Gauliga Schlesien
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- For the main article, see Gauliga
| Gauliga Schlesien |
|---|
| Gauligas Niederschlesien |
| Gauliga Oberschlesien |
| Founded |
| 1933 |
| Disbanded |
| 1945 |
| Nation |
 Nazi Germany |
 |
| Provinces |
 Province of Lower Silesia |
 Province of Upper Silesia |
 Autonomous Silesian Voivodeship (from 1939) |
| Gau (from 1934) |
| Niederschlesien |
| Oberschlesien |
| Number of Seasons |
| 12 |
| Replaced by |
| region became part of Poland |
| Level on Pyramid |
| Level 1 |
| Domestic Cup |
| Tschammerpokal |
| Last Champions 1943-44 |
| Gauliga Niederschlesien
STC Hirschberg |
| Gauliga Oberschlesien |
The Gauliga Schlesien was the highest football league in the region of Silesia (German:Schlesien), which consisted of the Prussian provinces of Lower Silesia and Upper Silesia from 1933 to 1945. Shortly after the formation of the league, the Nazis reorganised the administrative regions in Germany, and the Gaue Niederschlesien and Oberschlesien replaced the Prussian provinces.
After the Polish defeat in 1939, the parts of Upper Silesia awarded to Poland after the First World War were reoccupied by Nazi Germany and added to the Gau Oberschlesien.
From 1941, the Gauliga Schlesien was split into two separate leagues, the Gauliga Niederschlesien and the Gauliga Oberschlesien.
Contents |
[edit] Overview
[edit] Gauliga Schlesien
The league was introduced in 1933, after the Nazi takeover of power in Germany. It replaced the Oberliga as the highest level of play of the regional football competitions.
In its first season, the league had ten clubs, playing each other once at home and once away. The league champion then qualified for the German championship. The bottom two teams were relegated. The league modus and strength did not change until 1939.
Due to the outbreak of the 2nd World War in 1939, the league was split into two regional groups, one of five and one of seven clubs. The two group champions then played a home-and-away final for the Gauliga championship. For its last season, 1940-41, it returned to a single-division format, now with eleven clubs, some of them from the newly occupied regions formerly part of Poland. This last season was however not completed and with most teams having only one or two games to go, a winner was declared and the competition cancelled.
After this, the league was split into two separate competitions.
[edit] Gauliga Niederschlesien
The league started with nine clubs in one single division, all from the region of the former Prussian province. It was increased to ten clubs for its second season, 1942-43.
The last completed season, 1943-44, the league was subdivided in three regions with all-up five divisions. the three regional champions then played out the Gauliga champion. All together, a record 33 clubs took part in this season.
The arrival of the war in the region made football impossible and, most likely, the last season, 1944-45, did not get underway at all anymore.
[edit] Gauliga Oberschlesien
The new Gauliga Oberschlesien compromised the pre-war area of Upper Silesia and the formerly Polish reoccupied parts of the region.
The league started out with ten clubs in one single division in 1941. It was reduced to nine clubs for its second season 1942-43 but returned to ten clubs in the next year.
In its last season, 1944-45, it was meant to have nine clubs again but the arrival of the war in Silesia meant an early cancellation of the competition.
[edit] Aftermath
With the end of the Nazi era, the Gauligas ceased to exist and Silesia became part of the Soviet occupation zone. In turn, the Soviets handed over the region to Poland as compensation for the territories they lost in their east. Only a very small part of Silesia, the area west of the river Neiße, remained with Germany, becoming part of the new East Germany.
The majority of Germans in the region were forced to leave Silesia and almost all German football clubs disbanded. The region became part of the Polish football league system.
The small remaining part of Silesia not awarded to Poland is now part of the German federal state of Saxony.
[edit] Founding members of the league
The ten founding members and their league positions in 1932-33 were:
- Beuthener SuSV 09, champions Oberschlesien division, champion of South-East Germany
- SpVgg 02 Breslau
- SC Hertha Breslau
- Vorwärts-Rasensport Gleiwitz
- SC Vorwärts Breslau,
- SpVgg Ratibor 03
- SC Preußen Hindenburg
- FV 06 Breslau
- SV 1919 Hoyerswerda
- STC Görlitz, champions Oberlausitz division
[edit] Winners and runners-up of the Gauliga
[edit] Gauliga Schlesien
| Season | Winner | Runner-Up |
| 1933-34 | Beuthener SuSV 09 | SpVgg 02 Breslau |
| 1934-35 | Vorwärts-Rasensport Gleiwitz | SC Vorwärts Breslau |
| 1935-36 | Vorwärts-Rasensport Gleiwitz | SC Preußen Hindenburg |
| 1936-37 | Beuthener SuSV 09 | Vorwärts-Rasensport Gleiwitz |
| 1937-38 | Vorwärts-Rasensport Gleiwitz | SpVgg 02 Breslau |
| 1938-39 | Vorwärts-Rasensport Gleiwitz | SC Preußen Hindenburg |
| 1939-40 | Vorwärts-Rasensport Gleiwitz | FV 06 Breslau |
| 1940-41 | Vorwärts-Rasensport Gleiwitz * | Germania Königshütte * |
- * winner decleared.
[edit] Gauliga Niederschlesien
| Season | Winner | Runner-Up |
| 1941-42 | SpVgg 02 Breslau | LSV Reinecke Brieg |
| 1942-43 | LSV Reinecke Brieg | SpVgg 02 Breslau |
| 1943-44 | STC Hirschberg | SpVgg 02 Breslau |
[edit] Gauliga Oberschlesien
| Season | Winner | Runner-Up |
| 1941-42 | Germania Königshütte | Bismarckhütter SV 99 |
| 1942-43 | Germania Königshütte | TuS Lipine |
| 1943-44 | Germania Königshütte | TuS Lipine |
[edit] Sources
- The Gauligas Das Deutsche Fussball Archiv (in German)
- Germany - Championships 1902-1945 at RSSSF.com
- Where's My Country? Article on cross-border movements of football clubs, at RSSSF.com
[edit] References
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