Foundation To World War II
Austria Wien were founded in Vienna on 12 March 1911 as the Wiener Amateur Sportvereinigung by players and officials of the Vienna Cricket- and Football- Club, taking violet and white as the new club's colours. The team claimed its first championship title in 1924. Amateure changed their name to Austria in 1926 as the former amateurs had become professionals.
The 1930s, one of Austria's most successful eras brought two Mitropa Cup titles, a predecessor of today's UEFA Champions League (1933, 1936). During this time world class players like Matthias Sindelar wore the violet jersey.
After the Anschluss and throughout the period of Nazi domination of the country (1938–1945) most of the club's officials and some players with Jewish heritage, had to flee or were murdered by the Nazi regime. Star player Sindelar died under unresolved circumstances on 23 January 1939 of carbon monoxide poisoning in his apartment. Even though the team did not have any success in this period, playing in the Gauliga Ostmark, they managed a much more important victory in keeping the name "Austria" despite attempts by Nazi sports authorities to rename the club. Ironically later they would change their name to Austria Memphis Magna for sponsorship purposes.
Read more about this topic: FK Austria Wien, History
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