Country Nazi Germany Region General Government Folded 1945 | Country Poland Founded 1941 | |
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Replaced by Region became part of Poland | ||
The Gauliga Generalgouvernement was the highest football league in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany after 1939, which were not incooperated into any of the Gaue, the so-called General Government (German:General Gouvernement). The name Gauliga is somewhat misleading in this case as the region was not part of the Gau system. The league existed from 1941 to 1945.
Contents
Overview
The Gauliga Generalgouvernement was as such introduced by the Nazi Sports Office in 1941, but never actually became a proper league. It existed as a championship round for the four district champions of the General Government only, the four districts being:
Polish clubs were not permitted to take part in the competition, only clubs from the German ethnic minority, which made up about two percent of the overall population of Poland.
In the 1941-42 season, the four district champions played a one-game semifinal, with the winners reaching the final while the two losers played for third place. The winner of the final then went on to the German championship.
Little is known about the following season but the modus remained the same for the 1943-44 edition, suggesting it may have also been the same in 1942-43.
The imminent collapse of Nazi Germany in 1945 gravely affected all Gauligas and football in the region ceased in 1944. The 1944-45 season may not have been started at all anymore.
Winners and runners-up of the league
The winners and runners-up of the league:
Other clubs:
Aftermath
With the end of the Nazi era, the Gauligas ceased to exist. The General Government came under Soviet control. The region then became a part of Poland again. The small German population was almost completely expelled from the region. All German football clubs were dissolved.