Ferdinand-Wilhelm Fricke
Encyclopedia
Ferdinand-Wilhelm Fricke (October 11, 1863 – January 17, 1927) was a German teacher
and, at the age of 15, founder of the Deutscher FV 1878 Hannover
, the oldest rugby union club in Germany
. Fricke was also the first chairman of the German Rugby Federation.
.
As a 15 year old, in 1878, Fricke, as a member of the Realgymnasium in Hannover, like many of his school mates, watched English
expatriates play rugby
and association football in the English Hannover Football-Club.
F.W.F., as a leader of the pupils of the Realgymnasium, initiated the formation of a football club and, together with 24 other young men, he formed the Deutschen Fußball-Verein Hannover gegründet 1878, the oldest still existing rugby club in Germany.
In the following years, other local school clubs like the Hannoversche Schüler-Football-Club and Germania joined the club in an attempt to improve its strength and to be able to challenge the strong English sides in town. He remained chairman of the DFV 78 until 1898.
In 1896, Fricke was instrumental in the formation of Hannover 96
, now the city's best known football club. DFV 78 was only open to people of higher education
at the time and he wanted to further the sport of rugby by opining it up to the masses as well as creating a club DFV could play against. Fricke donated a rugby ball and then held ecercises with a number of local youth who then went on to form the Hannoversche Fußball-Club von 1896, upon his suggestion.
In 1899, Fricke discovered the ideal playing area for the club, Am Schnellen Graben, still its home ground today.
F.W.F., now 37 years old and vice dean
of the Bürgerschule Meterstrasse in Hannover, was part of the formation of the Deutsche Rugby Verband, the German Rugby Federation, on 4 November 1900. He served as its first chairman until 1901 and again in 1904-05.
Ferdinand-Wilhelm Fricke died on 17 January 1927, aged 63, in his home town Hannover.
In 1957, the city of Hannover honoured Fricke by naming a street after him, the Ferdinand-Wilhelm-Fricke-Weg, where the club facilities of DSV 78 are, behind the AWD-Arena
. It is also the seat of the German Rugby Federation, the DRV.
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and, at the age of 15, founder of the Deutscher FV 1878 Hannover
Deutscher FV 1878 Hannover
DSV 78 Hannover, founded as DFV Hannover in 1878, is Germany's oldest rugby club. The club played in the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga under the name DSV 78/08 Ricklingen, having formed an on-the-field union with SV 08 Ricklingen, another club from Hannover....
, the oldest rugby union club in Germany
Rugby union in Germany
Rugby union in Germany is a minor sport. The German Rugby Federation had 108 member clubs and 11,656 members.-Governing body:The German Rugby Federation is the governing body for rugby union in Germany...
. Fricke was also the first chairman of the German Rugby Federation.
Biography
F.W.F., as he was called throughout most of his life, was born on 11 October 1863 in Hannover, which was then the capital of the Kingdom of HanoverKingdom of Hanover
The Kingdom of Hanover was established in October 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic era. It succeeded the former Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg , and joined with 38 other sovereign states in the German...
.
As a 15 year old, in 1878, Fricke, as a member of the Realgymnasium in Hannover, like many of his school mates, watched English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
expatriates play rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and association football in the English Hannover Football-Club.
F.W.F., as a leader of the pupils of the Realgymnasium, initiated the formation of a football club and, together with 24 other young men, he formed the Deutschen Fußball-Verein Hannover gegründet 1878, the oldest still existing rugby club in Germany.
In the following years, other local school clubs like the Hannoversche Schüler-Football-Club and Germania joined the club in an attempt to improve its strength and to be able to challenge the strong English sides in town. He remained chairman of the DFV 78 until 1898.
In 1896, Fricke was instrumental in the formation of Hannover 96
Hannover 96
Hannoverscher Sportverein von 1896, commonly referred to as Hannover 96, Hannover or simply 96, is a German association football club based in the city of Hanover, Lower Saxony.-Foundation to WWII:...
, now the city's best known football club. DFV 78 was only open to people of higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
at the time and he wanted to further the sport of rugby by opining it up to the masses as well as creating a club DFV could play against. Fricke donated a rugby ball and then held ecercises with a number of local youth who then went on to form the Hannoversche Fußball-Club von 1896, upon his suggestion.
In 1899, Fricke discovered the ideal playing area for the club, Am Schnellen Graben, still its home ground today.
F.W.F., now 37 years old and vice dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the Bürgerschule Meterstrasse in Hannover, was part of the formation of the Deutsche Rugby Verband, the German Rugby Federation, on 4 November 1900. He served as its first chairman until 1901 and again in 1904-05.
Ferdinand-Wilhelm Fricke died on 17 January 1927, aged 63, in his home town Hannover.
In 1957, the city of Hannover honoured Fricke by naming a street after him, the Ferdinand-Wilhelm-Fricke-Weg, where the club facilities of DSV 78 are, behind the AWD-Arena
AWD-Arena
The AWD-Arena is a football stadium in the district Calenberger Neustadt in Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany, and competition venue of the German Bundesliga football club Hannover 96....
. It is also the seat of the German Rugby Federation, the DRV.
Sources
- Die große Tat des Ferdinand-Wilhelm Fricke DSV 78 Hannover website - Article on F.W. Fricke
- Google book review: Hannoversches biographisches Lexikon author: Dirk Böttcher, publisher: Schlütersche Verlagsgesellschaft, page: 122