Franz John
Encyclopedia
Franz Adolf Louis John was a German photographer. He was one of the initiators of the founding of FC Bayern Munich
and its first president from 1900 to 1903..
He was born on 28 September 1872 in Pritzwalk (Brandenburg
), the son of Friedrich Wilhelm and Ida John. After moving with his parents to Pankow
at the fringe of Berlin
, he later joined the football club VfB Pankow. There he met Gustav Manning, who afterwards became secretary of the German Football Association
. Manning later helped John to integrate the Munich
football clubs into the DFB. After his apprenticeship as a photographer in Jena
John moved to Munich where he became a member of MTV 1879 Munich.
When on 27 February 1900 the steering committee of MTV prohibited the football division of its club to join the association of southgerman football clubs (SFV), eleven football players left the club under the lead of Franz John. In the restaurant Gisela they founded the Munich Football Club Bayern
and elected Franz John for president. John also founded the council of Bavarian referee
s.
Under his lead the club joined the SFV still in its first year and quickly became a force in the Munich football scene. In 1903 John left FC Bayern and was succeeded as president by the Dutch Willem Hesselink
. John also left Munich in 1904, moving back to Pankow, where he opened a photo laboratory and later became president of his home club VfB Pankow. Despite having few contacts to Munich John was in the 1920s elected as honorary president of the FC Bayern Munich
and in 1936 he received the needle of honour in gold from the club.
Grown lonely he died on 17 November 1952 in Pankow; he had no descendants. Journalist Joachim Rechenberg later traced his lost grave to Fürstenwalde. When in 2000 the FC Bayern celebrated its 100th anniversary, the club recreated the grave and donated a new tombstone to commemorate the merits of Franz John.
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
and its first president from 1900 to 1903..
He was born on 28 September 1872 in Pritzwalk (Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
), the son of Friedrich Wilhelm and Ida John. After moving with his parents to Pankow
Pankow
Pankow is the third borough of Berlin. In Berlin's 2001 administrative reform it was merged with the former boroughs of Prenzlauer Berg and Weißensee; the resulting borough retained the name Pankow.- Overview :...
at the fringe of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, he later joined the football club VfB Pankow. There he met Gustav Manning, who afterwards became secretary of the German Football Association
German Football Association
The German Football Association is the governing body of football in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB organises the German football leagues, including the national league, the Bundesliga, and the men's and women's national teams. The DFB is based in Frankfurt and is...
. Manning later helped John to integrate the Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
football clubs into the DFB. After his apprenticeship as a photographer in Jena
Jena
Jena is a university city in central Germany on the river Saale. It has a population of approx. 103,000 and is the second largest city in the federal state of Thuringia, after Erfurt.-History:Jena was first mentioned in an 1182 document...
John moved to Munich where he became a member of MTV 1879 Munich.
When on 27 February 1900 the steering committee of MTV prohibited the football division of its club to join the association of southgerman football clubs (SFV), eleven football players left the club under the lead of Franz John. In the restaurant Gisela they founded the Munich Football Club Bayern
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
and elected Franz John for president. John also founded the council of Bavarian referee
Referee
A referee is the person of authority, in a variety of sports, who is responsible for presiding over the game from a neutral point of view and making on the fly decisions that enforce the rules of the sport...
s.
Under his lead the club joined the SFV still in its first year and quickly became a force in the Munich football scene. In 1903 John left FC Bayern and was succeeded as president by the Dutch Willem Hesselink
Willem Hesselink
Willem Frederik Hesselink was a Dutch football player. Born in Arnhem, he was one of the founders of local club Vitesse in 1892 at age 14. He played for HVV during their glory years, becoming national champions several times. Hesselink moved to Munich to study in 1903, and joined Bayern Munich...
. John also left Munich in 1904, moving back to Pankow, where he opened a photo laboratory and later became president of his home club VfB Pankow. Despite having few contacts to Munich John was in the 1920s elected as honorary president of the FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
and in 1936 he received the needle of honour in gold from the club.
Grown lonely he died on 17 November 1952 in Pankow; he had no descendants. Journalist Joachim Rechenberg later traced his lost grave to Fürstenwalde. When in 2000 the FC Bayern celebrated its 100th anniversary, the club recreated the grave and donated a new tombstone to commemorate the merits of Franz John.