Oberliga Südwest (1945-63)
Encyclopedia
Oberliga Südwest
Founded
1945
Disbanded
1963
Nation
States
Rheinland-Pfalz
Saarland
Saarland
Saarland is one of the sixteen states of Germany. The capital is Saarbrücken. It has an area of 2570 km² and 1,045,000 inhabitants. In both area and population, it is the smallest state in Germany other than the city-states...

Relegation To
2nd Oberliga Südwest
2nd Oberliga Südwest
The 2nd Oberliga Südwest was the second-highest level of the German football league system in the southwest of Germany from 1951 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963. It covered the two states of Rheinland-Pfalz and Saarland.-Overview:...

Number of Seasons
18
Replaced by
Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...

Level on Pyramid
Level 1
German football league system
The German football league system, or league pyramid, refers to a series of hierarchically interconnected leagues for association football clubs in Germany that consists of over 2,300 men's divisions, in which all leagues are bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation...

Last Champions 1962-63
1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. Fußball-Club Kaiserslautern, also known as 1. FCK, FCK or simply Kaiserslautern, is a German association football club based in Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate. On 2 June 1900, Germania 1896 and FG Kaiserslautern merged to create FC 1900...



The Oberliga Südwest (Premier league Southwest) was the highest level of the German football league system
German football league system
The German football league system, or league pyramid, refers to a series of hierarchically interconnected leagues for association football clubs in Germany that consists of over 2,300 men's divisions, in which all leagues are bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation...

 in the southwest of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 from 1945 until the formation
Introduction of the Fußball-Bundesliga
The Introduction of the Fußball-Bundesliga was the long-debated step of establishing a top-level association football league in Germany in 1963. The new league, the Fußball-Bundesliga, played its first season in 1963–64 and continues to be the higest league in the country...

 of the Bundesliga in 1963. It covered the two states of Rheinland-Pfalz and Saarland
Saarland
Saarland is one of the sixteen states of Germany. The capital is Saarbrücken. It has an area of 2570 km² and 1,045,000 inhabitants. In both area and population, it is the smallest state in Germany other than the city-states...

.

Overview

The league was introduced as the highest level of football in the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 occupation zone
Allied Occupation Zones in Germany
The Allied powers who defeated Nazi Germany in World War II divided the country west of the Oder-Neisse line into four occupation zones for administrative purposes during 1945–49. In the closing weeks of fighting in Europe, US forces had pushed beyond the previously agreed boundaries for the...

 in 1945, replacing the Gauliga
Gauliga
A Gauliga was the highest level of play in German football from 1934-45. The leagues were introduced in 1933, after the Nazi takeover of power by the Sports office of the Third Reich.-Name:...

s as such. As was the French occupation zone, the Oberliga was split into a northern and a southern zone. The northern zone continued till 1963 to form the Oberliga Südwest while the southern zone was integrated into the Oberliga Süd in 1950. Until then, the champion of the Oberliga was determined by a home-and-away final between the two group winners.

The clubs in the Oberliga Süd came from the following Gauligas:
  • Gauliga Westmark
  • Gauliga Moselland
  • Gauliga Baden
    Gauliga Baden
    The Gauliga Baden was the highest football league in the German state of Baden from 1933 to 1945. Shortly after the formation of the league, the Nazis reorganised the administrative regions in Germany, and the Gau Baden replaced the state Baden....

     (southern half only)


In addition to the Oberliga Südwest, four other Oberligas were formed in Germany in the 1940s.
  • Oberliga West
    Oberliga West (1947-63)
    The Oberliga West was the highest level of the German football league system in the west of Germany from 1947 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963...

     (formed in 1947)
  • Oberliga Nord
    Oberliga Nord (1947-63)
    The Oberliga Nord was the highest level of the German football league system in the north of Germany from 1947 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963. It covered the states of Lower Saxony, Bremen, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein.-Overview:...

     (formed in 1947)
  • Oberliga Berlin
    Oberliga Berlin (1945-63)
    The Oberliga Berlin was the highest level of the German football league system in the city of West-Berlin in Germany from 1945 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963. It was by far the smallest of the five Oberligas.-Overview:...

     (formed in 1945, originally with clubs from west and east Berlin)
  • Oberliga Süd
    Oberliga Süd (1945-63)
    The Oberliga Süd was the highest level of the German football league system in the south of Germany from 1945 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963.It covered the three states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hessen.-Overview:...

     (formed in 1945)


Next to the Oberliga Berlin, the Oberliga Südwest was the smallest of the five Oberligas. Considering this, it is still impressive that it won two German titles through the 1. FC Kaiserslautern, led by the German captain Fritz Walter
Fritz Walter
Friedrich "Fritz" Walter was a German footballer. In his time with the German national team, he won 61 caps and scored 33 goals.-Early club career:...

, still a legend in Kaiserslautern and Germany.

Set below the Oberliga were originally the Amateurligas. In 1951 the 2nd Oberliga Südwest
2nd Oberliga Südwest
The 2nd Oberliga Südwest was the second-highest level of the German football league system in the southwest of Germany from 1951 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963. It covered the two states of Rheinland-Pfalz and Saarland.-Overview:...

 was formed to fit in between.

With the reintroduction of the German championship in 1948, the winner and runners-up of the Oberliga Südwest went on to the finals tournament with the other Oberliga champions.

In 1950, the southern group of the Oberliga Südwest was disbanded and its clubs joined the Southern German Football Association.

From 1948 to 1951 the clubs from the Saarland did not take part in the Oberliga Südwest, playing their own competition instead. The 1. FC Saarbrücken even took part in the French second division
Ligue 2
Ligue 2 , formerly known as Division 2, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel , the other being Ligue 1, the country's top football division...

 in 1948-49, winning the division but being refused further participation.

The 1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. Fußball-Club Kaiserslautern, also known as 1. FCK, FCK or simply Kaiserslautern, is a German association football club based in Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate. On 2 June 1900, Germania 1896 and FG Kaiserslautern merged to create FC 1900...

, VfR Wormatia Worms and FSV Mainz 05 took part in all of the 18 seasons of the Oberliga Südwest.

In 1978, the Oberliga Südwest
Oberliga Südwest
The Oberliga Südwest is the highest regional football league for the Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland state of Germany. It is the fifth tier of the German football league system. It is one of eleven Oberligas in German Football, the 5th tier of the German football league system...

 was reformed, as the third tier of German football, but still covering the same region. From the clubs that played the last season in 1963, the FSV Mainz 05, FK Pirmasens
FK Pirmasens
FK Pirmasens is a German association football club in Pirmasens, Rhineland-Palatinate. The team was formed as the football section of the gymnastics and sports club TV Pirminia Pirmasens in 1903 and became independent in 1914. They took on their current name in 1925...

, Südwest Ludwigshafen, TuS Neuendorf
TuS Koblenz
TuS Koblenz is a German association football club, located in Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate. Fussball Club Deutschland Neuendorf, which was formed in 1911, is viewed as the foundation of the modern club.-Play under the Third Reich:...

 and Eintracht Bad Kreuznach
Eintracht Bad Kreuznach
Eintracht Bad Kreuznach is a German association football club from city of Bad Kreuznach, Rhineland-Palatinate. They are among the most successful amateur football teams in southwestern Germany and currently play in the Oberliga Südwest .-History:...

 also saw the first new season of the league.

Founding members of the Oberliga Südwest (northern group)

  • 1. FC Saarbrücken
    1. FC Saarbrücken
    1. FC Saarbrücken is a German association football club based in the city of Saarbrücken, Saarland. The club began its existence as the football department of Turnverein Malstatt formed in 1903...

  • 1. FC Kaiserslautern
    1. FC Kaiserslautern
    1. Fußball-Club Kaiserslautern, also known as 1. FCK, FCK or simply Kaiserslautern, is a German association football club based in Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate. On 2 June 1900, Germania 1896 and FG Kaiserslautern merged to create FC 1900...

  • Borussia Neunkirchen
    Borussia Neunkirchen
    Borussia VfB Neunkirchen is a German association football club based in Neunkirchen, Saarland. The club SC Borussia Neunkirchen was founded out of the 1907 merger of FC 1905 Borussia and SC Neunkirchen.-History:...

  • VfR Wormatia Worms
  • VfR Frankenthal
  • FK Pirmasens
    FK Pirmasens
    FK Pirmasens is a German association football club in Pirmasens, Rhineland-Palatinate. The team was formed as the football section of the gymnastics and sports club TV Pirminia Pirmasens in 1903 and became independent in 1914. They took on their current name in 1925...

  • Phönix Ludwigshafen
  • 1.FC Idar
    SC Idar-Oberstein
    SC Idar-Oberstein is a German association football club from the town of Idar-Oberstein, Rhineland-Palatinate. The club was created in 1971 out of the merger of 1. FC Idar, established 1 January 1907 as SC Alemannia Idar, and Sportvereinigung Idar, formed in 1908...

  • Hassia Bingen
  • FSV Mainz 05

Disbanding of the Oberliga

With the introduction of the Bundesliga, two teams from the Oberliga Südwest were admitted to the new Bundesliga. The remaining clubs went to the new Regionalliga Südwest
Regionalliga Südwest (1963-74)
The Regionalliga Südwest was the second-highest level of the German football league system in the southwest of Germany from 1963 until the formation of the 2nd Bundesliga in 1974...

 together with six clubs from the 2nd Oberliga Südwest, one of five new second divisions.

While the admittance of the 1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. Fußball-Club Kaiserslautern, also known as 1. FCK, FCK or simply Kaiserslautern, is a German association football club based in Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate. On 2 June 1900, Germania 1896 and FG Kaiserslautern merged to create FC 1900...

 as the most prolific team of the Oberliga and champion of 1963 was only logic, the pick of the 1. FC Saarbrücken
1. FC Saarbrücken
1. FC Saarbrücken is a German association football club based in the city of Saarbrücken, Saarland. The club began its existence as the football department of Turnverein Malstatt formed in 1903...

 was more than dubious, having only finished 5th in the Oberliga that year and coming in below the other Saarland side, Borussia Neunkirchen
Borussia Neunkirchen
Borussia VfB Neunkirchen is a German association football club based in Neunkirchen, Saarland. The club SC Borussia Neunkirchen was founded out of the 1907 merger of FC 1905 Borussia and SC Neunkirchen.-History:...

.

Qualifying to the Bundesliga

The qualifying system for the new league was fairly complex. The league placings of the clubs playing in the Oberligen for the last ten seasons were taken into consideration, whereby results from 1952 to 1955 counted once, results from 1955 to 1959 counted double and results from 1959 to 1963 triple. A first place finish was awarded 16 points, a sixteenth place one point. Appearances in the German championship or DFB-Pokal
DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...

 finals were also rewarded with points. The five Oberliga champions of the 1962-63 season were granted direct access to the Bundesliga. All up, 46 clubs applied for the 16 available Bundesliga slots.

Following this system, by 11 January 1963, the DFB announced nine fixed clubs for the new league and reduced the clubs eligible for the remaining seven places to 20. Clubs within the same Oberliga that were separated by less than 50 points were considered on equal rank and the 1962-63 placing was used to determined the qualified team.

Of the seven clubs from the league applying, the 1. FC Saarbrücken qualified early even though FK Pirmasens
FK Pirmasens
FK Pirmasens is a German association football club in Pirmasens, Rhineland-Palatinate. The team was formed as the football section of the gymnastics and sports club TV Pirminia Pirmasens in 1903 and became independent in 1914. They took on their current name in 1925...

 and Borussia Neunkirchen
Borussia Neunkirchen
Borussia VfB Neunkirchen is a German association football club based in Neunkirchen, Saarland. The club SC Borussia Neunkirchen was founded out of the 1907 merger of FC 1905 Borussia and SC Neunkirchen.-History:...

 were less than ten points behind in the overall ranking and finished better in 1962–63. The rumor persists that Saarbrücken was chosen because it was from the home state of the later DFB chairman Hermann Neuberger
Hermann Neuberger
Hermann Neuberger was a German football official, and from 1975 to 1992 the seventh president of the Deutscher Fußball-Bund DFB.- External links :*...

 (Chairman from 1975 to 1992), a very influential figure in German football. The DFB justified the choice of the 1. FCS with the fact that the club had a superior infrastructure to the other two. The 1. FC Kaiserslautern also qualified.

Points table:
Rank Club Points 1952 to 1963 Place in 1962–63
1 1. FC Kaiserslautern 2 464 1
2 1. FC Saarbrücken 1 384 5
3 FK Pirmasens 2 382 3
4 Borussia Neunkirchen 2 376 2
5 Wormatia Worms 3 278 4
6 Saar 05 Saarbrücken 3 229 9
7 Sportfreunde Saarbrücken 4 160 6
  • Source: DSFS Liga-Chronik , page: B 12, accessed: 4 November 2008
  • Bold denotes club qualified for the new Bundesliga.
  • 1 denotes club was one of the nine selected on 11 January 1963.
  • 2 denotes club was one of the 20 taken into final selection.
  • 3 denotes club was one of the 15 applicants which were removed from final selection.
  • 4 denotes club withdrew Bundesliga application.

Winners and runners-up of the Oberliga Südwest

Season Winner Runner-Up
1945-46 1. FC Saarbrücken
1946-47 1. FC Kaiserslautern VfL Konstanz
1947-48 1. FC Kaiserslautern FC Rastatt 04
1948-49 1. FC Kaiserslautern Freiburger FC
1949-50 1. FC Kaiserslautern SSV Reutlingen
1950-51 1. FC Kaiserslautern VfR Wormatia Worms
1951-52 1. FC Saarbrücken TuS Neuendorf
1952-53 1. FC Kaiserslautern TuS Neuendorf
1953-54 1. FC Kaiserslautern FK Pirmasens
1954-55 1. FC Kaiserslautern VfR Wormatia Worms
1955-56 1. FC Kaiserslautern TuS Neuendorf
1956-57 1. FC Kaiserslautern 1. FC Saarbrücken
1957-58 FK Pirmasens 1. FC Kaiserslautern
1958-59 FK Pirmasens Borussia Neunkirchen
1959-60 FK Pirmasens Borussia Neunkirchen
1960-61 1. FC Saarbrücken Borussia Neunkirchen
1961-62 Borussia Neunkirchen FK Pirmasens
1962-63 1. FC Kaiserslautern Borussia Neunkirchen
  • Bold denotes team went on to win German championship.

Placings & overall table of the Oberliga Südwest 1945 to 1963

  • Northern group only.

Club 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 S G GF GA Points
1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. Fußball-Club Kaiserslautern, also known as 1. FCK, FCK or simply Kaiserslautern, is a German association football club based in Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate. On 2 June 1900, Germania 1896 and FG Kaiserslautern merged to create FC 1900...

2 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 5 4 4 1 18 498 1870 579 784
FK Pirmasens
FK Pirmasens
FK Pirmasens is a German association football club in Pirmasens, Rhineland-Palatinate. The team was formed as the football section of the gymnastics and sports club TV Pirminia Pirmasens in 1903 and became independent in 1914. They took on their current name in 1925...

6 7 4 4 3 5 7 2 5 4 8 1 1 1 3 2 3 17 484 1209 707 641
VfR Wormatia Worms 4 2 5 2 2 2 4 4 11 2 11 9 5 14 7 7 5 4 18 498 1152 802 591
1. FC Saarbrücken
1. FC Saarbrücken
1. FC Saarbrücken is a German association football club based in the city of Saarbrücken, Saarland. The club began its existence as the football department of Turnverein Malstatt formed in 1903...

 *
1 3 2 SL SL SL 1 3 5 3 3 2 8 4 3 1 3 5 15 418 1125 595 573
TuS Neuendorf 7 3 3 3 5 2 2 3 4 2 6 11 15 11 12 10 16 450 1066 719 532
Borussia Neunkirchen
Borussia Neunkirchen
Borussia VfB Neunkirchen is a German association football club based in Neunkirchen, Saarland. The club SC Borussia Neunkirchen was founded out of the 1907 merger of FC 1905 Borussia and SC Neunkirchen.-History:...

 *
3 6 4 SL SL SL 7 6 8 10 6 5 3 2 2 2 1 2 15 418 1009 633 519
FSV Mainz 05 10 4 8 8 11 12 10 8 7 14 10 10 6 11 12 5 10 12 18 498 802 1078 432
Phönix Ludwigshafen 7 5 10 6 5 4 8 12 6 6 7 4 4 5 4 10 16 17 418 843 834 386
Eintracht Trier 7 12 6 6 13 10 11 12 12 14 8 14 13 15 14 410 630 852 348
Saar 05 Saarbrücken * 9 SL SL SL 9 4 9 9 7 9 9 9 8 9 9 12 356 660 723 337
TuRa Ludwigshafen 10 9 5 12 7 16 10 13 8 9 6 8 12 356 570 681 324
VfR Frankenthal 5 13 9 8 5 3 12 7 11 15 11 11 318 518 610 297
VfR Kaiserslautern 9 9 12 11 14 12 13 13 15 15 14 13 12 356 520 777 269
Eintracht Bad Kreuznach
Eintracht Bad Kreuznach
Eintracht Bad Kreuznach is a German association football club from city of Bad Kreuznach, Rhineland-Palatinate. They are among the most successful amateur football teams in southwestern Germany and currently play in the Oberliga Südwest .-History:...

11 15 13 8 11 7 10 13 12 13 15 11 326 480 702 262
Sportfreunde Saarbrücken * SL SL SL 16 16 6 10 6 8 6 7 210 362 488 175
FV Speyer 10 13 15 14 13 12 16 7 210 287 447 157
VfL Neustadt 6 5 7 8 14 5 135 213 292 133
Ludwigshafener SC 6 14 7 7 4 120 200 205 121
FV Engers 10 7 11 15 15 5 146 264 378 116
SpVgg Andernach
SpVgg Andernach
SG Andernach is a German football club from the city of Andernach, Rhineland-Palatinate. The club was formed in 1999 through the merger of the football departments of SpVgg Andernach, BSV 1910 Andernach, and DJK Boulla Andernach based in the earlier association between these sides going back to 1992...

14 11 8 14 14 15 6 166 257 452 102
BSC Oppau 10 14 11 14 4 114 156 279 78
ASV Landau 6 13 15 3 86 103 236 61
SV Weisenau 9 13 16 16 4 114 172 365 57
VfR Kirn 16 14 16 3 90 117 276 48
FSV Trier-Kürenz 8 13 12 15 4 94 99 353 41
SV Niederlahnstein 16 16 2 60 59 219 20
SV St. Ingbert 16 1 30 42 106 16
SG Gonsenheim 11 13 2 50 47 205 16
Hassia Bingen 9 16 2 48 59 213 14
1. FC Idar 8 1 18 31 74 11
SV Röchling Völklingen
SV Röchling Völklingen
SV Röchling Völklingen is a German association football club that plays in Völklingen, part of the greater Saarbrücken, Saarland.-History:The club was founded as FC Völklingen on 26 April 1906 and re-named SV Völklingen in 1912 before folding in 1916 as a consequence of the fighting along the...

 *
12 SL SL SL 1 26 31 89 10

Source:

Source:
  • * denotes clubs from Saarland, which did not take part in the competition from 1948 to 1951.

Placings in the Oberliga Südwest (southern group) 1946 to 1950

Club 1947 1948 1949 1950
SSV Reutlingen
SSV Reutlingen
SSV Reutlingen 05 is a German association football club from Reutlingen, Baden-Württemberg.- History :The club was founded as FC Arminia Reutlingen and was re-named SV Reutlingen 1905 in 1910. The club fused with 1...

2 7 6 1
SV Tübingen 2 2
Freiburger FC
Freiburger FC
Freiburger FC is a German association football club based in Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg. Freiburger FC was a founding Clubs of the DFB in 1900.-History:...

5 1 3
FC Singen 04
FC Singen 04
The FC Singen 04 is a German association football club from the city of Singen, Baden-Württemberg. Established 4 August 1904. the club merged with Fußball-Club Radolfzell in 1908 to form FC Radolfzell-SIngen...

3 4 4
VfL Konstanz 1 4 8 5
FV Kuppenheim 6
TV Ebingen 7
FC Rastatt 04
FC Rastatt 04
FC Rastatt is a German association football club from the city of Rastatt, Baden-Württemberg. It was established as Fußball-Klub Rastatt on 9 October 1904 at the Gasthaus zur Linde. A 1919 union with Fußball-Club Phoenix created Rastatt Fußballverein 04, which merged with Frankonia 1912 Rastatt on...

5 1 5 8
FC 08 Villingen
FC 08 Villingen
FC 08 Villingen is a German association football club based in Villingen-Schwenningen, Baden-Württemberg. The association was founded on 1 October 1908 and over time absorbed other local clubs including Germania, Alemania and Phönix.-History:...

3 9
FV Lahr 10
Offenburger FV
Offenburger FV
The Offenburger FV is a German association football club from the city of Offenburg, Baden-Württemberg. The club is one of the most successful amateur football clubs in Germany.-Early years:...

4 2 12 11
SC Freiburg
SC Freiburg
Sport-Club Freiburg, commonly known as SC Freiburg, is a German association football club, based in the city of Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg. SC Freiburg has played in the Bundesliga, the top tier of German football, since their promotion in 2009...

7 9 9 12
VfL Schwenningen 6 6 7 13
VfB Friedrichshafen
VfB Friedrichshafen
VfB Friedrichshafen is a German sports club founded in 1909 and based in Friedrichshafen. The VfB Friedrichshafen men's volleyball team plays in the 1. Bundesliga and the CEV Champions League. The team won the 2006-07 CEV Champions League title...

3 8 10 14
SV Trossingen 11 15
SV Hechingen 16
TG Biberach 8 10 11
SV Laupheim 12

Source:
  • Until 1949, clubs in this league were not permitted to carry their pre-war name. Names given are the ones carried after 1949.

Sources

  • Kicker Almanach, The yearbook on German football from Bundesliga to Oberliga, since 1937, published by the Kicker Sports Magazine
    Kicker (sports magazine)
    kicker Sportmagazin is Germany's leading sports magazine and is focused primarily on football. The magazine was founded in 1920 by German football pioneer Walther Bensemann and is published twice a week, usually Monday and Thursday, in Nuremberg...

  • Süddeutschlands Fussballgeschichte in Tabellenform 1897-1988 History of Southern German football in tables, publisher & author: Ludolf Hyll
  • 100 Jahre Süddeutscher Fussball-Verband 100-year-anniversary book of Southern German football Association, publisher: Vindelica Verlag, published: 1997
  • Die Deutsche Liga-Chronik 1945-2005 History of German football from 1945 to 2005 in tables, publisher: DSFS, published: 2006

External links

Das deutsche Fussball Archiv Historic German league tables Oberliga Südwest at Fussballdaten.de
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