As an American, I don't know the history of German soccer clubs. Can you fill me in on the background of some of the team names - why do some people refer to 1860 Munich, and some to TSV (I think that's right)? Why Schalke 04, and Hannover 96 (do the numbers refer to founding year)? Thanks in advance.
BVB 09 Dortmund = Ballspielverein Borussia 09 Dortmund (ball playing association Borussia 09 Dortmund) - Borussia is another word for Preußen (Prussia) 04, 05, 09, 96, 1860 are all referring to the year of foundation
Hansa Rostock ---------------- Hansa is another word for Hanse. An historical trading organisation in the baltic sea.
yes, your guess is right. the numbers in the names of some german clubs refer to their date of foundation. Borussia Dortmund for example was founded in 1909, so their name is BVB 09. In the case of TSV 1860 Munich is a little different, cause they were not founded as a soccer club, but as a gymnastics and sports club (thats the translation of TSV) and soccer became part of the club years later, while all the clubs that are called FC were founded as soccer clubs, the same with dortmund, cause BV stands for ballsports club, so the only sports beside soccer are handball and table tennis. This maybe more information than you asked for, but to wright only yes, would be to boring.....
I used to date a girl who had family in Duisburg. We'd drive up there from Traben-Trarbach every now and again to visit them.
Others: Eintracht Frankfurt, Braunschweig (Brunswick sometimes in translation): Eintracht means Unity, so it's like United SV Waldhof Mannheim: SV is Sportverein, sports club. Waldhof is a part of the city of Mannheim. The club used to be called SV 07 Waldhof. Dynamo Dresden, Berliner FC Dynamo: Dynamo Berlin was an east german stasi club, dynamo dresden a "regular" police club. Union Berlin: Union was the East German equivalent of Eintracht, also really just means United. Wacker Burghausen: Wacker, a word often used in south German club names, means "bravely" or "unexpectedly well" Fortuna Düsseldorf, Köln: Fortuna is the goddess of luck Alemannia Aachen: Alemannia is an ancient term for Germany Hertha BSC Berlin: Hertha was the name of a riverboat on the Spree that a couple of youths saw back in 1902! True story! MSV Duisburg: MSV stands for Meidericher Sportverein, Meiderich being a part of Duisburg. The club used to just be called MSV. Sportfreunde Siegen: Sportfreunde just means "friends of sport".
FC Bayern München - Pretty boring name, translation: Football Club Bavaria Munich. Bavaria is the state and Munich is the capital
Oh my $^&*!!!! The MOD has written in this forum !!!!!! *ALARM BELLS* I've been here technically a year and this is the first time I've seen you write something here.
Schalke 04 was foundet at 4th may 1904 as "Westfalia Schalke" by a group of teens between 14 and 15 years old in the part of Gelsenkirchen called Schalke. To play offical games the club fusioned with the "Turnverein 1877 Schalke". The Club Colours were yellow and red. 1924 the the football section split and called themselves "F.C. Schalke 04" and change the colours to blue and white. So the name F.C. Schalke 04. The Club hosts now also sections of gymnastics, basketball, handball... Dortmund begins 1902 with Djk (Deutsche Jugend Kraft = German Youth Power) this is an katholic church sports organisation and the colours was red and white. 1909 the football section split of and called the club Borussia, the Club colours was blue and white!!!!!! The colours changed 1913 to black and yellow. Other Clubs are explained before in the Forum.
I forgot: VfL Bochum was foundet as an Sports and gymastic Club 1848 (VfL=Verein für Leibesübungen-Club for gymnastics). The football section starts 1938. Hannover 96 was foundet 1896 by Schoolguys as Hannoverscher Fußballclub von 1896. They played also Rugby. They fusioned with Honnovera 1898 in 1913 and called Hannoverscher Sportverein 1896 (H.S.V), short = Hannover96.