Deutscher FV 1878 Hannover
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Founded on September 14, 1878 by a group of students, Deutscher Fußball Verein 1878 Hannover is recognized as Germany's first football club. The club plays in Hannover, Lower Saxony a city which, alongside Heidelberg, is known historically as one of the country's centers for rugby, a close cousin of association football.
The common origin of these two sports is reflected in the history of Hannover 78. Formed as a Fussballverein, or football club, it actually focused on what evolved into rugby. Despite this, Hannover claimed the title in the first season of play in the local association football league and became a founding member of the DFB (Deutscher Fussball Bund or German Football Association) at Leipzig in 1900, which at the time included a number of clubs similarly interested in the rugby form of football. Enthusiasm for association football never developed at the club and Hannover went on to become prominent as a rugby side. It later became a Sportverein, or sports club, and today also has departments for field hockey, handball, tennis, and general recreational sport.
DFV made losing appearances in the German rugby championship final in 1913 and 1928. They did not capture their first title until 1964 playing as Deutscher Sportverein 1878 Hannover. DSV has since made over a dozen final appearances and taken eight more titles, as well as eleven of rugby's German Cups.
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