: Southern German championship

Season Winner Runner-Up
1898 Freiburger FC Karlsruher FV
1899 Straßburger FV Karlsruher FV
1900 Straßburger FV Karlsruher FV
1901 Karlsruher FV Germania 94 Frankfurt
1902 Karlsruher FV FC Hanau 93
1903 Karlsruher FV FC Hanau 93
1904 Karlsruher FV Germania Frankfurt
1905 Karlsruher FV FC Hanau 93
1906 1. FC Pforzheim FC Hanau 93
1907 Freiburger FC 1. FC Nürnberg
1908 Stuttgarter Kickers 1. FC Nürnberg
1909 Phönix Karlsruhe 1. FC Nürnberg
1910 Karlsruher FV FC Bayern Munich
1911 Karlsruher FV FC Bayern Munich
1912 Karlsruher FV Phönix Mannheim
1913 Stuttgarter Kickers Frankfurter FV
1914 SpVgg Fürth Frankfurter FV
1915 Not held Not held
Season Winner Runner-Up
1916 1. FC Nürnberg Ludwigshafener FC Pfalz
1917 Stuttgarter Kickers Spvgg Fürth
1918 1. FC Nürnberg Union Stuttgart
1919 Not held Not held
1920 1. FC Nürnberg Ludwigshafener FC Pfalz
1921 1. FC Nürnberg Phönix Ludwigshafen
1922 Wacker München Borussia Neunkirchen
1923 SpVgg Fürth Phönix Ludwigshafen
1924 1. FC Nürnberg SpVgg Fürth
1925 VfR Mannheim 1. FC Nürnberg
1926 FC Bayern Munich SpVgg Fürth
1927 1. FC Nürnberg SpVgg Fürth
1928 FC Bayern Munich Eintracht Frankfurt
1929 1. FC Nürnberg FC Bayern Munich
1930 Eintracht Frankfurt SpVgg Fürth
1931 SpVgg Fürth Eintracht Frankfurt
1932 Eintracht Frankfurt FC Bayern Munich
1933 FSV Frankfurt TSV 1860 Munich
  • The SpVgg Fürth won the German Championship in 1929, qualifying as the third Southern German team.

Winners and runners–up of the Oberliga Süd

The winners and runners–up of the Oberliga Süd:

Season Winner Runner–Up
1945–46 VfB Stuttgart 1. FC Nürnberg
1946–47 1. FC Nürnberg SV Waldhof Mannheim
1947–48 1. FC Nürnberg TSV 1860 Munich
1948–49 Kickers Offenbach VfR Mannheim
1949–50 SpVgg Fürth VfB Stuttgart
1950–51 1. FC Nürnberg SpVgg Fürth
1951–52 VfB Stuttgart 1. FC Nürnberg
1952–53 Eintracht Frankfurt VfB Stuttgart
1953–54 VfB Stuttgart Eintracht Frankfurt
1954–55 Kickers Offenbach SSV Reutlingen
1955–56 Karlsruher SC VfB Stuttgart
1956–57 1. FC Nürnberg Kickers Offenbach
1957–58 Karlsruher SC 1. FC Nürnberg
1958–59 Eintracht Frankfurt Kickers Offenbach
1959–60 Karlsruher SC Kickers Offenbach
1960–61 1. FC Nürnberg Eintracht Frankfurt
1961–62 1. FC Nürnberg Eintracht Frankfurt
1962–63 TSV 1860 Munich 1. FC Nürnberg
  • Bold Denotes team went on to win German Championship.

Finals

The Southern German championship was not always decided by a one-off final. Before 1908, the championship was carried out with a final. From 1908, the championship was determined through a home-and-away round with the first placed team automatically winning the championship. In the 1916, 1918, 1920, 1921, 1932 and 1933 season, a final was played again.

Year Champion Runner-Up Result Date Venue Attendance
1898 Freiburger FC Karlsruher FV 2–0
1899 Straßburger FV Karlsruher FV 4–3
1900 Straßburger FV Karlsruher FV
1901 Karlsruher FV Germania Frankfurt
1902 Karlsruher FV FC Hanau 93 4–0
1903 Karlsruher FV FC Hanau 93 5–2
1904 Karlsruher FV Germania Frankfurt 5–0
1905 Karlsruher FV FC Hanau 93 not played
1906 1. FC Pforzheim FC Hanau 93 5–3
1907 Freiburger FC 1. FC Nürnberg 1–1 / 3–1
1916 1. FC Nürnberg Ludwigshafener FC Pfalz 4–1 Stuttgart
1918 1. FC Nürnberg Union Stuttgart 6–2 / 3–2
1920 1. FC Nürnberg Ludwigshafener FC Pfalz 3–0 Stuttgart
1921 1. FC Nürnberg Phönix Ludwigshafen 2–1 aet 30 April 1921 Stuttgart
1922 Wacker München Borussia Neunkirchen 2–1 aet 14 May 1922 Frankfurt
1932 Eintracht Frankfurt FC Bayern Munich 2–01 1 May 1932 Stuttgart 50,000
1933 FSV Frankfurt TSV 1860 Munich 1–0 30 April 1933 Frankfurt

Cup competition

From 1918 to 1927, the SFV also carried out a cup competition, the Süddeutscher Pokal (English: Southern German Cup), long before a national competition was introduced in Germany in 1935. At times, this cup winner also gained entry to the Southern German championship. The record winner of this competition is the SpVgg Fürth with five titles.[11]

Year Champion Runner-Up Result Date Venue Attendance
1918 SpVgg Fürth Stuttgarter Kickers 2–1 21 April 1918 Stuttgart 5,000
1919 1. FC Nürnberg Stuttgarter SC 5–2
1920 Stuttgarter SC Waldhof Mannheim 5–3
1921 Borussia Neunkirchen Nürnberger FV 3–2
1922 TV 1847 Augsburg Freiburger FC 3–1
1923 SpVgg Fürth FC Bayern Munich 4–3 17 June 1923 Munich 10,000
1924 1. FC Nürnberg Stuttgarter Kickers 1–0
1925 SpVgg Fürth Stuttgarter Kickers 2–0 23 August 1925 München 7,000
1926 SpVgg Fürth VfB Stuttgart 3–2 aet 1 August 1926 Frankfurt 20,000
1927 SpVgg Fürth FSV Frankfurt 3–0 14 August 1927 Stuttgart 8,000

After the Second World War, the Southern German Cup was revitalised in 1952 and functioned as a qualifying tournament for the German Cup. The cup competition was last played in 1974.[12]

Regional champions

1907 to 1919

Year Nordkreis Ostkreis Südkreis Westkreis
1907 FC Hanau 93 1. FC Nürnberg Freiburger FC
1908 FC Hanau 93 1. FC Nürnberg Stuttgarter Kickers Ludwigshafener FC Pfalz
1909 FC Hanau 93 1. FC Nürnberg Phönix Karlsruhe FV Kaiserslautern
1910 Victoria Hanau FC Bayern Munich Karlsruher FV Mannheimer FG
1911 SV Wiesbaden FC Bayern Munich Karlsruher FV Mannheimer FG
1912 Frankfurter FV SpVgg Fürth Karlsruher FV Phönix Mannheim
1913 Frankfurter FV SpVgg Fürth Stuttgarter Kickers VfR Mannheim
1914 Frankfurter FV SpVgg Fürth Stuttgarter Kickers VfR Mannheim
1915 not held not held not held not held
1916 FC Hanau 93 1. FC Nürnberg Freiburger FC Ludwigshafener FC Pfalz
1917 FSV Frankfurt SpVgg Fürth Stuttgarter Kickers Ludwigshafener FC Pfalz
1918 Amicitia Frankfurt 1. FC Nürnberg Union Stuttgart Phönix Mannheim
1919 Frankfurter FV not held not held not held

1920 to 1923

Year Nordbayern Südbayern Württemberg Südwest Odenwald
1920 1. FC Nürnberg FC Bayern Munich Stuttgarter SC Freiburger FC Waldhof Mannheim
1921 1. FC Nürnberg Wacker München Stuttgarter Kickers 1. FC Pforzheim Waldhof Mannheim
1922 SpVgg Fürth Wacker München Sportfreunde Stuttgart Karlsruher FV VfR Mannheim
1923 SpVgg Fürth FC Bayern Munich Stuttgarter Kickers 1. FC Pforzheim Phönix Mannheim
Year Hessen Nordmain Südmain Pfalz Saar
1920 Germania Wiesbaden Frankfurter FV Kickers Offenbach Ludwigshafener FC Pfalz Saar 05 Saarbrücken
1921 FSV Mainz 05 Eintracht Frankfurt Kickers Offenbach Phönix Ludwigshafen Borussia Neunkirchen
1922 SV Wiesbaden Germania Frankfurt VfL Neu-Isenburg Phönix Ludwigshafen Borussia Neunkirchen
1923 SV Wiesbaden FSV Frankfurt Kickers Offenbach Phönix Ludwigshafen Borussia Neunkirchen

1924 to 1927

Year Bayern Mainbezirk Rheinbezirk Rheinhessen-Saar Württemberg-Baden
1924 1. FC Nürnberg FSV Frankfurt Waldhof Mannheim Borussia Neunkirchen Stuttgarter Kickers
1925 1. FC Nürnberg FSV Frankfurt VfR Mannheim SV Wiesbaden Stuttgarter Kickers
1926 FC Bayern Munich FSV Frankfurt VfR Mannheim FV Saarbrücken Karlsruher FV
1927 1. FC Nürnberg FSV Frankfurt VfL Neckarau FSV Mainz 05 VfB Stuttgart

1928 to 1933

Year Baden Württemberg Nordbayern Südbayern
1928 Karlsruher FV Stuttgarter Kickers SpVgg Fürth FC Bayern Munich
1929 Karlsruher FV Germania Brötzingen 1. FC Nürnberg FC Bayern Munich
1930 Freiburger FC VfB Stuttgart SpVgg Fürth FC Bayern Munich
1931 Karlsruher FV Union Böckingen SpVgg Fürth FC Bayern Munich
1932 Karlsruher FV 1. FC Pforzheim 1. FC Nürnberg FC Bayern Munich
1933 Phönix Karlsruhe Stuttgarter Kickers 1. FC Nürnberg FC Bayern Munich
Year Main Hessen Rhein Saar
1928 Eintracht Frankfurt Wormatia Worms Waldhof Mannheim FV Saarbrücken
1929 Eintracht Frankfurt Wormatia Worms VfL Neckarau Borussia Neunkirchen
1930 Eintracht Frankfurt Wormatia Worms Waldhof Mannheim FK Pirmasens
1931 Eintracht Frankfurt Wormatia Worms Waldhof Mannheim FK Pirmasens
1932 Eintracht Frankfurt FSV Mainz 05 Waldhof Mannheim FK Pirmasens
1933 FSV Frankfurt FSV Mainz 05 Waldhof Mannheim FK Pirmasens

Source:"Germany – Championships 1902–1945". RSSSF. Retrieved 2008-07-26.

  • Bold indicates Southern German Champion.

Junior level

Under 19 championship

From 1946, an under 19 championship for Southern Germany existed, having been played annually. A German Under 19 championship was only established in 1969 and shortly after this, in 1973, the Southern German edition was disbanded.[13]

Year Champions
1946 VfL Kornwestheim
1947 Union Böckingen
1948 Germania Nürnberg
1949 TG Viktoria Augsburg
1950 FC Bayern Munich
1951 VfB Mühlburg
1952 Kickers Offenbach
1953 FC Konstanz
1954 FC Bayern Munich
1955 VfB Stuttgart
1956 1. FC Nürnberg
1957 Karlsruher SC
1958 1. FC Nürnberg
1959 VfR Mannheim
Year Champions
1960 1. FC Nürnberg
1961 Karlsruher SC
1962 Karlsruher SC
1963 TSV 1860 Munich
1964 1. FC Nürnberg
1965 1. FC Nürnberg
1966 VfB Stuttgart
1967 VfB Stuttgart
1968 VfB Stuttgart
1969 Karlsruher SC
1970 Eintracht Frankfurt
1971 1. FC Nürnberg
1972 Kickers Offenbach
1973 Kickers Offenbach

Under 15 championship

In 1979, a Southern German under 15 championship was established,[13] being played annually between the five regional champions. It is now the only level of men's football that still plays out a true Southern championship. The end-of-season tournament is held at a neutral location. Since 2010 the Under 15 Regionalliga Süd is organised in the region, consisting of the best under 15 sides in Southern Germany.

Year Champions
1979 SV Gengenbach
1980 Eintracht Frankfurt
1981 VfB Stuttgart
1982 FC Bayern Munich
1983 1. FC Nürnberg
1984 VfB Stuttgart
1985 FC Bayern Munich
1986 VfB Stuttgart
1987 FC Bayern Munich
1988 1. FC Nürnberg
1989 Eintracht Frankfurt
1990 FC Bayern Munich
1991 FC Bayern Munich
1992 VfB Stuttgart
1993 1. FC Nürnberg
Year Champions
1994 Kickers Offenbach
1995 Eintracht Frankfurt
1996 VfB Stuttgart
1997 VfB Stuttgart
1998
1999
2000
2001 VfB Stuttgart
2002 Waldhof Mannheim
2003 SC Freiburg
2004 SC Freiburg
2005 Eintracht Frankfurt
2006 Kickers Offenbach
2007 VfB Stuttgart
2008

Further reading

  • Stürmen für Deutschland: Die Geschichte des deutschen Fussballs von 1933, publisher: Campus Verlag

References

  1. ↑ kicker Almanach 1990 (in German) Yearbook of German football 1990, publisher: kicker, published: 1989, page: 241-42, accessed: 17 April 2009
  2. ↑ Profile of the SFV (in German) SFV website, accessed: 25 July 2008
  3. ↑ Die DFB-Geschichte – Die Gründerjahre (in German) DFB website – History of the DFB, accessed: 25 July 2008
  4. ↑ Walther Bensemann: Kosmopolit des Fußballs (in German), by: Bernd-M. Beyer, accessed: 25 July 2008
  5. ↑ Süddeutschlands Fussballgeschichte in Tabellenform (in German) author: Ludolf Hyll, page: 12, accessed: 17 April 2009
  6. ↑ Other sources claim FC Frankonia Karlsruhe as a foundation club.
  7. ↑ Verband Süddeutscher Fussball Vereine 1903 Archived 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine (in German) accessed: 27 July 2008
  8. ↑ FSV Frankfurt website – History of the clubs Archived 2017-10-25 at the Wayback Machine (in German) Die Saison 1909/10, accessed: 27 July 2008
  9. ↑ Eintracht Frankfurt – Die Chronik 1931–1962 Archived 2011-07-08 at the Wayback Machine (in German) private Eintracht Frankfurt fan website, accessed: 25 July 2008
  10. ↑ 1931/32 · Zum ersten Mal im Endspiel um die Deutsche Meisterschaft (in German) accessed: 25 July 2008
  11. ↑ SpVgg Fürth website – Rekordgewinner des Süddeutschen Pokals (in German) accessed: 27 July 2008
  12. ↑ Freiburger FC website – Cup results Archived 2008-06-10 at the Wayback Machine (in German) accessed: 27 July 2008
  13. 1 2 100 Jahre Süddeutscher Fussball Verband (in German) publisher: SFV , published: 1997, page: 189, accessed: 1 December 2008

Sources

  • Fussball-Jahrbuch Deutschland (in German) (8 vol.), Tables and results of the German tier-one leagues 1919–33, publisher: DSFS
  • kicker Almanach, (in German) The yearbook on German football from Bundesliga to Oberliga, since 1937, published by the kicker Sports Magazine
  • Süddeutschlands Fussballgeschichte in Tabellenform 1897–1988 (in German) History of Southern German football in tables, publisher & author: Ludolf Hyll
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