Bundesliga
Bundesliga
16.08.2006 19:29
Gerd Müller scored a record 365 Bundesliga goals
How everything got started
With a clear majority of 103:26 votes, at 5.14 pm on the 28th of July 1962, the delegates of the DFB general assembly approved the formation of the Bundesliga.
1962 was an eventful year. German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and French President Charles de Gaulle exchanged official visits to lay the foundations for Franco-German reconciliation, the first James Bond film was shot and the Cuban missile crisis had the world holding its breath.
There may not have been top-level politics on the agenda when the DFB's 14th general assembly convened at Dortmund congress centre, but the men attending also needed a certain amount of courage and tactical skill as German football found itself on the threshold of a new era.
103-26
There was a buzz among the 129 delegates, yet the first proposal on the agenda sounded relatively mundane: "The general assembly will decide whether to introduce a central league on 1.8. 1963 under the patronage of the German Football Association."
At 5.14 pm, the result of the ground-breaking vote was announced. 103 of the 129 delegates had approved the motion.
Important role for Herberger
They included a man who had led Germany to an historic World Cup title in 1954 and, by doing so, had given the entire nation a ray of hope thanks to the game of football: national team coach Sepp
Herberger - "the old man", as he was affectionately known by his players, and the mastermind behind the "Miracle of Bern".
The delegate for the Mannheim region, Herberger was fully aware of the significance of the decision. Germany needed a nationwide league to help players and clubs to develop. Similar set-ups had already been in place in Italy, England and Spain for years.
Many sceptics
Before there could be any celebrations at this dawning of a new era, many doubts had to be conquered. Lots of people feared that the clean image of the amateur game would be sullied. The close associates of Franz Kremer, the president of 1. FC Cologne, were well aware of these reservations.
A staunch supporter of Hermann Neuberger, who would later become DFB president, Kremer gave a fervent speech that managed to win over many of the sceptics. Nevertheless, the Bundesliga's founders did not want to give too much away and they set about the task before them cautiously.
No professionalisation
The proposal concerning the introduction of a single top flight was discussed separately from the motion regarding the introduction of professional football.
This turned out to be a wise move, as the proposed professionalisation of the new Bundesliga was rejected after just 49 votes, less than half of the delegates, backed the "outrageous" notion.
Maximum transfer fees
Instead each player was allowed to earn up to 1,200 deutschmarks, and transfer fees were restricted to a maximum of 50,000 deutschmarks.
In the years that have passed since that historic decision, the Bundesliga has bloomed into the sporting darling of the German people.
There may not have been top-level politics on the agenda when the DFB's 14th general assembly convened at Dortmund congress centre, but the men attending also needed a certain amount of courage and tactical skill as German football found itself on the threshold of a new era.
103-26
There was a buzz among the 129 delegates, yet the first proposal on the agenda sounded relatively mundane: "The general assembly will decide whether to introduce a central league on 1.8. 1963 under the patronage of the German Football Association."
At 5.14 pm, the result of the ground-breaking vote was announced. 103 of the 129 delegates had approved the motion.
Important role for Herberger
They included a man who had led Germany to an historic World Cup title in 1954 and, by doing so, had given the entire nation a ray of hope thanks to the game of football: national team coach Sepp
Herberger - "the old man", as he was affectionately known by his players, and the mastermind behind the "Miracle of Bern".
The delegate for the Mannheim region, Herberger was fully aware of the significance of the decision. Germany needed a nationwide league to help players and clubs to develop. Similar set-ups had already been in place in Italy, England and Spain for years.
Many sceptics
Before there could be any celebrations at this dawning of a new era, many doubts had to be conquered. Lots of people feared that the clean image of the amateur game would be sullied. The close associates of Franz Kremer, the president of 1. FC Cologne, were well aware of these reservations.
A staunch supporter of Hermann Neuberger, who would later become DFB president, Kremer gave a fervent speech that managed to win over many of the sceptics. Nevertheless, the Bundesliga's founders did not want to give too much away and they set about the task before them cautiously.
No professionalisation
The proposal concerning the introduction of a single top flight was discussed separately from the motion regarding the introduction of professional football.
This turned out to be a wise move, as the proposed professionalisation of the new Bundesliga was rejected after just 49 votes, less than half of the delegates, backed the "outrageous" notion.
Maximum transfer fees
Instead each player was allowed to earn up to 1,200 deutschmarks, and transfer fees were restricted to a maximum of 50,000 deutschmarks.
In the years that have passed since that historic decision, the Bundesliga has bloomed into the sporting darling of the German people.
