Chronicle
-Part 1-
1889-1925
old emblem
KFV was one of Germany's most successful sides in the years before the First World War. The club captured the South German title eight times from 1901 to 1912, leading to national final appearances in 1905, 1910, and 1912. KFV's championship was earned under the direction of English coach William Townley, a prominent figure in the early history of the game in Germany.
Karlsruhe, the city, played a hugely important role in the evolution of German football and was one of the very early hotbeds of the game. Karlsruher FV were formed as early as 1891 and quickly became one of the strongest teams in the land. In 1901, they beat the precursor of mighty 1. FC Kaiserslautern by a score of 29-0.
From 1908, the club played in the new Südkreis-Liga, which it won in 1910, 1911 and 1912.
KFV made its re-appearance after the First World War, first in the Kreisliga Südwest and then in the Bezirksliga Württemberg-Baden, Gruppe Baden with the capture of the league championship in 1926. While they went on to dominate their division, the team was not able to make its way out of the South German league playoffs and back onto the national stage.
From 1925 to 1931 Jimmy Lawrence, the record holding former Newcastle United goal keeper and Preston North End manager relocated to Germany to manage Karlsruher FV. With the club he won the regional championships of Württemberg/Baden in 1926 and of Baden in 1928, 1929 and 1931 which qualified the club to participate in the matches for the German football championship in those years.
In 1933, Karlsruher FV took up play in the Gauliga Baden, one of the sixteen first division leagues established in the re-organization of German football under the Third Reich. The club was relegated in 1937, but made a prompt return to the top flight after a one year absence. Sent down again in 1941 they came back to play the 1943-44 season, after which the rump of the division struggled through just one more truncated season as Allied forces rolled through Germany in the last days of World War II.
KFV played in the Oberliga Süd where they finished dead last, five points in back of rivals Phönix Karlsruhe. Not immediately relegated as the league was being re-structured, the club played another season in the Oberliga Süd, and this time both Karlsruhe sides were relegated, although FV did manage to finish ahead of Phönix.
Karlsruher FV emerged in the 2nd Oberliga Süd in 1951-52 and played second division football there until being relegated in 1957. The club won two titles in the Amateurliga Nordbaden (III) in 1952 and 1974.
Greatest victories
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German championship 1910
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Runner-up 1905, 1912
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Southern German championship 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1910, 1911, 1912
The Karlsruher FV was founded in 1891 (17th of november). 1894 the "International Football Club 1889" joint the KFV.
1st. Match of KFV, March 1892:
Internationaler Footballclub Karlsruhe - Karlsruher FV 1:0
von Schleinitz, König, Stutz, Pfeiffer, Bensemann, E. Langer, Roth, Werner, Helbing, Zimmer, F. Langer
KFV at the "Engländerplatz" 1892
picture of the "Engländer-Kicker" (Engländer-Platz),
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Team in the year 1898 | 1905 |
Prinz Max von Baden, was an important sponsor of the KFV
the football club "Karlsruher Kickers" 1893
Players: König, Ernst Langer, Grenier, Roth, Strube, Moormann. Sitzend von links: Ivo Schricker, Erwin Schricker, Walther Bensemann, Hall, Fritz Langer
1899
The team in 1904:
Häfner, Julius Zinser, Dr. Ivo Schricker, Altenhein, Louis Heck, Fritz Langer, Roth, Holdermann, Wilhelm Langer, Ralf Wetzlich, Fritz Gutsch, Zweerts, Breining
Runner-up, German championship 1905
Sauter, Heck, Kistner, W. Langer, Altenhein, Jüngling (Dichter d. KFV-Liedes), E. Langer, F. Langer, Gutsch, Wetzler, Ruzek
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1906 | 1907 |
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German championship 1910
Hüber, Hirsch, Ruzek, Breunig, Schwarze, Dell; Untere Reihe: Hollstein, Fuchs, Förderer, Tscherter, Bosch, Townley (Trainer)
Hübner, Burger, Tscherter, Ruzek, Breunig, Hollstein, Bosch, Gros. Sitzend von links: Förderer, Schwarze, Hirsch, Fuchs, Kächele
Prinz Max von Baden
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about 1910
final 1911 vs. Holstein Kiel
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1912 | 1921 |
1920
Die Südkreisliga (1908-1919)
|
Spielzeit |
Sieger |
Zweiter |
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1908-09 |
Phönix Karlsruhe |
Stuttgarter Kickers |
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1909-10 |
Karlsruher FV |
Phönix Karlsruhe |
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1910-11 |
Karlsruher FV |
Stuttgarter Kickers |
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1911-12 |
Karlsruher FV |
Phönix Karlsruhe |
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1912-13 |
Stuttgarter Kickers |
1. FC Pforzheim |
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1913-14 |
Stuttgarter Kickers |
1. FC Pforzheim |
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1914-15 |
Nicht ausgetragen |
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1915-16 |
Freiburger FC |
Phönix Karlsruhe |
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1916-17 |
Stuttgarter Kickers |
Straßburger FV |
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1917-18 |
Union Stuttgart |
Phönix Karlsruhe |
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1918-19 |
Nicht ausgetragen |
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KFV vs. Enotria Goliardo Milan, 8th. May 1921 (2:2)
1920 KFV has about 1.200 members.
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1924 | 1925 |
the team in Bordeaux, France. 1925
Kreisliga Südwest (1919-1923)
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Spielzeit |
Meister |
Zweiter |
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1919-20 |
Freiburger FC |
1. FC Pforzheim |
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1920-21 |
1. FC Pforzheim |
Freiburger FC |
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1921-22 |
Karlsruher FV |
Phönix Karlsruhe |
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1922-23 |
1. FC Pforzheim |
Freiburger FC |