Borussia Fulda
Encyclopedia
Borussia Fulda is a German association football club
from Fulda
, Hesse
. The club was founded 4 July 1904 as FC Borussia 1904 Fulda and underwent a number of changes in 1923 when they were first joined by Radsportclub 1907 Fulda in July, and then by Kraftsportklub Germania Fulda in September. On 6 September 1923 the association was named 1. SV Borussia 04 Fulda.
, capturing the division title and advancing to the national playoff round where they went out early. Over the next two seasons the team earned consecutive second place finishes behind FC Hanau 93
before being relegated in 1938. Fulda returned to first division play in 1939 and the next year claimed the first of what would be three divisional titles over the course of the next four seasons, but were unable to claim any successes at the national level or in play for the Tschammerpokal, predecessor of today's German Cup. They earned their last title playing as Reichsbahn SG Borussia Fulda after a 1943 wartime merger with Reichsbahn SG Fulda. Play in the Gauliga Hessen collapsed in the 1944–45 season as Allied armies advanced into Germany as World War II drew to a close.
At war's end, occupying Allied authorities ordered the dissolution of all organizations in the country, including sports and football associations. The club was re-established as SG Borussia 04/45 Fulda on 17 October 1945 and was united with a club bearing the name 1. SV Borussia Fulda which has been formed on 11 March 1948. A 17 January 1951 merger with SC Fulda led to the creation of SC Borussia 04 Fulda.
SC Borussia played as a local side until winning promotion to the Amateurliga Hessen (III) in 1957 and, with the exception of the 1959–60 season, remained a third division team through to 1963. The club finished well enough that year to earn a place in the newly formed Regionalliga Süd
(II) but were promptly relegated. They would compete in the Amateurliga Hessen (III) for the next 11 seasons before slipping to fourth division play in the Landesliga Hessen-Nord in 1975 and then spending the next season in the fifth division. Fulda has since played largely as fourth tier side with occasional forays into third division competition. After some solid finishes in the Regionalliga Süd (III) in the late 90s the club ran into financial difficulties and nearly collapsed midway through the 1998–99 season. The club played in the Oberliga Hessen (IV) from 2006 to 2009 again, until suffering relegation to the Landesliga.
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 Fulda
Fulda
Fulda is a city in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district .- Early Middle Ages :...
, Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
. The club was founded 4 July 1904 as FC Borussia 1904 Fulda and underwent a number of changes in 1923 when they were first joined by Radsportclub 1907 Fulda in July, and then by Kraftsportklub Germania Fulda in September. On 6 September 1923 the association was named 1. SV Borussia 04 Fulda.
History
In 1933 German football was re-organized under the Third Reich into sixteen top-flight divisions and Fulda immediately took up play in the Gauliga HessenGauliga Hessen
The Gauliga Hessen was the highest football league in the German state of Hesse and the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau from 1933 to 1945. From 1941, it was renamed Gauliga Kurhessen...
, capturing the division title and advancing to the national playoff round where they went out early. Over the next two seasons the team earned consecutive second place finishes behind FC Hanau 93
FC Hanau 93
FC Hanau 93 is a German association football club based in Hanau, Hesse.-Early history:Founded in 1893, the club is Hesse's oldest. In its first year, the club was winless in a half dozen matches, but the next season emerged as south German champion and earned an appearance in a national...
before being relegated in 1938. Fulda returned to first division play in 1939 and the next year claimed the first of what would be three divisional titles over the course of the next four seasons, but were unable to claim any successes at the national level or in play for the Tschammerpokal, predecessor of today's German Cup. They earned their last title playing as Reichsbahn SG Borussia Fulda after a 1943 wartime merger with Reichsbahn SG Fulda. Play in the Gauliga Hessen collapsed in the 1944–45 season as Allied armies advanced into Germany as World War II drew to a close.
At war's end, occupying Allied authorities ordered the dissolution of all organizations in the country, including sports and football associations. The club was re-established as SG Borussia 04/45 Fulda on 17 October 1945 and was united with a club bearing the name 1. SV Borussia Fulda which has been formed on 11 March 1948. A 17 January 1951 merger with SC Fulda led to the creation of SC Borussia 04 Fulda.
SC Borussia played as a local side until winning promotion to the Amateurliga Hessen (III) in 1957 and, with the exception of the 1959–60 season, remained a third division team through to 1963. The club finished well enough that year to earn a place in the newly formed Regionalliga Süd
Regionalliga Süd (1963-74)
The Regionalliga Süd was the second-highest level of the German football league system. It existed in the south of Germany from 1963 until the formation of the 2nd Bundesliga in 1974. It covered the three states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hessen....
(II) but were promptly relegated. They would compete in the Amateurliga Hessen (III) for the next 11 seasons before slipping to fourth division play in the Landesliga Hessen-Nord in 1975 and then spending the next season in the fifth division. Fulda has since played largely as fourth tier side with occasional forays into third division competition. After some solid finishes in the Regionalliga Süd (III) in the late 90s the club ran into financial difficulties and nearly collapsed midway through the 1998–99 season. The club played in the Oberliga Hessen (IV) from 2006 to 2009 again, until suffering relegation to the Landesliga.
Stadium
Borussia Fulda plays in the Sportpark Johannisau (Stadion der Stadt Fulda) which was built in 1957 to hold 30,000 spectators and today has a capacity of 18,000 (~750 seats).Honours
- Gauliga HessenGauliga HessenThe Gauliga Hessen was the highest football league in the German state of Hesse and the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau from 1933 to 1945. From 1941, it was renamed Gauliga Kurhessen...
champions: 1934, 1941, 1942, 1944 - Landesliga Hessen/Fulda champions: 1947
- Amateurliga Hessen champions: 1954, 1957, 1960
- Landesliga Hessen-Nord (V) champions: 1990, 2006
- Oberliga Hessen (IV) champions: 1996, 2001
Recent seasons
| Year | Division | Position |
| 1999–2000 | Regionalliga Süd Regionalliga Süd The Regionalliga Süd is currently the fourth tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008, it was the third tier. It currently is the highest regional league for the southern part of Germany... (III) |
17th ↓ |
| 2000–01 | Oberliga Hessen (IV) | 1st ↑ |
| 2001–02 | Regionalliga Süd (III) | 18th↓ |
| 2002–03 | Oberliga Hessen (IV) | 4th |
| 2003–04 | Oberliga Hessen | 3rd ↓ |
| 2004–05 | Landesliga Hessen-Nord (V) | 6th |
| 2005–06 | Landesliga Hessen-Nord | 1st ↑ |
| 2006–07 | Oberliga Hessen (IV) | 8th |
| 2007–08 | Oberliga Hessen | 9th |
| 2008–09 | Oberliga Hessen (V) | 17th ↓ |
| 2009–10 | Landesliga Hessen-Nord (VI) |