Keizarmežs
Encyclopedia
Ķeizarmežs was a Latvia
n football
club which was founded by the Riga
German community in 1909. It was one of the founders of the first football organization in Latvia - Riga Football League (1910).
(British Football Club and Union Riga
were the first two). Most of its players and management were Germans. The first team manager was gymnastics
teacher Kārlis Verkentins.
In 1910 the Ķeizarmežs juniors squad became the first winners of the Hatton-Hall Cup - one of the first football tournaments in Latvia. In 1912 and 1913 Ķeizarmežs main team won the Riga Cup. Between 1910 and 1914 Ķeizarmežs played in the Riga Football League finishing second 3 times and third one time.
The club was resurrected in early 1930s when in played in the 2nd and 1st divisions of Riga football. In 1932 it finished 2nd in the 2nd league and earned promotion to the 1st league. In 1933 Kaiserswald got a split second place (together with Kružok Rīga) in the 1st league. After the less successful following season the club became defunct again in 1934.
In 1912 Ķeizarmežs became the first Latvian team to play an international match - it played against Finland
Olympic football team (and was beat 1:9).
Because of World War I
football life in Latvia stopped for several years and it resumed only around 1920. In 1921 the first Latvian championship was started with Ķeizarmežs playing in the top division. However the season was stopped because of early winter (Ķeizarmežs was by then the group leader).
In 1922 Ķeizarmežs won the first Latvian football championship. In 1923 Ķeizarmežs won its second title in a tight battle with RFK
- the first strong team in Latvia which mostly relied on Latvian players. In 1924 Ķeizarmežs was suspended from the Latvian Football League because of a decision that only Latvian citizens could play in the league while Ķeizarmežs had German, Dutch, Polish and British citizens in its squad.
In 1925 Ķeizarmežs was back in the Latvian Football League but it couldn't compete with the best Latvian teams anymore and finished only fifth among 6 teams. In 1926 Ķeizarmežs became defunct as it didn't have enough young players who could replace the retired veterans.
The club was reformed in the early 1930s, however it wasn't capable to recapture its former glory, in 1933 and 1934 Ķeizarmežs played in the first Riga league but in the autumn of 1934 it was disestablished the second time.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club which was founded by the Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
German community in 1909. It was one of the founders of the first football organization in Latvia - Riga Football League (1910).
Team history
Ķeizarmežs was founded in 1909 as the third football club in RigaRiga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
(British Football Club and Union Riga
Union Riga
Union Riga was a football club established in Riga in 1907. It was the winner of the Riga football league in 1910. In the period of independence of Latvia between the World wars Union played in the Latvian Higher League for several years...
were the first two). Most of its players and management were Germans. The first team manager was gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
teacher Kārlis Verkentins.
In 1910 the Ķeizarmežs juniors squad became the first winners of the Hatton-Hall Cup - one of the first football tournaments in Latvia. In 1912 and 1913 Ķeizarmežs main team won the Riga Cup. Between 1910 and 1914 Ķeizarmežs played in the Riga Football League finishing second 3 times and third one time.
The club was resurrected in early 1930s when in played in the 2nd and 1st divisions of Riga football. In 1932 it finished 2nd in the 2nd league and earned promotion to the 1st league. In 1933 Kaiserswald got a split second place (together with Kružok Rīga) in the 1st league. After the less successful following season the club became defunct again in 1934.
In 1912 Ķeizarmežs became the first Latvian team to play an international match - it played against Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
Olympic football team (and was beat 1:9).
Because of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
football life in Latvia stopped for several years and it resumed only around 1920. In 1921 the first Latvian championship was started with Ķeizarmežs playing in the top division. However the season was stopped because of early winter (Ķeizarmežs was by then the group leader).
In 1922 Ķeizarmežs won the first Latvian football championship. In 1923 Ķeizarmežs won its second title in a tight battle with RFK
Rigas FK
Riga FK was a Latvian football club which was founded December 14, 1923. It was the strongest and most popular Latvian football club in 1920s and 1930s, it was also the base team for Latvia national football team in its early years...
- the first strong team in Latvia which mostly relied on Latvian players. In 1924 Ķeizarmežs was suspended from the Latvian Football League because of a decision that only Latvian citizens could play in the league while Ķeizarmežs had German, Dutch, Polish and British citizens in its squad.
In 1925 Ķeizarmežs was back in the Latvian Football League but it couldn't compete with the best Latvian teams anymore and finished only fifth among 6 teams. In 1926 Ķeizarmežs became defunct as it didn't have enough young players who could replace the retired veterans.
The club was reformed in the early 1930s, however it wasn't capable to recapture its former glory, in 1933 and 1934 Ķeizarmežs played in the first Riga league but in the autumn of 1934 it was disestablished the second time.
Notable players
- Arvīds Graupners
- Ludvigs Maršics
- Arvīds Plade
- Kurts Plade
- Teodors Plade
- Voldemārs PladeVoldemars PladeVoldemārs Plade was a Latvian football forward and manager, the most notable of four Plade brothers who played for Latvia national football team.-Biography:...
- Česlavs StančiksCeslavs StanciksČeslavs Stančiks was a Latvian footballer. In 1939 he resettled in Germany as part of resettlement of all Baltic Germans.-Club playing career:...