TSV Amicitia Viernheim
Encyclopedia
The TSV Amicitia Viernheim is a German association football club
from the city of Viernheim
, Hesse. Due to the close proximity of Viernheim to Baden-Württemberg, the club plays in the league system of this state.
The club was formed in a merger of the SpVgg Amicitia Viernheim and the TSV Viernheim in May 2008. Amicitia is the Latin word for friendship.
TSV was formed in 1906 as a football club, under the name of Fußballclub Sodalität Viernheim. After the First World War, the club joined the DJK
organisation and expanded into other sports. With the rise of the Nazis to power in 1933, the club was outlawed due to its association to the Catholic Deutschen Jugendkraft but it was reformed in 1946.
Originally as TSV 1946, the club later changed its name to TSV 1906, claiming its origins in the old club.
For the most part of its history, it stood in the shadow of Amicitia as football is concerned. TSV gained promotion to the 2nd Amateurliga Rhein-Neckar (IV) in 1971, where it was joined by Amicitia a year later. In 1974, it was relegated from this league again.
In 1986, it won promotion to the Landesliga Nordbaden-Staffel 2 (V), a league it won the season after.
The club played in the tier-four Verbandsliga Nordbaden
for ten seasons from 1988 onwards, a fifth place in its first year being the best result. It returned to this league in 1999–2000 and again from 2003 to 2006 but never came close to Oberliga promotion. Its last season before the merger, 2007–08, it spent in the Landesliga (VI) once more, alongside Amicitia.
Amicitia was formed in 1909, three years after the club the TSV claims as its origins. The club was always exclusively a football club, unlike TSV who functioned as a multi-sports club.
Amicitia first reached prominence when it gained promotion to the tier-one Bezirksliga Rhein-Saar
in 1931. Despite a seventh place in the first season and a fourth in the second, the club could not qualify for the new Gauliga Baden
in 1933.
After two years in the second tier, it regained its first division status in 1935 but was relegated from the Gauliga again immediately. Amicitia once more returned to this league for one season in 1939.
After the end of the Second World War, Amicitia was briefly renamed Grün-Weiß Viernheim due to all pre-1945 sport associations being outlawed. The club became part of the tier-two Landesliga Nordbaden, where it archived a second place in the northern division of the league in 1948, qualifying for the promotion round to the Oberliga Süd, where it came last. After this season, the league was merged into one single division and Amicitia only managed a tenth place the following season. The year after, a seventh place was not enough to qualify the team for the new tier-two 2nd Oberliga Süd
and it became part of what was now the Amateurliga Nordbaden
.
Until 1953, the club remained a mid-table side in this league, after this, its fortunes took a turn for the better. Amicitia took out four league championships in a row from 1954 to 1957 but failed in the first three attempts to reach the second division. In 1954 and 1955, the club was outclassed by the Bavarian contestants VfL Neustadt, SpVgg Weiden
and FC Penzberg
. In 1956, SpVgg Neu-Isenburg
and VfR Heilbronn finished ahead of the team who was only one win away from promotion. Finally, in 1957, the club was successful, winning promotion alongside Borussia Fulda
. The club also qualified for the German amateur football championship
, where it was knocked out in the semi-finals by Alemannia 90 Berlin.
In the 2nd Oberliga Süd for the next six seasons, the club archived its best result, a sixth place, in its first season. After this, the team declined, narrowly avoiding relegation in 1961. In the last season of the Oberliga era, 1962–63, Amicitia performed well once more, earning a seventh place.
This was enough to maintain its second division status and the club was admitted to the new Regionalliga Süd, one of the five leagues below the new Fußball-Bundesliga
. Amicitia was outclassed at this level and finished last in the league, being relegated back to the tier-three Amateurliga again. Its reserve team, Amicita Viernheim Amateure, played in the tier-four 2nd Amateurliga Rhein-Neckar for a seasons but had to be withdrawn from the league when the first team got relegated.
Upon return to this level, it earned a respectable third place in this league in its first season, followed by a second place the following year. After this, the club slipped to the bottom half of the league for the coming seasons, culminating in relegation from the league in 1972. Amicitia did not return to the Amateurliga until the league was renamed in 1978 and became the Verbandsliga Nordbaden
. Instead, the club had to play in the 2nd Amateurliga Rhein-Neckar, alongside local rival TSV for the 1972–73 and 1973–74 seasons. It finished runners-up in the league in 1974. In 1977, the 2nd Amateurligas in North Baden were renamed Landesligas and reduced in number from five to three. Amicitia became part of the Landesliga Nordbaden-Staffel 2.
In 1980, a last place finish meant a further relegation for the club, now to the sixth tier of the league system. It took the club until 1984 to recover and return to the Landesliga.
After a lengthy absence, the club returned to North Baden's highest league, now on the fourth level of the German league system, in 1985, winning the Landesliga as a freshly promoted team. After a tenth place in its first season, it won the league in 1986–87 and earned promotion to the tier-three Oberliga Baden-Württemberg
. Amicitia became something of an elevator team between those two leagues, winning promotion again in 1989, after having been relegated after only one season. Again only lasting for one year, it returned to the Oberliga for a third time in 1994. This time, it lasted for two season but upon return to the Verbandsliga in 1996–97, it was handed straight down to the Landesliga.
The next ten seasons, Amicitia spent at the lower amateur level before making a Verbandsliga comeback in 2007. In the 2007–08 season, its last as an independent club, it came second in the league but failed in the promotion round, the Kehler FV
earning promotion instead.
Since then, the side has established itself in the Verbandsliga.
Champions: 1987
Football in Germany
Association football is the most popular sport in Germany. The German Football Association is the sport's national governing body, with 6.6 million members organized in over 26,000 football clubs. There is a league system, with the 1. and 2. Bundesliga on top, and the winner of the first...
from the city of Viernheim
Viernheim
Viernheim is a midsize industrial town on Mannheim’s outskirts and is found in the Rhine Neckar agglomeration and economic area. It is the second biggest town in Bergstraße district in Hesse, Germany...
, Hesse. Due to the close proximity of Viernheim to Baden-Württemberg, the club plays in the league system of this state.
The club was formed in a merger of the SpVgg Amicitia Viernheim and the TSV Viernheim in May 2008. Amicitia is the Latin word for friendship.
TSV Viernheim
DJK-Sportverband
Deutschen Jugendkraft Sportverband , is a Catholic-sponsored sports association in Germany. Founded originally as a faith-based organization, today it is open to anyone who supports its goals...
organisation and expanded into other sports. With the rise of the Nazis to power in 1933, the club was outlawed due to its association to the Catholic Deutschen Jugendkraft but it was reformed in 1946.
Originally as TSV 1946, the club later changed its name to TSV 1906, claiming its origins in the old club.
For the most part of its history, it stood in the shadow of Amicitia as football is concerned. TSV gained promotion to the 2nd Amateurliga Rhein-Neckar (IV) in 1971, where it was joined by Amicitia a year later. In 1974, it was relegated from this league again.
In 1986, it won promotion to the Landesliga Nordbaden-Staffel 2 (V), a league it won the season after.
The club played in the tier-four Verbandsliga Nordbaden
Verbandsliga Nordbaden
The Verbandsliga Baden is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga it was the 5th tier of the league system.- Overview :...
for ten seasons from 1988 onwards, a fifth place in its first year being the best result. It returned to this league in 1999–2000 and again from 2003 to 2006 but never came close to Oberliga promotion. Its last season before the merger, 2007–08, it spent in the Landesliga (VI) once more, alongside Amicitia.
SpVgg Amicitia Viernheim
Amicitia first reached prominence when it gained promotion to the tier-one Bezirksliga Rhein-Saar
Bezirksliga Rhein-Saar
The Bezirksliga Rhein-Saar was the highest association football league in the German state of Saarland, the Bavarian region of Palatinate and the northern-most part of Baden from 1927 to 1933...
in 1931. Despite a seventh place in the first season and a fourth in the second, the club could not qualify for the new 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....
in 1933.
After two years in the second tier, it regained its first division status in 1935 but was relegated from the Gauliga again immediately. Amicitia once more returned to this league for one season in 1939.
After the end of the Second World War, Amicitia was briefly renamed Grün-Weiß Viernheim due to all pre-1945 sport associations being outlawed. The club became part of the tier-two Landesliga Nordbaden, where it archived a second place in the northern division of the league in 1948, qualifying for the promotion round to the Oberliga Süd, where it came last. After this season, the league was merged into one single division and Amicitia only managed a tenth place the following season. The year after, a seventh place was not enough to qualify the team for the new tier-two 2nd Oberliga Süd
2nd Oberliga Süd
The 2nd Oberliga Süd was the second-highest level of the German football league system in the south of Germany from 1950 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963. It covered the three states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hessen.-Overview:...
and it became part of what was now the Amateurliga Nordbaden
Amateurliga Nordbaden
The Amateurliga Nordbaden was the highest football league in the region of the Nordbaden FA and the third tier of the German football league system from its inception in 1945 to the formation of the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg and the Verbandsliga Nordbaden below it in 1978.- Overview :The...
.
Until 1953, the club remained a mid-table side in this league, after this, its fortunes took a turn for the better. Amicitia took out four league championships in a row from 1954 to 1957 but failed in the first three attempts to reach the second division. In 1954 and 1955, the club was outclassed by the Bavarian contestants VfL Neustadt, SpVgg Weiden
SpVgg Weiden
SpVgg Weiden is a German association football club from the city of Weiden, Bavaria.Playing in the tier-four Regionalliga Süd in 2010–11, the club had to declare insolvency after being more than Euro 1 million in debt...
and FC Penzberg
FC Penzberg
The FC Penzberg is a German association football club from the city of Penzberg, Bavaria.The club briefly managed to reach the second division of German league football, spending the 1955–56 season in the 2nd Oberliga Süd.-1920 to 1945:...
. In 1956, SpVgg Neu-Isenburg
SpVgg Neu-Isenburg
SpVgg 03 Neu-Isenburg is a German association football club from the city of Neu-Isenburg, Hesse. The roots of the club are in the founding of Freispielclub Neu-Isenburg on 13 June 1903. Over the next three-and-a-half decades, the association went through mergers with a number of other local clubs...
and VfR Heilbronn finished ahead of the team who was only one win away from promotion. Finally, in 1957, the club was successful, winning promotion alongside Borussia Fulda
Borussia Fulda
Borussia Fulda is a German association football club from Fulda, Hesse. The club was founded 4 July 1904 as FC Borussia 1904 Fulda and underwent a number of changes in 1923 when they were first joined by Radsportclub 1907 Fulda in July, and then by Kraftsportklub Germania Fulda in September. On 6...
. The club also qualified for the German amateur football championship
German amateur football championship
The German amateur football championship was a football competition in Germany, existing from 1950 to 2000, organised by the German Football Association, the DFB.-Overview:...
, where it was knocked out in the semi-finals by Alemannia 90 Berlin.
In the 2nd Oberliga Süd for the next six seasons, the club archived its best result, a sixth place, in its first season. After this, the team declined, narrowly avoiding relegation in 1961. In the last season of the Oberliga era, 1962–63, Amicitia performed well once more, earning a seventh place.
This was enough to maintain its second division status and the club was admitted to the new Regionalliga Süd, one of the five leagues below the new Fußball-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...
. Amicitia was outclassed at this level and finished last in the league, being relegated back to the tier-three Amateurliga again. Its reserve team, Amicita Viernheim Amateure, played in the tier-four 2nd Amateurliga Rhein-Neckar for a seasons but had to be withdrawn from the league when the first team got relegated.
Upon return to this level, it earned a respectable third place in this league in its first season, followed by a second place the following year. After this, the club slipped to the bottom half of the league for the coming seasons, culminating in relegation from the league in 1972. Amicitia did not return to the Amateurliga until the league was renamed in 1978 and became the Verbandsliga Nordbaden
Verbandsliga Nordbaden
The Verbandsliga Baden is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga it was the 5th tier of the league system.- Overview :...
. Instead, the club had to play in the 2nd Amateurliga Rhein-Neckar, alongside local rival TSV for the 1972–73 and 1973–74 seasons. It finished runners-up in the league in 1974. In 1977, the 2nd Amateurligas in North Baden were renamed Landesligas and reduced in number from five to three. Amicitia became part of the Landesliga Nordbaden-Staffel 2.
In 1980, a last place finish meant a further relegation for the club, now to the sixth tier of the league system. It took the club until 1984 to recover and return to the Landesliga.
After a lengthy absence, the club returned to North Baden's highest league, now on the fourth level of the German league system, in 1985, winning the Landesliga as a freshly promoted team. After a tenth place in its first season, it won the league in 1986–87 and earned promotion to the tier-three Oberliga Baden-Württemberg
Oberliga Baden-Württemberg
The Oberliga Baden-Württemberg is the highest Football League in the state of Baden-Württemberg and the Baden-Württemberg football league system. It is one of eleven Oberligas in German Football, the 5th tier of the German football league system...
. Amicitia became something of an elevator team between those two leagues, winning promotion again in 1989, after having been relegated after only one season. Again only lasting for one year, it returned to the Oberliga for a third time in 1994. This time, it lasted for two season but upon return to the Verbandsliga in 1996–97, it was handed straight down to the Landesliga.
The next ten seasons, Amicitia spent at the lower amateur level before making a Verbandsliga comeback in 2007. In the 2007–08 season, its last as an independent club, it came second in the league but failed in the promotion round, the Kehler FV
Kehler FV
Kehler FV is a German association football club from the town of Kehl, Baden-Württemberg. In addition to fielding a football side, the club has departments for athletics, and badminton, as well as general fitness and recreational sport.-History:...
earning promotion instead.
TSV Amicitia Viernheim
In April 2007, the two clubs, Amicitia and TSV, first publicly announced the idea of a merger. For legal reasons, the process was delayed and on 7 May 2008, a vote to decide about the merger plans was held. In it, 86% of all members voted in favor of the merger.Current
After narrowly missing out on promotion in 2008, the new club was struggling in the 2008–09 Verbandsliga season, sitting in the relegation zone for most of the season but eventually finishing 12th and surviving. While the first team took up Amicitias place in the Verbandsliga, the second team took the place of TSV in the Landesliga where it also is struggling just above the relegation zone.Since then, the side has established itself in the Verbandsliga.
SpVgg Amicitia Viernheim
- Amateurliga NordbadenAmateurliga NordbadenThe Amateurliga Nordbaden was the highest football league in the region of the Nordbaden FA and the third tier of the German football league system from its inception in 1945 to the formation of the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg and the Verbandsliga Nordbaden below it in 1978.- Overview :The...
(III)- Champions: 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957
- Verbandsliga NordbadenVerbandsliga NordbadenThe Verbandsliga Baden is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga it was the 5th tier of the league system.- Overview :...
(IV)
Champions: 1987
- Landesliga Nordbaden-Staffel 2 (V-VI)
- Champions: 1985, 2007
SpVgg Amicitia Viernheim
| Season | Division | Tier | Position |
| 2003–04 | Kreisliga A Mannheim | VII | 2nd |
| 2004–05 | Kreisliga A Mannheim | 6th | |
| 2005–06 | Kreisliga A Mannheim | 1st ↑ | |
| 2006–07 | Landesliga Nordbaden-Staffel 2 | VI | 1st ↑ |
| 2007–08 | Verbandsliga Nordbaden Verbandsliga Nordbaden The Verbandsliga Baden is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga it was the 5th tier of the league system.- Overview :... |
V | 2nd |
TSV Viernheim
| Season | Division | Tier | Position |
| 1999–2000 | Verbandsliga Nordbaden | V | 16th ↓ |
| 2000–01 | Landesliga Nordbaden-Staffel 2 | VI | |
| 2001–02 | |||
| 2002–03 | Landesliga Nordbaden-Staffel 2 | 1st ↑ | |
| 2003–04 | Verbandsliga Nordbaden | V | 12th |
| 2004–05 | Verbandsliga Nordbaden | 10th | |
| 2005–06 | Verbandsliga Nordbaden | 13th ↓ | |
| 2006–07 | Landesliga Nordbaden-Staffel 2 | VI | 5th |
| 2007–08 | Landesliga Nordbaden-Staffel 2 | 3rd |
TSV Amicitia Viernheim
| Season | Division | Tier | Position |
| 2008–09 | Verbandsliga Nordbaden Verbandsliga Nordbaden The Verbandsliga Baden is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga it was the 5th tier of the league system.- Overview :... |
V | 12th |
| 2009–10 | Verbandsliga Nordbaden | 9th | |
| 2010–11 | Verbandsliga Nordbaden | 11th | |
| 2011–12 | Verbandsliga Nordbaden |
- With the introduction of the Regionalligas in 1994 and the 3rd Liga3rd LigaThe 3rd Liga is the third division of football in Germany. The league started with the beginning of the 2008–09 season, when it replaced the Regionalliga as the third tier football league in Germany. In the German football league system, it is positioned between the 2...
in 2008 as the new third tier, below the 2nd Bundesliga2. Fußball-Bundesliga- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
, all leagues below dropped one tier.
Sources
- Süddeutschlands Fussballgeschichte in Tabellenform 1897–1988 History of Southern German football in tables, author: Ludolf Hyll
- 50 Jahre Fussball in Nord-Baden 1945–99 50 Years of football in North Baden, author: Ludolf Hyll & Dieter Zimmermann
External links
- Official team site
- Groundhopping.de: TSV Amicitia Viernheim vs. FC 07 Heidelsheim Pictures of the Waldstadion Viernheim
- Amicitia Viernheim profile at Weltfussball.de
- Das deutsche Fußball-Archiv historical German domestic league tables