2nd Oberliga West - Overview

Overview

The 2nd Oberliga West was formed in 1949 with two groups of sixteen teams each, as a feeder league to Oberliga West. It was the first of the three 2nd Oberligas, the other two being 2nd Oberliga Süd (formed in 1950) and 2nd Oberliga Südwest (in 1951). The league adopted a single group format starting from 1952: The top two teams of the 2nd Oberliga gained promotion to the Oberliga while the bottom two teams were relegated to the Verbandsliga's. Some years, however, exceptions applied and the number of promoted and relegated teams altered.

In July 1955 the Westdeutschen Fußballverband decided to disband the league from 1956, but the German federation DFB outlawed this decision and the league continued its existence.

Below the 2nd Oberliga West ranked the Amateurliga's, varying in numbers (and names) but split into three zones, Niederrhein, Mittelrhein, and Westfalen :

• Niederrhein: Landesliga Niederrhein in two groups until 1952, then three groups. From 1956 single-group Verbandsliga Niederrhein.
• Mittelrhein: Landesliga Mittelrhein in a single group in 1950, two groups from 1951. From 1956 single-group Verbandsliga Mittelrhein.
• Westfalen: Landesliga Westfalen in two groups in 1950, single group in 1951 and 1952, five groups from 1953. From 1956 two groups, Verbandsliga Westfalen 1 and Verbandsliga Westfalen 2.

The 2nd Oberliga West existed until 1963, when it was replaced by the Regionalliga West as the second division for Nordrhein-Westfalen.

SpVgg Herten is the only team to have played in the league for all 14 seasons.

Schwarz-Weiß Essen became the first second-division side to win the German Cup when they did so in 1959, an achievement only repeated by Kickers Offenbach and Hannover 96 in the history of German football.