VfB Königsberg
Encyclopedia
VfB Königsberg was a German association football club
from the city of Königsberg
, East Prussia
.
.
Following the 1933 reorganization of German football into sixteen top flight divisions (Gauligen
) under the Third Reich, VfB joined the Gauliga Ostpreußen
in the 1933–34 season. The club fielded strong sides but could not do better than to earn a number of second place finishes until finally capturing the divisional title in 1940. That was the start of an unbroken string of five Gauliga Ostpreußen titles from 1940 to 1944. VfB subsequently took part in the national playoffs rounds from 1942 to 1944. In 1942 the club advanced as far as the quarterfinals where they were defeated 1:2 by Blau-Weiß 90 Berlin. The team also participated in play for the Tschammerpokal, the predecessor to today's DFB-Pokal
(German Cup), in 1935 and 1940–43. Their furthest advance in the tournament ended ignominiously with an 0:8 quarterfinal loss at the hands of eventual cupwinners Dresdner SC
in 1940.
The Gauliga Ostpreußen did not have a 1944–45 season as World War II overtook the region. The Königsberg club disappeared in 1945 following the conflict when the city was annexed by the Soviet Union
and renamed Kaliningrad
.
section which qualified for, but did not participate in, national playoff rounds in 1927 and 1928. In 1931 the team finished as vice-champions to the Berliner Schlittschuhclub.
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 Königsberg
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
, East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
.
History
The club was established on 7 July 1900 as Fußball-Club Königsberg, later being renamed VfB Königsberg in 1907. The team dominated play in the local city league and the regional Baltenverband between 1907 and 1932, capturing two dozen championships, and advancing to the national level playoffs on several occasions. VfBs best result there came in 1923 when they won their way to the semi-finals before being eliminated 2:3 by eventual champions Hamburger SVHamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
.
Following the 1933 reorganization of German football into sixteen top flight divisions (Gauligen
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:...
) under the Third Reich, VfB joined the Gauliga Ostpreußen
Gauliga Ostpreußen
The Gauliga Ostpreußen was the highest football league in the Prussian province of East Prussia and the Free City of Danzig from 1933 to 1945. Shortly after the formation of the league, the Nazis reorganised the administrative regions in Germany, and the Gau East Prussia the Prussian province...
in the 1933–34 season. The club fielded strong sides but could not do better than to earn a number of second place finishes until finally capturing the divisional title in 1940. That was the start of an unbroken string of five Gauliga Ostpreußen titles from 1940 to 1944. VfB subsequently took part in the national playoffs rounds from 1942 to 1944. In 1942 the club advanced as far as the quarterfinals where they were defeated 1:2 by Blau-Weiß 90 Berlin. The team also participated in play for the Tschammerpokal, the predecessor to today's 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), in 1935 and 1940–43. Their furthest advance in the tournament ended ignominiously with an 0:8 quarterfinal loss at the hands of eventual cupwinners Dresdner SC
Dresdner SC
Dresdner SC is a German multisport club playing in Dresden, Saxony. Founded on 30 April 1898, the club was a founding member of the German Football Association in 1900...
in 1940.
The Gauliga Ostpreußen did not have a 1944–45 season as World War II overtook the region. The Königsberg club disappeared in 1945 following the conflict when the city was annexed by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and renamed Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad is a seaport and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea...
.
Ice hockey
In addition to its football side, the club had an ice hockeyIce hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
section which qualified for, but did not participate in, national playoff rounds in 1927 and 1928. In 1931 the team finished as vice-champions to the Berliner Schlittschuhclub.
Honours
- Königsberg champions: 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1912, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925
- Baltic football championsBaltic football championshipThe Baltic football championship was the highest association football competition in the Prussian provinces of East Prussia, Pomerania and West Prussia. The competition was disbanded in 1933....
: 1908, 1909, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1928, 1929, 1930 - Gauliga OstpreußenGauliga OstpreußenThe Gauliga Ostpreußen was the highest football league in the Prussian province of East Prussia and the Free City of Danzig from 1933 to 1945. Shortly after the formation of the league, the Nazis reorganised the administrative regions in Germany, and the Gau East Prussia the Prussian province...
champions: 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944