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77-581: The Bezirksliga Schwaben-Nord is currently the seventh tier of the German football league system in the northern half of the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Swabia (German: Schwaben ). Until the disbanding of the Bezirksoberliga Schwaben in 2012 it was the eighth tier. From 2008, when the 3. Liga was introduced, was the seventh tier of the league system, until the introduction of

154-457: A century of German football competition, champions were not declared in several seasons for various reasons. No champion was declared in 1904 due to the DFB's inability to resolve a protest filed by Karlsruher FV over their 1–6 semi-final loss to Britannia Berlin to determine which of these sides would face defending champion Leipzig in that year's final. Karlsruhe's protest was over the failure to play

231-511: A knockout competition, contested between the winners of each of the country's top regional leagues. Since 1963, the first-place finisher in the Bundesliga has been recognized as the national champion. Championship play was suspended twice; from 1915 to 1919 due to World War I and again from 1945 to 1947 due to World War II . Following World War II, Germany was occupied by the victorious Allies and two German football competitions emerged when

308-513: A league pyramid under its own jurisdiction. The state association of Bavaria starts its pyramid at level four. The top divisions of the state associations of Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Middle Rhine, Lower Rhine, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Westphalia sit at level five of the pyramid. The pyramids of the remaining associations of Baden, Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Rhineland, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, South Baden, Southwest, Thuringia and Württemberg start at level six of

385-440: A nation of gymnasts and fencers . The earliest attempt at organizing some form of national championship came in 1894, when city champions Viktoria 89 Berlin invited FC Hanau 93 to play a challenge match. The Hanauers were unable to afford the cost of the trip and so were unable to take up the invitation. In 2007, the 1894 final was replayed and Viktoria were crowned the official 1894 champions. After its formation in 1900,

462-457: A round-robin format in which each team plays every other club once at home and once away. There is no playoff, with the club having the best record at the end of the season claiming the German championship. 1. FC Köln captured the first-ever Bundesliga title in the league's inaugural 1963–64 season. Since then the competition has been dominated by Bayern Munich which has taken the championship in 32 of

539-638: A single division, the Bezirksliga (County League) under their jurisdiction, then followed by the district associations' top flights Kreisliga (District League). State associations that are directly subdivided into district associations, typically run the Bezirksliga themselves. In Hesse, the Bezirksliga is called the Gruppenliga (Group League). The Schleswig-Holstein Football Association league system

616-412: A single national championship was restored. Bayern Munich hold the record for the most championships with 33, yet all but one of these (1932) come in Bundesliga competition. BFC Dynamo claimed 10 titles in the former East Germany, winning these championships in consecutive seasons (1979–88). The new British game of football quickly caught on in late 19th-century Germany, which had previously been

693-417: A third tier regional division within the existing German league structure under the DFB. FC Hansa Rostock captured the title in the transitional 1990–91 season, and alongside runners-up SG Dynamo Dresden, advanced to play in the Bundesliga, thereby fully integrating former Eastern clubs into a unified German championship. The performance of various clubs is shown in the following table: The formation of

770-478: Is Bavaria with 45 championships. Bavaria is also home to the two individually most successful clubs, Bayern Munich and 1. FC Nürnberg. North Rhine-Westphalia follows with 26 championships. The state is home to the third and fourth most successful clubs, Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04. No club from the Saarland, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has yet won the championship. In most cases

847-505: Is organised by 21 state football associations . Therefore, 13 states, these being Bavaria , Berlin , Brandenburg , Bremen , Hamburg , Hesse , Lower Saxony , Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania , Saarland , Saxony , Saxony-Anhalt , Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia have a state football association with a jurisdiction covering the whole area of the corresponding political entity. Three states are subdivided into more than one state football association. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia

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924-688: Is recognized as the first postwar German national champion for its 2–1 victory over 1. FC Kaiserslautern in the Westzonen final staged on 8 August 1948 in Mannheim . In the Ostzone, SG Planitz beat SG Freiimfelde Halle 1–0 on 4 July 1948 in Leipzig to qualify for the scheduled national final, but were denied a permit to travel to play the match by Soviet authorities. In the aftermath of World War I, several lesser national football competitions emerged as outgrowths of

1001-467: Is subdivided into three state associations, these being Middle Rhine, Lower Rhine and Westphalia. The state of Baden-Württemberg is also subdivided into three state associations, these being Baden, South Baden and Württemberg. Finally, the state of Rhineland-Palatinate is subdivided into two state associations, these being Rhineland and Southwest. Starting on levels four to six of the German football league system, each of these 21 state associations runs

1078-640: Is the state association league system in the state of Schleswig-Holstein and starts at level five of the German league system with the Oberliga Schleswig-Holstein on top. The current (2016–17 season) champions are Eutin 08. The champions enter a promotion playoff along with the Bremen-Liga champions, the Oberliga Hamburg champions and the Niedersachsenliga runner-up for two promotions to

1155-468: The Landesliga Bayern-Süd , from 1988 to 2011 to the Bezirksoberliga Schwaben . In the later years of the league the runners-up were also given the opportunity to earn promotion by playing a promotion round with the runners-up of the southern division and the three Bezirksligas from Upper Bavaria. The bottom three teams of each group find themselves relegated to one of the six Kreisligas . At

1232-818: The Regionalligas in 1994 the sixth tier. From the leagues interception in 1968 to the introduction of the Bezirksoberliga in 1988 it was the fifth tier. Before the Bezirksoberligas in Bavaria were introduced in 1988 the Bezirksligas were the leagues set right below the Landesligas Bayern in the football pyramid. From 1963 to 1968 the Bezirksliga Schwaben was played in one single division, in 1968 it

1309-844: The 3. Liga . Below the regional association's league system, the five state association league systems of the Baden Football Association , the Bavarian Football Association , the Hessian Football Association , the South Baden Football Association and the Württembergian Football Association work as feeders to the Regionalliga. Mostly in line with the geographical borders of the 16 German states , amateur football

1386-685: The 3. Liga . Below the regional association's league system, the three state association league systems of the Lower Rhine Football Association , the Middle Rhine Football Association and the Westphalian Football and Athletics Association work as feeders to the Regionalliga. The Southwestern Regional Football Association league system is the regional association league system in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland and starts at level four of

1463-490: The Bundesliga in 1963 marked a significant change to the German football championship. The historical regional league and national playoff format was abandoned in favour of a single unified national league. Sixteen teams from the five Oberligen in place at the time were invited to be part of the new circuit – which also for the first time formally acknowledged the sport as professional rather than amateur. The new league adopted

1540-507: The Gauligen and took part in the regional qualifying rounds of the national championship, but without the same success as Austrian sides. Two trophies have been used for the official German and, during the era of the divided Germany, West German champions. The pre- Second World War trophy, the Viktoria , was awarded from 1903 to 1944, making Saxonian clubs VfB Leipzig the first and Dresdner SC

1617-647: The Regionalliga Nord . Below the state association league system 12 district associations work as feeders to the Verbandsliga. In the 2017–18 season, the full system comprises 61 divisions having 861 teams. Additionally, four teams play above the state association league system: Holstein Kiel ( 2. Bundesliga ), Eutin 08, SC Weiche Flensburg 08 and VfB Lübeck ( all Regionalliga Nord ). List of German football champions The German football champions are

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1694-656: The Regionalliga Nordost and the Regionalliga West . The two regional bodies Southwestern Regional Football Association and Southern German Football Association share the jurisdiction on the Regionalliga Südwest . Finally, the Bavarian Football Association , although being just a subordinate state association to the superior Southern German Football Association, runs the Regionalliga Bayern , by far

1771-902: The Regionalliga Südwest runner-up for three promotions to the 3. Liga . Below the regional association's league system, the six state association league systems of the Berlin Football Association , the Brandenburg State Football Association , the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern State Football Association , the Saxony Football Association , the Saxony-Anhalt Football Association and the Thuringian Football Association work as feeders to

1848-511: The Verdiente Meistervereine system which permits the display of a star or stars on a club's jersey. This system allows for the recognition of both German and East German titles , although only German titles are listed in the table below. Clubs in bold currently play in the top division. Titles won by club (%) Notes : As of 2024, German football champions have come from 11 of the 16 German states. The most successful state

1925-515: The annexation of Austria , which was incorporated into Nazi Germany in 1938, Austrian clubs became part of German competition; Admira Wien made a losing appearance in the German national final in 1939, Rapid Wien captured the championship in 1941, and First Vienna also lost in 1942. In each case their opposition was Schalke 04 . Throughout the course of World War II, clubs in German-occupied territories were made part of German competition in

2002-456: The rugby version of football. The formation of the DFB helped establish for the first time a clear divide between association football and its close cousin. To qualify for the German championship finals, a club had to win one of the regional championships, which, in some cases, predate the national one. Those were: One other regional championships briefly existed: From 1925 onwards, the runners-up of those competitions were also qualified for

2079-552: The 1930 season, most DT teams became part of the mainstream DFB. German championships have included clubs from countries other than Germany. DFC Prag , vice-champions in the first national final and a founding member of the DFB, was an ethnically-German club from Bohemia in the Austro-Hungarian Empire (today part of the Czech Republic ) which did not at the time have its own national football federation. Following

2156-411: The 21 state associations (Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Middle Rhine, Lower Rhine, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Westphalia) have an Oberliga (English: Premier League) as their top amateur state division, some followed by a Verbandsliga, some directly by a Landesliga. Starting in 2012, the state association of Bavaria organized its own Regionalliga (Regional League), a league formerly only organized by

2233-451: The 60 Bundesliga seasons played to 2023. Key Over the history of the German football championship, 30 different clubs have won the title. The most successful club is FC Bayern Munich, with 33 titles to its credit, 32 of those coming in Bundesliga competition. The most successful pre-Bundesliga club is 1. FC Nürnberg, who won eight titles in the era of knockout play amongst regional champions. Former German champions are recognized through

2310-555: The DFB began to establish its authority over the myriad city and regional leagues springing up throughout the country and organized the first officially recognized national championship in 1903. The prize of German football was the Viktoria, a trophy statue of a seated Roman goddess of victory , donated by the committee that organized German participation in the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris – and originally intended to be shared with teams playing

2387-487: The German championship finals, which had been expanded to sixteen clubs. The two strongest regions, South and West were also allowed to send their third-placed team. This system of regional championships was abolished in 1933 and superseded by the Gauliga system. With the beginning of the 1933–34 season, top-flight German football was reorganized into 16 regional Gauligen with each of these leagues sending their champion to

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2464-481: The German football league system. All state associations have full jurisdiction over their league pyramids, though the configuration varies in between states. A traditional state league pyramid had a Verbandsliga (Association League) as its top flight, followed by several divisions of Landesliga (State League). Due to many structural reforms in the last decades, both on federal level and on state levels, this structure has become more indeterminate. Currently, eight of

2541-500: The German league system with the Regionalliga Südwest on top, which is held under joint jurisdiction along with the Southern German Football Association . The champions and the runner-up enter a promotion playoff along with the winners of the four other Regionalliga divisions for three promotions to the 3. Liga . By rule, the champions and the runner-up will not face each other in the promotion playoffs. Below

2618-507: The German league system with the Regionalliga Südwest , which is held under joint jurisdiction along with the Regional Football Association South West respectively with the Regionalliga Bayern . The champions and the runner-up of the Regionalliga Südwest and the champions of the Regionalliga Bayern enter a promotion playoff along with the winners of the three other Regionalliga divisions for three promotions to

2695-511: The Meisterschale – was introduced in the west in 1949. The first post-war champions were 1. FC Nürnberg (2–1 over 1. FC Kaiserslautern in Köln) who were also, coincidentally, the first champions following World War I. Over time, the notion of professionalism – long anathema to German sports – made inroads in the country. A consequence of this was that by 1956, a distinct national amateur championship

2772-466: The Oberliga. The Western German Football Association league system is the regional association league system in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and starts at level four of the German league system with the Regionalliga West on top. The champions enter a promotion playoff along with the winners of the four other Regionalliga divisions and the Regionalliga Südwest runner-up for three promotions to

2849-442: The Regionalliga. The Northeastern German Football Association league system is the regional association league system in the states of Berlin , Brandenburg , Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania , Saxony , Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia and starts at level four of the German league system with the Regionalliga Nordost on top. The champions enter a promotion playoff along with the winners of the four other Regionalliga divisions and

2926-538: The annual winners of the highest association football competition in Germany . The history of the German football championship is complex and reflects the turbulent history of the country through the course of the 20th century. Brought to the country by English immigrants, the sport took root in the cities of Berlin , Hamburg , Stuttgart , and Leipzig in the 1890s, leading to the growth of city, regional, and academic leagues, each with their own championships. Following

3003-493: The champion and runner-up of 3. Liga are promoted to the second flight. Additionally, the third-last ranked team of 2. Bundesliga and the third-best ranked team of 3. Liga play a promotion/relegation playoff for the final spot in the next 2. Bundesliga edition. The bottom four teams of 3. Liga are relegated to Regionalliga . Whereas the professional first three levels of the German football league system each are single division only and are organised by nationwide governing bodies,

3080-531: The country was divided as a result. The historical tradition of the DFB was continued in what was known as West Germany , while a second national championship was contested in Soviet-controlled East Germany under the auspices of the DFV (Deutscher Fußball-Verband or German Football Federation). Following the reunification of the country in 1990, the two separate football competitions were merged and

3157-446: The country. Play was tentatively resumed in various parts of the now-occupied country in early 1946 and the postwar Oberliga structure began to take shape in the 1946–47 season; no national champion was declared from 1945 to 1947. In 1947–48, qualification play took place to determine Westzonen (Western occupation zones) and Ostzone (Eastern occupation zone) representatives to meet in a national final that never took place. 1. FC Nürnberg

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3234-402: The decision. The DFB awarded the win to Hamburg under the condition that they renounce the title in the name of "good sportsmanship" – which they grudgingly did. Ultimately, the championship trophy was not officially presented that year. Competition for the national title was maintained through most of World War II and was supported by the regime for morale. Play became increasingly difficult as

3311-505: The eastern and western halves of the country quickly fell by the wayside in the context of the Cold War . An Ostzone champion was declared in each of the 1946–48 seasons and in 1949 the first division DDR-Oberliga was established under the DFV ( Deutscher Fußball-Verband der DDR ) as a distinct national sport governing body. From 1950 through to 1990 an East German football champion was declared, until

3388-542: The eastern competition was reintegrated into the German national competition under the DFB. In the first recognized East German national championship staged in 1949, ZSG Union Halle defeated SG Fortuna Erfurt 4–1. In 1990, the last East German champion was SG Dynamo Dresden . The following season the DDR-Oberliga (I) was redesignated the Nord-Ostdeutscher Fußball Verband Oberliga and became

3465-520: The establishment of the German Football Association (Deutscher Fußball Bund) in 1900, the first recognized national championship match was hosted by Hamburg club Altona 93 in 1903 in which VfB Leipzig defeated DFC Prag 7–2, and was awarded the Viktoria , the championship trophy from 1903 to 1944. Before the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963, the championship format was based on

3542-970: The five regional associations of the German Football association, these being the Northern German Football Association , the Northeastern German Football Association , the Western German Football Association , the Southwestern Regional Football Association and the Southern German Football Association . For Bavaria, the Bavarian Football Association , a member state association of the Southern German Football Association, runs their top division under their own jurisdiction. Starting at level five,

3619-668: The following Kreisligas. Without doubt the greatest player ever to play in the Bezirksliga Schwaben-Nord was the legendary Gerd Müller . In his last season before signing with FC Bayern Munich in 1963–64 he scored 51 goals in 31 matches for his hometown club TSV 1861 Nördlingen and helped them win promotion! In 2008–09, the FC Schrobenhausen , league champion in 2006–07 and Schwaben Cup finalist in 2008, failed to win or draw any of their league games and scored only five goals in 30 games, while conceding 223. With

3696-649: The ideologies they represented, they were considered politically unpalatable by the regime and disappeared in the 1933 reorganization of German football under Nazi Germany that consolidated competition in state-sanctioned leagues. These clubs were forced into mergers with other mainstream sides or saw their assets seized by the state. Antisemitism in Germany led to the creation of Jewish sports associations as Jews were forced out of mainstream clubs. These associations, including Sportbund Schild and Makkabi, staged their own national championships from 1933–38. Key Following

3773-590: The largest single state football association in Germany. As an exception to the regular promotion rules within the German league system, not all champions of each Regionalliga division are granted automatic promotion. Instead only the Regionalliga West and Southwest each provide a fixed direct promotion. Another direct promotion place is assigned according to a rotation principle among the Regionalliga Nord, Nordost, and Bayern champions. The representatives from

3850-464: The last club to receive it. The trophy disappeared during the final stages of the war and would not resurface until after the German reunification . A new trophy, the Meisterschale , was commissioned after the war but was not ready for the first post-war champions in 1948. Instead it was first awarded to VfR Mannheim in 1949. While the original trophy has only the champions from 1903 to 1944 engraved

3927-493: The latter are then subdivided into district associations. The associations of South Baden and Württemberg have several county associations following in the league system, but no district associations. The remaining associations (Baden, Brandenburg, Hesse, Lower Rhine, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Middle Rhine, Rhineland, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia and Westphalia) are directly subdivided into district associations. The county associations usually run

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4004-601: The league reform at the end of the 2011–12 season, which included an expansion of the number of Landesligas from three to five, the Bezirksoberligas were disbanded. Instead, the Bezirksligas took the place of the Bezirksoberligas once more below the Landesligas . The following qualifying modus applied at the end of the 2011–12 season: The league went through the following timeline of name changes, format and position in

4081-485: The league system: The following teams have won the league: The following clubs have won the league more than once: The clubs in the league in the 2021–22 season and their 2019–21 final position: German football league system The top three professional levels contain one division each. Below this, the semi-professional and amateur levels have progressively more parallel divisions, which each cover progressively smaller geographic areas. Teams that finish at

4158-575: The match at neutral venue. The national championship was suspended in October 1915 due to World War I. Limited play continued on a regional basis in many parts of the country, while competition was abandoned in other areas. Several regional leagues continued to declare champions or cup winners. The national championship was reinstated with the 1919–20 season that was concluded with a 2–0 victory by 1. FC Nürnberg over SpVgg Fürth in Frankfurt . The 1922 final

4235-498: The national playoffs. New Gauligen were created as the Reich expanded its border through the Anschluss with Austria. This expanded the national championship competition with the addition of regional champions from the new circuits. It also introduced previously foreign clubs into German domestic competition where Viennese Austrian sides made a notable impression. Competition during the war

4312-655: The regional association's league system, the three state associations league systems of the Rhineland Football Association , the Saarland Football Association and the Southwest German Football Association work as feeders to the Oberliga. The Southern German Football Association league system is the regional association league system in the states of Baden-Württemberg , Bavaria and Hessen and starts at level four of

4389-657: The regional associations of the DFB align with state borders in Germany. However, the DFB has two regional associations in Rhineland-Palatinate, and three each in North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg. For the champions of these states the regional associations are mentioned as well. From 1938 to 1945 Austria was part of Germany, and Austrian clubs were thus allowed to compete in the German football championship. Rapid Wien won one championship in that period. In over

4466-410: The remaining two Regionalligen determine the fourth promoted club in two-legged playoffs. The Northern German Football Association league system is the regional association league system in the states of Bremen , Hamburg , Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein and starts at level four of the German league system with the Regionalliga Nord on top. The champions enter a promotion playoff along with

4543-564: The same time the six Kreisliga winners are promoted to the Bezirksliga . The runners-up of those face a play-off with each other and the 13th placed teams in the Bezirksliga . The area covered by the Swabian FA is not identical with the Bezirk Schwaben, there is a large number of clubs from Upper Bavaria playing in Swabia, especially in the north. The Bezirksliga Schwaben-Nord is fed by

4620-412: The semi-professional level four Regionalliga comprises five independent divisions, each run by different regional and/or state associations. Three regional bodies, being the Northern German Football Association , the North East German Football Association and the Western German Football Association , each run a division under their sole jurisdiction, these being the corresponding Regionalliga Nord ,

4697-470: The superior regional associations . With the exception of Berlin and Hamburg, all other state associations usually supervise several county and/or district associations. The county associations usually cover the area of a government district , whereas the district associations have jurisdiction for the territory of an urban district . The associations of Bavaria, Bremen, Lower Saxony and the Southwest are initially subdivided into several county associations,

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4774-436: The system sits the level one 1. Bundesliga and the level two 2. Bundesliga , both organized by the professional German Football League. The two top flights are then followed by the level three 3. Liga , the lowest full professional division in Germany, organised by the German Football Association itself. The professional level four Regionalliga is divided into 5 regional divisions, these typically organised by one or two of

4851-406: The top of their division at the end of each season can rise higher in the pyramid, while those that finish at the bottom find themselves sinking further down. Therefore, in theory, it is possible for even the lowest local amateur club to rise to the top of the system and become German football champions one day. The number of teams promoted and relegated between the divisions varies, and promotion to

4928-420: The tumultuous German political situation. These included the left-leaning workers' ATSB (Arbeiter-Turn- und Sport-Bund), the Catholic-sponsored DJK (Deutschen Jugendkraft), the Protestant-backed DT (Deutsche Turnerschaft), and the Communist KG (Kampfgemeinschaft für Rote Sporteinheit). Through the 1920s and 1930s, each of these leagues staged their own national championships or fielded national sides. Because of

5005-404: The upper levels of the pyramid is usually contingent on meeting additional criteria, especially concerning appropriate facilities and finances. The German football league system is held under the jurisdiction of the nationwide German Football Association and its professional body German Football League , along with its five regional associations and their 21 state associations . On top of

5082-2216: The various fully amateur divisions are usually governed by the 21 state associations. For the North East German Football Association and Southwestern Regional Football Association, both regional bodies still run the level five divisions under their jurisdiction. Their state member associations' pyramids therefore start at level six. Hamburg state league system ↑ 1 promotion playoff spot Bremen state league system ↑ 1 promotion playoff spot Schleswig-Holstein state league system ↑ 1 promotion playoff spot Lower Saxony state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot + 1 promotion playoff spot 2 divisions of NOFV-Oberliga 33 teams ↑ 2 promotion spots ↓ 5 to 11 relegation spots Lower Rhine state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot Middle Rhine state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot Westphalia state league system ↑ 2 promotion spots Oberliga Rheinland-Pfalz/Saar 19 teams ↑ 1 to 2 promotion spots ↓ 3 to 6 relegation spots Oberliga Baden-Württemberg 18 teams ↑ 1 promotion spot ↓ 3 to 6 relegation spots Hesse state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot Brandenburg state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot Berlin state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot Saxony-Anhalt state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot Thuringia state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot Saxony state league system ↑ 1 to 2 promotion spots Rhineland state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot to Oberliga Rheinland-Pfalz/Saar Saarland state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot to Oberliga Rheinland-Pfalz/Saar Southwest state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot to Oberliga Rheinland-Pfalz/Saar Baden state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot + 1 promotion playoff spot to Oberliga Baden-Württemberg South Baden state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot + 1 promotion playoff spot to Oberliga Baden-Württemberg Württemberg state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot + 1 promotion playoff spot to Oberliga Baden-Württemberg After each season,

5159-404: The war drew to its conclusion due to manpower shortages, bombed-out stadiums, and the hardship and expense of travel. In the era's final championship match Dresdner SC beat the military club LSV Hamburg 4–0 on 18 June 1944 in Berlin's Olympiastadion . The 1944–45 season kicked off ahead of schedule in November; however, by March 1945 play had collapsed throughout Germany as Allied armies overran

5236-483: The winners of the Bundesliga are crowned German football champions . The bottom two Bundesliga teams are relegated to 2. Bundesliga , whereas the champion and runner-up of 2. Bundesliga are promoted to the top flight. Additionally, the third-last ranked team of Bundesliga and the third-best ranked team of 2. Bundesliga play a promotion/relegation playoff for the final spot in the next Bundesliga edition. The bottom two 2. Bundesliga teams are relegated to 3. Liga , whereas

5313-409: The winners of the four other Regionalliga divisions and the Regionalliga Südwest runner-up for three promotions to the 3. Liga . Below the regional association's league system, the four state association league systems of the Bremen Football Association , the Hamburg Football Association , the Lower Saxony Football Association and the Schleswig-Holstein Football Association work as feeders to

5390-433: Was also characterized by the formation of military-based clubs including the Luftwaffe side LSV Hamburg which appeared in the era's last national championship match at the end of the 1943–44 season. Unlike the United Kingdom, where play was suspended early on, national football competition continued on in Germany in some form through the course of the war. Play finally collapsed as the war drew to its conclusion and no champion

5467-446: Was contested by 1. FC Nürnberg and Hamburger SV , but never reached a conclusion on the pitch. The match was called on account of darkness after three hours and ten minutes of play, drawn at 2–2. The re-match also went into extra time, and in an era that did not allow for substitutions, the game was called at 1–1 when Nürnberg was reduced to just seven players and the referee ruled they could not continue. Considerable wrangling ensued over

5544-534: Was declared in 1944–45. It was also during this period that a national cup competition was introduced; the Tschammerpokal was named for Reichssportführer (Sports Chief of the Reich) Hans von Tschammer und Osten and is predecessor to the modern-day DFB-Pokal (German Cup). The first cup competition was staged in 1935 and won by 1. FC Nürnberg. Key In the immediate aftermath of World War II, German football

5621-402: Was established, open to teams playing below the Oberliga level in second- and third tier leagues. The post-war occupation of Germany by the victorious Allies eventually led to the de facto partition of the country and the emergence of two separate German states, each with its own government and institutions. Early plans to maintain a national championship to be contested by representatives from

5698-546: Was in French-occupied Saarland where attempts by France to annex the state were manifested in the formation of a separate, but short-lived, football competition that staged its own championship. Saarland briefly had its own representation under FIFA , forming Olympic and World Cup sides, before re-joining German competition in 1956. In the Soviet-occupied East zone, a more enduring separation took place that

5775-562: Was in complete disarray. Occupying Allied authorities ordered the dissolution of most organizations in the country. However, many football clubs were soon re-established and new sides formed; play was tentatively resumed. By 1948, a new first division league structure, the Oberligen, was in place in most of the Western zone of occupation. The restored competition maintained the German game's historical practice of play in regional leagues. An exception

5852-561: Was not mended until the reunification of Germany in 1990. As a result, Eastern-based clubs did not take part in the German national championship under the DFB, vying instead for a different prize. The country's capital city of Berlin was similarly divided and clubs based in West Berlin took part in western-based competition. The Viktoria disappeared at war's end, although it would eventually reappear and be held in East Germany. A new trophy –

5929-544: Was split in a northern and a southern division. For the purpose of administration, the two leagues are still seen as one and teams can be shifted between the two-halves at the end of season. The winner of the Bezirksliga Schwaben-Nord , like the winner of the Bezirksliga Schwaben-Süd , is now directly promoted to the Landesliga Bayern-Südwest . From 1968 to 1988, the league champions were promoted to

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