DFC Prag

Founding member of the German Football Association

The multi-national character of Austria-Hungary meant that footballers in the monarchy could find themselves playing in the leagues of Germany, Austria, Hungary or Bohemia. It was common for sports clubs to be founded based on the shared ethnicity of their members. DFC Prag was founded on 25 May 1896, by a group of German Jews from the football department of Deutscher Eis- und Ruder-Club Regatta Prag, established in 1891. When it was formed in 1900, the German Football Association (DFB), actively sought out members among ethnically German clubs from outside of the country. DFC Prag was a founding member of the German association and its president, Dr. Ferdinand Hueppe, became the first president of this new national association.

Contesting Germany's first championship

DFC Prag was a very strong side at the end of the 1800s and early 1900s: they were Bohemian champions in 1896, and played in Germany's first ever national final in 1903, and became again Bohemian champions in 1917. The story of the team's appearance in the 1903 final is an odd one as they got there without having to play the scheduled semi-final match against Karlsruher FV. The opponents received a telegram, supposedly from the DFB, indicating that the game had been rescheduled and consequently did not travel to the appointed match-up. DFC Prag, already waiting in Leipzig for the arrival of Karlsruher FV, were declared the winners by forfeit…

German Champions Runners-up: 1903 Bohemian Champions: 1896, 1913, 1914 Regional Champions (de): 1917 Czechoslovak Amateur Champions: 1931, 1933 DFVfB Champions in the ČSAF: (10) 1923, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1937