VfR Pforzheim
Encyclopedia
The VfR Pforzheim was a German association football club
from the city of Pforzheim
, Baden-Württemberg
. The club archived notability by playing in Germany's second division
in the 1965–66 season. In 2010 the club merged with 1. FC Pforzheim
to form 1. CfR Pforzheim
.
Apart from football, the club also operates an ice hockey team in the Landesliga Baden-Württemberg, the VfR Blue Gold Stars.
, already a strong club. In 1906, two more football clubs were formed in Pforzheim, the FC Viktoria and Phönix. These later two merged with Alemania to form VfR on 12 September 1912. In 1919, a fourth club joined this merger, the FC Oststadt.
From the beginning, the VfR, then Alemania, stood in the shadow of the 1.FCP. While the later played in the tier-one Südkreis-Liga
, Alemania played in the second division, then the B-Klasse Mittelbaden. In 1911–12, out of 17 clubs in two divisions in this league, seven came from Pforzheim, including the three sides that would merge at the end of it to become VfR.
. It played at this level for three seasons before suffering relegation in 1922. VfR was unable to rise to the highest level again in the following era of the Bezirksliga Württemberg-Baden
, from 1923 to 1933 and only returned to division one in 1943, when the Gauliga Baden
had become the top tier in the region.
and, because of the creation of the 2nd Oberliga Süd
, was now only the third tier of the league system. VfR was relegated from the league in 1952, slipping to the tier-four 2nd Amateurliga Mittelbaden.
The club recovered immediately and returned to the Amateurliga the following season but lasted only two years before having to drop down again. Once more, it took out the local division championship and return to the third tier, this time establishing itself more permanently. In 1959, it managed to win the Amateurliga Nordbaden and came close to promotion to the 2nd Oberliga. On equal points with FC Singen 04
and SpVgg Bayreuth
who were first and second in the five team promotion round, it lost both deciders for promotion in extra time and the other two clubs went up instead.
The club remained a top team in the league despite this disappointment, coming third, second and second in the following three seasons. After lesser performances in 1963 and 1964, the club came second once more in 1964–65. Because the leagues champions, the second team of Karlsruher SC
, was inelegiable for promotion, VfR took part in it instead and succeeded.
In its sole season in the tier-two Regionalliga Süd
, 1965–66, the club was heavily outclassed and came last with only eleven points to its name, 122 goals against and a 16 point gap to the second-last SpVgg Weiden
.
Back in the Amateurliga the following season, the team finished fourth and continued to archive upper-table finishes in the coming years. In 1974 however, VfR came second-last and was relegated to the 2nd Amateurliga once more. Like in the past, it won its local division but failed to gain promotion when it lost to VfB Bretten in the promotion round. The year after, it was more successful and regained its Amateurliga Nordbaden status. Also, in 1975–76
and 1976–77
, it took part in the German Cup, exiting both times in the first round.
A reorganisation of German football in 1978 meant, that the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg
became the new third tier of football in the region. The Amateurliga was renamed Verbandsliga Nordbaden
and slipped to fourth tier. VfR had to finish in the top five of its league in 1977–78 to qualify for the new Oberliga but, coming eighth, was grouped in the Verbandsliga instead.
. The club managed to beat SpVgg Bayreuth
4–0 but then lost 1–3 to Eintracht Frankfurt Amateure, ending all dreams.
The club suffered relegation from the Landesliga (VI) in 2008, dropping to the Kreisliga Pforzheim. Because of the introduction of the 3rd Liga
, this meant, it fell from tier six to tier eight.
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 Pforzheim
Pforzheim
Pforzheim is a town of nearly 119,000 inhabitants in the state of Baden-Württemberg, southwest Germany at the gate to the Black Forest. It is world-famous for its jewelry and watch-making industry. Until 1565 it was the home to the Margraves of Baden. Because of that it gained the nickname...
, Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
. The club archived notability by playing in Germany's second division
Regionalliga Süd (1963-74)
The Regionalliga Süd was the second-highest level of the German football league system. It existed in the south of Germany from 1963 until the formation of the 2nd Bundesliga in 1974. It covered the three states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hessen....
in the 1965–66 season. In 2010 the club merged with 1. FC Pforzheim
1. FC Pforzheim
1. FC Pforzheim was a German association football club playing in Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg. The club was established on 5 May 1896 and was a founding member of the German Football Association in Leipzig in 1900. In 2010 it merged with VfR Pforzheim to 1. CfR Pforzheim.-Early success:The club...
to form 1. CfR Pforzheim
1. CfR Pforzheim
The 1. CfR Pforzheim is a German association football club from the city of Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg. The club, formed in a merger in 2010, also offers ice hockey as a sport.-History:...
.
Apart from football, the club also operates an ice hockey team in the Landesliga Baden-Württemberg, the VfR Blue Gold Stars.
Early years
The club was formed in 1897 under the name of FC Alemania Pforzheim. Pforzheim was then a leading city in the development of German football and had, with the 1. FC Pforzheim1. FC Pforzheim
1. FC Pforzheim was a German association football club playing in Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg. The club was established on 5 May 1896 and was a founding member of the German Football Association in Leipzig in 1900. In 2010 it merged with VfR Pforzheim to 1. CfR Pforzheim.-Early success:The club...
, already a strong club. In 1906, two more football clubs were formed in Pforzheim, the FC Viktoria and Phönix. These later two merged with Alemania to form VfR on 12 September 1912. In 1919, a fourth club joined this merger, the FC Oststadt.
From the beginning, the VfR, then Alemania, stood in the shadow of the 1.FCP. While the later played in the tier-one Südkreis-Liga
Südkreis-Liga
The Südkreis-Liga was the highest association football league in the German Kingdom of Württemberg, Grand Duchy of Baden, the Province of Hohenzollern and Alsace-Lorraine from 1908 to 1918...
, Alemania played in the second division, then the B-Klasse Mittelbaden. In 1911–12, out of 17 clubs in two divisions in this league, seven came from Pforzheim, including the three sides that would merge at the end of it to become VfR.
Post-First World War
Despite the merger in 1912, VfR could not rise to the highest level in the region before the First World War, but, in 1919, football in the region was reorganised and the club became part of the new Kreisliga SüdwestKreisliga Südwest
The Kreisliga Südwest was the highest association football league in the German state of Baden from 1919 to 1923...
. It played at this level for three seasons before suffering relegation in 1922. VfR was unable to rise to the highest level again in the following era of the Bezirksliga Württemberg-Baden
Bezirksliga Württemberg-Baden
The Bezirksliga Württemberg-Baden was the highest association football league in the German states of Württemberg and Baden and the Prussian Province of Hohenzollern from 1923 to 1933. The league was disbanded with the rise of the Nazis to power in 1933....
, from 1923 to 1933 and only returned to division one in 1943, when the 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....
had become the top tier in the region.
Post-Second World War
After the Second World War, the club became part of the tier-two Landesliga Nordbaden. VfR played at this level with some success, winning the southern group of the league in 1948. In 1950, the Landesliga Nordbaden became the Amateurliga NordbadenAmateurliga 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...
and, because of the creation of the 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:...
, was now only the third tier of the league system. VfR was relegated from the league in 1952, slipping to the tier-four 2nd Amateurliga Mittelbaden.
The club recovered immediately and returned to the Amateurliga the following season but lasted only two years before having to drop down again. Once more, it took out the local division championship and return to the third tier, this time establishing itself more permanently. In 1959, it managed to win the Amateurliga Nordbaden and came close to promotion to the 2nd Oberliga. On equal points with 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...
and SpVgg Bayreuth
SpVgg Bayreuth
SpVgg Bayreuth is a German football club based in Bayreuth, Bavaria. Apart from coming within two games of earning promotion to the Fußball-Bundesliga in 1979, the club also reached the quarter finals of the DFB-Pokal twice, in 1977 and 1980.- 1921 to 1945 :...
who were first and second in the five team promotion round, it lost both deciders for promotion in extra time and the other two clubs went up instead.
The club remained a top team in the league despite this disappointment, coming third, second and second in the following three seasons. After lesser performances in 1963 and 1964, the club came second once more in 1964–65. Because the leagues champions, the second team of Karlsruher SC
Karlsruher SC
Karlsruher SC is a German association football club, based in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg. KSC rose out of the consolidation of a number of predecessor clubs. They currently play in the 2...
, was inelegiable for promotion, VfR took part in it instead and succeeded.
In its sole season in the tier-two Regionalliga Süd
Regionalliga Süd (1963-74)
The Regionalliga Süd was the second-highest level of the German football league system. It existed in the south of Germany from 1963 until the formation of the 2nd Bundesliga in 1974. It covered the three states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hessen....
, 1965–66, the club was heavily outclassed and came last with only eleven points to its name, 122 goals against and a 16 point gap to the second-last 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...
.
Back in the Amateurliga the following season, the team finished fourth and continued to archive upper-table finishes in the coming years. In 1974 however, VfR came second-last and was relegated to the 2nd Amateurliga once more. Like in the past, it won its local division but failed to gain promotion when it lost to VfB Bretten in the promotion round. The year after, it was more successful and regained its Amateurliga Nordbaden status. Also, in 1975–76
DFB-Pokal 1975–76
The DFB-Pokal 1975–76 was the 33rd season of the competition. It began on 1 August 1975 and ended on 26 June 1976. 128 teams competed in the tournament of seven rounds...
and 1976–77
DFB-Pokal 1976–77
The DFB-Pokal 1976–77 was the 34th season of the competition. It began on 6 August 1976 and ended on 30 May 1977. 128 teams competed in the tournament of seven rounds. In the final FC Köln defeated Hertha Berlin 1–0 in a replay after the first game ended in a draw after 120 minutes...
, it took part in the German Cup, exiting both times in the first round.
A reorganisation of German football in 1978 meant, that the 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...
became the new third tier of football in the region. The Amateurliga was renamed 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 :...
and slipped to fourth tier. VfR had to finish in the top five of its league in 1977–78 to qualify for the new Oberliga but, coming eighth, was grouped in the Verbandsliga instead.
1978 to 1995
The club became a fixture in the Verbandsliga until 1987, when it was relegated to the tier-five Landesliga Nordbaden-Staffel 3. It spent the next two seasons at this level, earning promotion in 1989. After this, the clubs ambitions almost ruined it. After three seasons in the Verbandsliga, it took out the league title there in 1992 and was promoted to the Oberliga. After a difficult first year, it performed well in the 1993–94 season, coming fifth. The season after saw it finish second in the league and earning the right to compete in the promotion round to the tier-three Regionalliga SüdRegionalliga Süd
The Regionalliga Süd is currently the fourth tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008, it was the third tier. It currently is the highest regional league for the southern part of Germany...
. The club managed to beat SpVgg Bayreuth
SpVgg Bayreuth
SpVgg Bayreuth is a German football club based in Bayreuth, Bavaria. Apart from coming within two games of earning promotion to the Fußball-Bundesliga in 1979, the club also reached the quarter finals of the DFB-Pokal twice, in 1977 and 1980.- 1921 to 1945 :...
4–0 but then lost 1–3 to Eintracht Frankfurt Amateure, ending all dreams.
1995 onwards
The clubs finances were in a disastrous state and it had to withdraw from the Oberliga, taking up the place of its reserve team in the Bezirksliga (VII) instead. It lost all its first team players and all but four of its second team. Despite this difficult situation, it archived a ninth place in its league in 1995–96 and unexpectadly avoided relegation.The club suffered relegation from the Landesliga (VI) in 2008, dropping to the Kreisliga Pforzheim. Because of the introduction of the 3rd Liga
3rd Liga
The 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...
, this meant, it fell from tier six to tier eight.
Honours
The club's honours:- Landesliga Nordbaden (Southern Division) (II)
- Champions: 1948
- 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: 1959
- 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: 1992
- 2nd Amateurliga Mittelbaden (IV)
- Champions: 1953, 1956, 1975, 1977
- Landesliga Nordbaden-Staffel 3 (V)
- Champions: 1989
Recent seasons
The recent season-by-season performance of the club:| Season | Division | Tier | Position |
| 2002–03 | Landesliga Mittelbaden | VI | 3rd |
| 2003–04 | Landesliga Mittelbaden | 7th | |
| 2004–05 | Landesliga Mittelbaden | 9th | |
| 2005–06 | Landesliga Mittelbaden | 6th | |
| 2006–07 | Landesliga Mittelbaden | 9th | |
| 2007–08 | Landesliga Mittelbaden | 15th ↓ | |
| 2008–09 | Kreisliga Pforzheim | VIII | 3rd |
| 2009–10 | Kreisliga Pforzheim | 2nd |
- 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
- 1. CFR Pforzheim website
- Official website of the clubs ice hockey team
- Das deutsche Fußball-Archiv historical German domestic league tables