Arminia Bielefeld

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Arminia Bielefeld
Full nameDeutscher Sport-Club Arminia Bielefeld
Nickname(s)Die Arminen,[1] Die Blauen (The Blues)[2]
Founded3 May 1905; 118 years ago (1905-05-03) as 1. Bielefelder FC Arminia
GroundBielefelder Alm (SchücoArena),
Bielefeld
Capacity27,332[3]
PresidentRainer Schütte[4]
Head coachMichél Kniat
League3. Liga
2022–232. Bundesliga, 16th of 18 (relegated)
WebsiteClub website
Current season

DSC Arminia Bielefeld (pronounced [ˌdeːʔɛsˈtseː ʔaʁˈmiːni̯a ˈbiːləfɛlt]; full name: Deutscher Sportclub Arminia Bielefeld e.V. [ˈdɔʏtʃɐ ˈʃpɔʁtklʊp ʔaʁˈmiːni̯a ˈbiːləfɛlt]; commonly known as Arminia Bielefeld (German pronunciation: [aʁˌmiːnia ˈbiːləfɛlt] ), also known as Die Arminen [diː ˈʔaʁmiːnən] or Die Blauen [diː ˈblaʊən]), or just Arminia (pronounced [aʁˌmiːnia] ), is a German sports club from Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia. Arminia is most well known as a professional football club, having participated in the first tier of German Football, the Bundesliga, for a total of 19 seasons. In addition to football, the club offers field hockey, figure skating, and cue sports departments. The club has over 15,000 members and the club colours are black, white and blue.[5] Arminia's name derives from the Cheruscan chieftain Arminius, who defeated a Roman army in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest.

The club currently participates in the

2020 with their eighth promotion, a record they hold jointly with 1. FC Nürnberg.[6] In the 2010s, the club primarily participated in the 2. Bundesliga, the second tier, with two relegations into the third tier. Notable successful periods for the club include the 1980s and 2000s; two separate eras when the club played for five consecutive years in the Bundesliga. In addition, the 1920s were successful for the club, during which two West German Championships were won in 1922 and 1923. Unsuccessful eras for the club include the 1950s and early 1990s, wherein the club participated in the regional third tier of German football for eight and seven consecutive seasons, respectively.[7][8]

Arminia has played their home games at the Bielefelder Alm Stadium since 1926. The stadium has been entirely rebuilt since the club first played there, with the last major renovations being completed in 2008.[9] The stadiums current capacity of 27,332 consists of space for 7,940 in terracing and 19,392 seats. Since 2004, the stadium has been named SchücoArena through a sponsorship deal.[10]

Arminia's

Lippe regions, or Ostwestfalen-Lippe region in German. As of 2020, the club had 241 active Supporters' groups. The first organized supporters group formed in 1974, influenced by similar groups in English Football. Organized support from such groups at home matches is provided by fans in the south stand of the stadium.[11]

History

Logo of founding side 1. FC Arminia Bielefeld

Founding and early years (1905-1918)

Arminia Bielefeld was founded on 3 May 1905 as 1. Bielefelder FC Arminia.[12] The fourteen men who founded the club were from the local bourgeoisie. Two weeks later, the club played its first match against a team from Osnabrück. Neither the name of the opponent nor the result are known. The club was admitted to the German Football Association in the same year and started to play in a league (in one consisting only of Arminia and three teams from Osnabrück, at first) in 1906.[13] In 1907, local rivals FC Siegfried joined Arminia, a move which strengthened Arminia's squad.[14] Soon other clubs from Bielefeld joined League football.

After playing on various grounds, Arminia moved to a new home at the Pottenau in 1910. Their first league championship came during the 1912-13 season, when they won the Westphalian championship beating BV 04 Dortmund 5–1 in the final.[15] The outbreak of World War I interrupted Arminia's rise, and between 1914 and 1918 the club played at the district level.

West German Champions and "The Alm" (1918-1933)

In 1919, Arminia merged with Bielefelder Turngemeinde 1848 to form TG Arminia Bielefeld. However, the two merged teams dissolved the merger in 1922 and both parent clubs were formed again. Arminia won the West German championship in 1922. Originally, they were level on points with

Union Oberschöneweide in the quarter-finals of the German championships. The match ended goalless, so a replay was held. Arminia led 1–0 and conceded the equalizer in injury time. The Berlin side won the match after extra time.[16] Walter Claus-Oehler became Arminia's first player to win a cap in the German national team. Arminia won further Westphalian titles from 1924 to 1927, but were unable to repeat their success in the West German Championships. A match between SC Preußen Münster and Arminia in November 1925 was the first football match to be broadcast on German Radio.[17]
On 30 January 1926, the club took its current name Deutscher Sportclub Arminia Bielefeld. Their next piece of silverware was won in 1932 by winning the Westphalian cup.

Arminia during the Nazi regime (1933-1945)

In 1933, Arminia qualified for the

Schalke 04
. On 25 July 1943 Arminia merged with local rivals VfB 03 Bielefeld. The merger finished the 1943–44 season in last place.

Post World War II years (1945-1962)

Historical chart of Arminia Bielefeld league performance

After World War II, a new league with all teams who competed in the Gauliga Westfalen was formed. Arminia were relegated and were unable to win re-promotion. In 1947–48, Arminia were a third division side for the first time in their history. After a dominating season in the Bezirksklasse,[

Oberliga West.[20]

Arminia's time in the Oberliga lasted only one season. Arminia beat Schalke 04 4–2 at home but finished only second from the bottom.[21] In 1954, Arminia were even relegated to the third tier, the "Landesliga Westfalen, Gruppe Ostwestfalen", a league only covering the north-eastern part of Westphalia. In 1956, Arminia qualified for a new third tier, the "Verbandsliga Westfalen, Gruppe Ostwestfalen", which encompassed a slightly larger area.

Promotion to the Bundesliga (1962-1970)

In 1962 Arminia become a second division side again (then: 2. Liga West, covering the whole of North Rhine-Westphalia). In 1962–63 they finished in seventh place to secure a spot in the newly formed

Regionalliga West, which was situated directly below the new Bundesliga.[22]

Arminia finished their first season in mid-table, but recorded a top-half finish in 4 of the following 5 seasons. In 1966, Arminia beat Alemannia Aachen to win the West German Cup for the first time. A year later, forward Ernst Kuster joined the team; he would become the club's all-time leading goal scorer (more than half a century later, Fabian Klos would beat his record). A 0–1 loss to Wuppertaler SV on the last day of the 1966–67 season stopped Arminia entering the Bundesliga promotion play-offs.[23] Arminia were runners-up in the 1969–70 season, and won their first promotion to the Bundesliga after a 2–0 win at Tennis Borussia Berlin in the play-offs.

Bundesliga scandal and return (1970-1980)