VfL 06 Benrath
Encyclopedia
VfL Benrath is a German association football club
from the southern city district of Benrath
in Düsseldorf
, North Rhine-Westphalia
.
VfL made its first appearance on the national stage in 1930 after a successful season in the regional west German league. They were put out of the national playoffs through a 0:1 eighthfinal loss to Eintracht Frankfurt
. A win in the Westdeutscherpokal (West German Cup) propelled the team into the national level playoff once again in 1932, and they again were put out in an eighthfinal round matchup, this time by Hamburger SV
(1:3). Another Westdeutscherpokal win in 1933 was followed by another eighthfinal exit, 0:2 to SV München 1860.
German football was re-organized in 1933 under the Third Reich into sixteen top-flight regional divisions and VfL became part of the Gauliga Niederrhein
. They enjoyed success there early on winning consecutive division titles in 1934 and 1935. Their 1935 playoff run ended with a 2:4 semifinal loss to VfB Stuttgart
. After a second place result the following season the team's performance fell off dramatically and they struggled to remain in the Gauliga. They were relegated in 1939, but returned in the 1941–42 season and remained in first division competition until the end of World War II. Through this period the club made appearances (1935, 1936, 1939) in the early rounds of the Tschammerpokal tournament, predecessor to today's DFB-Pokal
(German Cup).
Immediately following the war, Benrath played in the Bezirksliga Berg-Mark and advanced to the regional Niederrhein final where they dropped a 2:0 decision to Rot-Weiß Oberhausen
. By 1947, they were part of the Landesliga Niederrhein (III) and in 1949 qualified for the 2nd Oberliga West
(II) where they played a single season. They had another single season turn in the second tier in 1954–55 before capturing an Amateurliga Niederrhein (III) title in 1957. They parlayed that division title into a national amateur championship with a 4:2 victory over Alemannia 90 Berlin
and returned to the 2. Liga-West for a five-year-long stint. VfL earned lower table finishes there until finally being relegated in 1962 to the Amateurliga Niederrhein (III). After more than a decade of indifferent results, the club slipped out of sight into lower level local competition in 1973 and plays today in the Fußball-Kreisliga.
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 southern city district of Benrath
Düsseldorf-Benrath
Benrath is a part of Düsseldorf in the south of the city. It has been a part of Düsseldorf since 1929.-History:The name Benrath came from the "Knights of Benrode". The settlement was mentioned for the first time in 1222 in a document from Cologne where Everhard de Benrode is named as an attestor...
in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
, North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
.
History
The club was established on 16 April 1906 in what was then the village of Benrath as Benrather Fußball Club. In 1910, they merged with Fußball Club Hohenzollern Benrath-Hassels to become Benrather Fußball Verein. They were joined on 12 July 1919 with the gymnastics association Turnclub Benrath and adopted the name Verein für Leibesübungen Benrath 1906. A 1921 union with another gymnastics club, Turnverein 1881 Benrath led to the formation of Turn- und Sportgemeinde 1881 Benrath. That partnership was short-lived and ended in 1923.VfL made its first appearance on the national stage in 1930 after a successful season in the regional west German league. They were put out of the national playoffs through a 0:1 eighthfinal loss to Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt is a German sports club, based in Frankfurt, Hesse that is best known for its association football club.- Club origins :...
. A win in the Westdeutscherpokal (West German Cup) propelled the team into the national level playoff once again in 1932, and they again were put out in an eighthfinal round matchup, this time by Hamburger SV
Hamburger 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...
(1:3). Another Westdeutscherpokal win in 1933 was followed by another eighthfinal exit, 0:2 to SV München 1860.
German football was re-organized in 1933 under the Third Reich into sixteen top-flight regional divisions and VfL became part of the Gauliga Niederrhein
Gauliga Niederrhein
The Gauliga Niederrhein was the highest football league in the northern part of the Prussian Rhine Province from 1933 to 1945. Shortly after the formation of the league, the Nazis reorganised the administrative regions in Germany, and the Gaue Essen and Düsseldorf replaced the Prussian province in...
. They enjoyed success there early on winning consecutive division titles in 1934 and 1935. Their 1935 playoff run ended with a 2:4 semifinal loss to VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
. After a second place result the following season the team's performance fell off dramatically and they struggled to remain in the Gauliga. They were relegated in 1939, but returned in the 1941–42 season and remained in first division competition until the end of World War II. Through this period the club made appearances (1935, 1936, 1939) in the early rounds of the Tschammerpokal tournament, 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).
Immediately following the war, Benrath played in the Bezirksliga Berg-Mark and advanced to the regional Niederrhein final where they dropped a 2:0 decision to Rot-Weiß Oberhausen
Rot-Weiß Oberhausen
Rot-Weiß Oberhausen is a German association football club in Oberhausen, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club was formed as Oberhausener SV in December 1904 out of the merger of Emschertaler SV and the football enthusiasts of Oberhausener TV 1873...
. By 1947, they were part of the Landesliga Niederrhein (III) and in 1949 qualified for the 2nd Oberliga West
2nd Oberliga West
The 2nd Oberliga West was the second-highest level of the German football league system in the west of Germany from 1949 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963. It covered the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen, the most populous state of Germany....
(II) where they played a single season. They had another single season turn in the second tier in 1954–55 before capturing an Amateurliga Niederrhein (III) title in 1957. They parlayed that division title into a national amateur championship with a 4:2 victory over Alemannia 90 Berlin
Alemannia Wacker Berlin
BFC Alemannia 90 Wacker is a German football club based in northern Berlin. Today's club has its origins in the predecessor sides BFC 90 Alemannia and SC Wacker 04 Berlin.- Alemannia 90 Berlin :...
and returned to the 2. Liga-West for a five-year-long stint. VfL earned lower table finishes there until finally being relegated in 1962 to the Amateurliga Niederrhein (III). After more than a decade of indifferent results, the club slipped out of sight into lower level local competition in 1973 and plays today in the Fußball-Kreisliga.
Honours
- Westdeutscherpokal (West German Cup) winners: 1932, 1933
- Gauliga NiederrheinGauliga NiederrheinThe Gauliga Niederrhein was the highest football league in the northern part of the Prussian Rhine Province from 1933 to 1945. Shortly after the formation of the league, the Nazis reorganised the administrative regions in Germany, and the Gaue Essen and Düsseldorf replaced the Prussian province in...
(I) champions: 1934, 1935 - German amateur champions: 1957