Reichsliga
Encyclopedia
The Reichsliga was a proposed nation-wide German association football league, first suggested in 1932 by Felix Linnemann
, president of the German Football Association
, the DFB, at the time. The proposed Reichsliga was, in many ways, a forerunner of the Fußball-Bundesliga
, which was finally established
as a national league in 1963.
The discussion about the Reichsliga went hand in hand with the question of professionalism in Germany, with the DFB being a strong advocate for keeping the game amateur in the country. In October 1932 however, the federation made a sudden, unexpected turnaround and legalised professionalism. Before steps could be taken, in January 1933, the Nazis came to power and paid football was moved off the DFB agenda again.
From 1933, instead of the Reichsliga, the Nazis introduced 16 regional Gauliga
s. In 1938 however, the Reichsliga was once more contemplated after the freshly unified German-Austrian team, playing with high expectations at the 1938 FIFA World Cup
was a complete disappointment, being knocked out in the first round. The embarrassment to Germany and its Nazi government caused the latter to approve plans for the consolidation of German football. The Reichsliga or, as an alternative, the reduction of the number of Gauligas from 16 to five was envisioned. The events of the Second World War however put a stop to all these plans and by the time the regime fell in 1945 the number of Gauligas had increased greatly in response to travel difficulties caused by the war and Nazi expansionism.
After 1945, the Oberliga
's were gradually formed in Allied-occupied Germany, first in the South and Berlin, later in the West and North, too, which had suffered greater damage to its infrastructure through strategic bombing
during the war and was consequently slower to rebuild. Travel between occupation zones was difficult and the new leagues followed in their boundaries the limits of the Allied zones, putting a nation-wide league out of question. In any case, such a league would not have been able to be called the Reichsliga anymore, as the German Reich had ceased to exist.
With the formation of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949, soon requests for the Fußball-Bundesliga
were voiced and a national league was finally established in 1963.
Felix Linnemann
Felix Linnemann was the fourth Deutscher Fußball-Bund president, serving from 1925 to 1945....
, president 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...
, the DFB, at the time. The proposed Reichsliga was, in many ways, a forerunner of the Fußball-Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
, which was finally established
Introduction of the Fußball-Bundesliga
The Introduction of the Fußball-Bundesliga was the long-debated step of establishing a top-level association football league in Germany in 1963. The new league, the Fußball-Bundesliga, played its first season in 1963–64 and continues to be the higest league in the country...
as a national league in 1963.
History
Football in Germany after the First World War was very regionalised, leading to the top clubs in the German Reich playing in weak local competitions with clubs well below their own strength. Those clubs would then only truly be challenged during the German finals round. Linnemann wished to achieve a concentration of those clubs by forming a Reichsliga, like it existed in other countries, in which those clubs could play together. This however was vetoed by the powerful regional associations in 1932.The discussion about the Reichsliga went hand in hand with the question of professionalism in Germany, with the DFB being a strong advocate for keeping the game amateur in the country. In October 1932 however, the federation made a sudden, unexpected turnaround and legalised professionalism. Before steps could be taken, in January 1933, the Nazis came to power and paid football was moved off the DFB agenda again.
From 1933, instead of the Reichsliga, the Nazis introduced 16 regional Gauliga
Gauliga
A Gauliga was the highest level of play in German football from 1934-45. The leagues were introduced in 1933, after the Nazi takeover of power by the Sports office of the Third Reich.-Name:...
s. In 1938 however, the Reichsliga was once more contemplated after the freshly unified German-Austrian team, playing with high expectations at the 1938 FIFA World Cup
1938 FIFA World Cup
The 1938 FIFA World Cup was the third staging of the World Cup, and was held in France from 4 June to 19 June. Italy retained the championship, beating Hungary 4–2 in the final.-Host selection:...
was a complete disappointment, being knocked out in the first round. The embarrassment to Germany and its Nazi government caused the latter to approve plans for the consolidation of German football. The Reichsliga or, as an alternative, the reduction of the number of Gauligas from 16 to five was envisioned. The events of the Second World War however put a stop to all these plans and by the time the regime fell in 1945 the number of Gauligas had increased greatly in response to travel difficulties caused by the war and Nazi expansionism.
After 1945, the 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...
's were gradually formed in Allied-occupied Germany, first in the South and Berlin, later in the West and North, too, which had suffered greater damage to its infrastructure through strategic bombing
Strategic bombing during World War II
Strategic bombing during World War II is a term which refers to all aerial bombardment of a strategic nature between 1939 and 1945 involving any nations engaged in World War II...
during the war and was consequently slower to rebuild. Travel between occupation zones was difficult and the new leagues followed in their boundaries the limits of the Allied zones, putting a nation-wide league out of question. In any case, such a league would not have been able to be called the Reichsliga anymore, as the German Reich had ceased to exist.
With the formation of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949, soon requests for the Fußball-Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
were voiced and a national league was finally established in 1963.
Sources
- 30 Jahre Bundesliga 30st Anniversary special, publisher: kicker sport magazinKicker (sports magazine)kicker Sportmagazin is Germany's leading sports magazine and is focused primarily on football. The magazine was founded in 1920 by German football pioneer Walther Bensemann and is published twice a week, usually Monday and Thursday, in Nuremberg...
, published: 1993 - kicker-Almanach 1990 Yearbook of German football, publisher: kicker sport magazin, published: 1989, ISBN 3767902974
External links
- DFB — Deutscher Fußball Bund (German Football Association)