FSV Optik Rathenow
Encyclopedia
FSV Optik Rathenow is a German association football club
from the city of Rathenow
, Brandenburg.
(East German Cup) to its credit.
On 10 February 1990, following German reunification
, the club took on the name Sportverein Optik based on a sponsorship arrangement with a local optical firm. On 21 February the following year, the football department became independent as Fußball Sportverein Optik Rathenow and made its only appearance to date in the DFB-Pokal
(German Cup) tournament on the strength of a district cup win. The team advanced to fourth tier competition in 1992 following a championship in the Verbandsliga Brandenburg (V) and continued its string of successes by winning promotion in qualification play for the Regionalliga Nordost (III) as part of the restructuring of German football in 1994. Their stay was short-lived as they were sent down to the Oberliga Nordost-Nord (IV) following a last place result in 1996. In Oberliga
competition Optik consistently earned lower table results, but escaped relegation until being sent down after a 14th place finish in 2005. The club returned to fourth tier play after two seasons spent in the Verbandsliga Brandenburg
(V).
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 Rathenow
Rathenow
Rathenow is a town in the district of Havelland in Brandenburg, Germany, with a population of 26,433 .-Overview:The Protestant church of St. Marien Andreas, originally a basilica, and transformed to the Gothic style in 1517-1589, and the Roman Catholic Church of St...
, Brandenburg.
History
The earliest roots of football in the Rathenow area go back to the establishment of Spielvereinigung Rathenow in 1906. In the 30s this club merged with Turnverein Vater Jahn Rathenow to create VfL Rathenow, which went on to play second division football in Berlin-Brandenburg. A community sports club known as Sportgemeinde Rathenow was formed in 1945 in the aftermath of World War II out of the membership of VfL and Rathenower Ballspielclub. This was renamed BSG Verkehr Rathenow in 1948. The current day club claims its origins in the reemergence in December 1950 of the former VfL out of SG as BSG Mechanik Rathenow. This club became BSG Motor Rathenow in 1951. Playing in Soviet-occupied East Germany, the team was an unremarked local side with less than a handful of appearances in the third division 2. DDR-Liga and the early rounds of the FDGB PokalFDGB Pokal
The FDGB-Pokal was an elimination football tournament held annually in the former East Germany. It was the second most important national title in East German football after the DDR-Oberliga championship...
(East German Cup) to its credit.
On 10 February 1990, following German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
, the club took on the name Sportverein Optik based on a sponsorship arrangement with a local optical firm. On 21 February the following year, the football department became independent as Fußball Sportverein Optik Rathenow and made its only appearance to date in the DFB-Pokal
DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
(German Cup) tournament on the strength of a district cup win. The team advanced to fourth tier competition in 1992 following a championship in the Verbandsliga Brandenburg (V) and continued its string of successes by winning promotion in qualification play for the Regionalliga Nordost (III) as part of the restructuring of German football in 1994. Their stay was short-lived as they were sent down to the Oberliga Nordost-Nord (IV) following a last place result in 1996. In Oberliga
Oberliga (football)
The Oberliga is currently the name of the fifth tier of the German football leagues. Before the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008, it was the fourth tier...
competition Optik consistently earned lower table results, but escaped relegation until being sent down after a 14th place finish in 2005. The club returned to fourth tier play after two seasons spent in the Verbandsliga Brandenburg
Verbandsliga Brandenburg
The Brandenburg-Liga is the highest league for football teams exclusively in the German state of Brandenburg. Since the introduction of the 3. Liga in 2008, it is the sixth tier of the German football league system...
(V).
Honours
- Bezirkspokal Potsdam (Potsdam Cup) winner: 1958, 1978, 1990
- Landesliga Brandenburg champions: 1991
- Verbandsliga Brandenburg champions (V): 1992, 2007
External links
- Official team site
- Das deutsche Fußball-Archiv historical German domestic league tables (in German)
- eufo.de European football club profiles and current team rosters
- Abseits Guide to German Soccer