Frankfurter FC Germania 1894
Encyclopedia
VfL Germania 1894 is a German association football club
from the city of Frankfurt am Main. The club is notable as one of the Founding Clubs of the DFB
(Deutscher Fußball Bund or German Football Association) in Leipzig
in 1900.
– Bockenheimer FC Germania 1899
, and FC Nordend. They captured that league's first championship and enjoyed other successes including the 1904 Main Gau championship and a second place finish in an international tournament staged at the World's Fair
at Liège
, Belgium
the following year.
Germania established its own ground in 1906 where they played until the site was developed for housing. From 1910 to 1913, the club played in the Nordkreis-Liga
(I), with limited success. In 1913 they joined gymnastics club Frankfurter Turnverein 1860 as that association's football department in an arrangement that helped the footballers develop and maintain a new home ground where the nation final would be contested in 1920 between 1. FC Nuremberg and Spvgg Fürth
before 30,000 spectators. In the early 1920s, the club played in the Kreisliga Nordmain
, winning the title there in 1921–22.
A group of local clubs including 1.FC Sachsenhausen 03, Hellas 07, and Amicitia 1911 merged in 1922 to become VfL Sachsenhausen 03 which would in turn become part of Germania in 1933. In the period following World War I the team was very active in international friendlies playing notable sides such as perennial Hungarian
title holders MTK Budapest, Switzerland
's Young Boys Bern, Wiener AC
out of Vienna
, Austria
, and Turkish
champions Galatasaray
. They also hosted important German clubs such as VfB Leipzig and made a visit to Sweden
where they played the national side
. The club became independent of Frankfurter TV in 1923, but stayed on friendly terms with them, continuing to make use of TVs ground.
After the rise to power of the Third Reich Germania, like most other organizations in the country, was subjected to manipulation as the Nazis worked to spread their ideas. In 1933 the club was forced into a union with VfL Sachsenhausen 03 to become VfL Germania 1894 and then put in place a right-thinking chairman. Through this period the play of the footballers improved and they moved up through the various levels of local competition until eventually making an appearance in the Gauliga Südwest (Staffel Mainhessen), one of a number of top flight divisions established in a re-organization of German football under the Reich in 1933. Their turn in first division play was short-lived, however, and they quickly backslid after a poor showing.
Following World War II occupying Allied authorities dissolved all organizations in the country, including sports and football associations, but allowed their re-establishment beginning in mid-1945: 1. FC Germania 1894 Frankfurt was the first club to re-gain its license within the American occupation zone
in September that year. The club spent the 1946–47 season in the second-division Landesliga Hessen before returning to more local competition. The association re-assumed the name VfL Germania 1894 in 1947 as they went about the business of re-establishing the various sports departments that made up the club.
The footballers spent the next decades playing on the local circuit until winning their way to the Landesliga Hessen-Süd (IV) in 1993 where they played as a lower table side until being relegated in 1997. Today the team plays in the Kreisliga-A Frankfurt (VIII). The sports club also has a bowling department.
Football in Germany
Association football is the most popular sport in Germany. The German Football Association is the sport's national governing body, with 6.6 million members organized in over 26,000 football clubs. There is a league system, with the 1. and 2. Bundesliga on top, and the winner of the first...
from the city of Frankfurt am Main. The club is notable as one of the Founding Clubs of the DFB
Founding Clubs of the DFB
The DFB was formed January 28, 1900 in Leipzig. The commonly accepted number of founding clubs represented at the inaugural meeting is 86, but this number is uncertain. The vote held to establish the association was 62:22 in favour . Some delegates present represented more than one club, but may...
(Deutscher Fußball Bund or German Football Association) in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
in 1900.
History
Germania was established 26 August 1894 as the first football club in the city and early on (1904) also formed an ice hockey department. In October 1897 the club helped found the Verbandes Süddeutscher Fußballvereine (Federation of South German Football Teams) and board member Fritz Seidenfaden served a term as head of the organization. Germania was also part of a local city circuit known as the Frankfurter Association Bund which existed at about the same time and included four other sides: Frankfurter Kickers and Viktoria 1899 – who would later go on to form Eintracht FrankfurtEintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt is a German sports club, based in Frankfurt, Hesse that is best known for its association football club.- Club origins :...
– Bockenheimer FC Germania 1899
1. Bockenheimer FC 1899
1. Bockenheimer FC was a German association football club from the western city district of Bockenheim.-History:Formed in 1899, 1. BFC had only a short existence playing in the FAB...
, and FC Nordend. They captured that league's first championship and enjoyed other successes including the 1904 Main Gau championship and a second place finish in an international tournament staged at the World's Fair
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
at Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
the following year.
Germania established its own ground in 1906 where they played until the site was developed for housing. From 1910 to 1913, the club played in the Nordkreis-Liga
Nordkreis-Liga
The Nordkreis-Liga was the highest association football league in the German Grand Duchy of Hesse and the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau from 1909 to 1918...
(I), with limited success. In 1913 they joined gymnastics club Frankfurter Turnverein 1860 as that association's football department in an arrangement that helped the footballers develop and maintain a new home ground where the nation final would be contested in 1920 between 1. FC Nuremberg and Spvgg Fürth
SpVgg Greuther Fürth
SpVgg Greuther Fürth is a German association football club based in Fürth, Bavaria. The club was formed when the senior football side of newcomer Turn- und Sportverein Vestenbergsgreuth joined traditional club Spielvereinigung Fürth on 1 July 1996...
before 30,000 spectators. In the early 1920s, the club played in the Kreisliga Nordmain
Kreisliga Nordmain
The Kreisliga Nordmain was the highest association football league in parts of the German state of Hesse and the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau from 1919 to 1923...
, winning the title there in 1921–22.
A group of local clubs including 1.FC Sachsenhausen 03, Hellas 07, and Amicitia 1911 merged in 1922 to become VfL Sachsenhausen 03 which would in turn become part of Germania in 1933. In the period following World War I the team was very active in international friendlies playing notable sides such as perennial Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
title holders MTK Budapest, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
's Young Boys Bern, Wiener AC
Wiener AC
Wiener Athletiksport Club, also known as Wiener AC or WAC, is an Austrian sports club in Vienna. It is particularly noted for its hockey team, which was established in 1900....
out of Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, and Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
champions Galatasaray
Galatasaray S.K. (football team)
Galatasaray Anonim Şirketi is a Turkish football club, part of the Galatasaray S.K. multi-sport club of Istanbul. Galatasaray is a major sports club in Turkey, holding 17 Turkish Super League titles and the highest number of Turkish Cups....
. They also hosted important German clubs such as VfB Leipzig and made a visit to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
where they played the national side
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
. The club became independent of Frankfurter TV in 1923, but stayed on friendly terms with them, continuing to make use of TVs ground.
After the rise to power of the Third Reich Germania, like most other organizations in the country, was subjected to manipulation as the Nazis worked to spread their ideas. In 1933 the club was forced into a union with VfL Sachsenhausen 03 to become VfL Germania 1894 and then put in place a right-thinking chairman. Through this period the play of the footballers improved and they moved up through the various levels of local competition until eventually making an appearance in the Gauliga Südwest (Staffel Mainhessen), one of a number of top flight divisions established in a re-organization of German football under the Reich in 1933. Their turn in first division play was short-lived, however, and they quickly backslid after a poor showing.
Following World War II occupying Allied authorities dissolved all organizations in the country, including sports and football associations, but allowed their re-establishment beginning in mid-1945: 1. FC Germania 1894 Frankfurt was the first club to re-gain its license within the American occupation zone
Allied Occupation Zones in Germany
The Allied powers who defeated Nazi Germany in World War II divided the country west of the Oder-Neisse line into four occupation zones for administrative purposes during 1945–49. In the closing weeks of fighting in Europe, US forces had pushed beyond the previously agreed boundaries for the...
in September that year. The club spent the 1946–47 season in the second-division Landesliga Hessen before returning to more local competition. The association re-assumed the name VfL Germania 1894 in 1947 as they went about the business of re-establishing the various sports departments that made up the club.
The footballers spent the next decades playing on the local circuit until winning their way to the Landesliga Hessen-Süd (IV) in 1993 where they played as a lower table side until being relegated in 1997. Today the team plays in the Kreisliga-A Frankfurt (VIII). The sports club also has a bowling department.
External links
- Official team site
- Das deutsche Fußball-Archiv historical German football league tables (in German)