Reichsliga
The Reichsliga (German: [ˈʁaɪçsˌliːɡa], Reich League) was a proposed nationwide German association football league. First suggested in 1932 by German Football Association (DFB) president Felix Linnemann, the Reichsliga was essentially a forerunner of the Bundesliga, established as a national league (originally for West Germany) in 1963.[1]
History
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
From 1933, instead of the Reichsliga, the Nazis introduced 16 regional
After 1945, the Oberligas 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 nationwide 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.[2]
With the formation of the
References
Sources
- 30 Jahre Bundesliga (in German) 30th anniversary special, publisher: kicker Sportmagazin, published: 1993
- kicker-Almanach 1990 (in German) Yearbook of German football, publisher: kicker Sportmagazin, published: 1989, ISBN 3-7679-0297-4
External links
- DFB – Deutscher Fußball Bund (German Football Association)