1. Spielklasse Bezirk Braunschweig

Former association football league in Germany 1. Spielklasse Bezirk Braunschweig Soccer 1904 1922 German Empire Weimar Republic Eintracht Braunschweig 1919–1920; final season History of the German football league system Level 1 thumb|right|upright=0.75|Map of German Reich 1871–1918 The 1. Spielklasse Bezirk Braunschweig, also known as 1. Spielklasse Herzogtum Braunschweig, Bezirksliga Braunschweig and Bezirksmeisterschaft Braunschweig at various points,Horst Bläsig/Alex Leppert, Ein Roter Löwe auf der Brust - Die Geschichte von Eintracht Braunschweig (2010) de, publisher: Die Werkstatt, page: 397 was the highest association football league in the German Duchy of Brunswick and, later, the Free State of Brunswick from 1904 to 1920. The league also covered small parts of the neighbouring Prussian Province of Hanover. It was one of several first tier leagues in the German Empire and Weimar Republic. History The Duchy of Brunswick Football Association (German: Fußballbund für das Herzogtum Braunschweig) was founded in May 1904 as the first governing body for football in the territory of Brunswick.Fußball in der Region Braunschweig. 60 Jahre NFV-Bezirk Braunschweig (2006) de, publisher: NFV-Bezirk Braunschweig, page: 12 Previously, clubs from Brunswick had only been able to play friendly matches. Eintracht Braunschweig's chairman Johannes Runge had been the driving force behind the creation of the new association.Stefan Peters, Eintracht Braunschweig. Die Chronik (1998) de, publisher: Agon-Sportverlag, page: 22 League play started with the 1904–05 season. During its first season, the champions of the newly founded 1. Spielklasse Herzogtum Braunschweig qualified directly for the German football championship play-off. In 1905, the Northern German Football Association was founded, and the Duchy of Brunswick Football Association became one of several district associations within the Northern German FA. However, the Brunswick football championship continued to be played as a first tier league, its champions now qualifying for the Northern German football championship, which in turn served as a qualifier for the German championship.Stefan Peters, Eintracht Braunschweig. Die Chronik (1998) de, publisher: Agon-Sportverlag, page: 23 In 1913–14 the league was played as a second tier competition after the introduction of the short-lived Verbandsliga Norddeutschland, a new first tier league that covered all of Northern Germany. Eintracht Braunschweig was the only club from the Duchy of Brunswick that qualified for the new league. However, due to the outbreak of World War I only one season of the Verbandsliga was ever played. In 1920, the new Südkreisliga was created as the new top division of football in the eastern part of today's Lower Saxony, covering Brunswick, the city state of Bremen, as well as the Province of Hanover.Fußball in der Region Braunschweig. 60 Jahre NFV-Bezirk Braunschweig (2006) de, publisher: NFV-Bezirk Braunschweig, pages: 15–16 Just one season later, however, the Südkreisliga (later renamed Oberliga Südhannover/Braunschweig) was reformed again, this time covering a smaller area including Brunswick and the southern part of Hanover. Brunswick football champions As first tier:Fußball in der Region Braunschweig. 60 Jahre NFV-Bezirk Braunschweig (2006) de, publisher: NFV-Bezirk Braunschweig, page: 15 SeasonWinner 1904–05 Eintracht Braunschweig 1905–06 Eintracht Braunschweig 1906–07 Eintracht Braunschweig 1907–08 Eintracht Braunschweig 1908–09 Eintracht Braunschweig 1909–10 Eintracht Braunschweig 1910–11 Eintracht Braunschweig 1911–12 Eintracht Braunschweig 1912–13 Eintracht Braunschweig 1914–15 not held 1915–16 Eintracht Braunschweig 1916–17 Eintracht Braunschweig 1917–18 Eintracht Braunschweig 1918–19 VfB Braunschweig 1919–20 Eintracht Braunschweig As second tier: SeasonWinner 1913–14 Britannia Braunschweig 1920–21 VfB Braunschweig 1921–22 MTV Wolfenbüttel See also Oberliga Südhannover/Braunschweig Gauliga Südhannover-Braunschweig Landesliga Braunschweig References External links de Fussballbund für das Herzogtum Braunschweig at Hirschi's Fussballseiten Category:Defunct football leagues in Germany Category:Football competitions in Lower Saxony Category:1904 establishments in Germany Category:Duchy of Brunswick Category:Sport in Braunschweig Category:Sports leagues established in 1904