Country | Nazi Germany |
---|---|
Provinces and States |
|
Gau (from 1934) | |
Founded | 1933 |
Folded | 1945 |
Replaced by | Oberliga Nord |
Level on pyramid | Level 1 |
Domestic cup(s) | Tschammerpokal |
Last champions |
|
The Gauliga Niedersachsen was the highest football league in the Prussian Province of Hanover and the German states of Bremen, Brunswick, Schaumburg-Lippe and Oldenburg from 1933 to 1945. Shortly after the formation of the league, the Nazis reorganised the administrative regions in Germany, and the Gaue Südhannover-Braunschweig, Ost-Hannover and Weser-Ems de facto replaced the Prussian province and the German states in the region of Lower Saxony (German:Niedersachsen), although de jure the old states continued to exist.
From 1942, the Gauliga Niedersachsen was split into two separate leagues, the Gauliga Südhannover-Braunschweig and the Gauliga Weser-Ems. In turn, the Gauliga Osthannover was separated from the Gauliga Südhannover-Braunschweig in 1943.
The league was introduced by the Nazi Sports Office in 1933, after the Nazi takeover of power in Germany. It replaced the Oberliga Südhannover/Braunschweig and Oberliga Weser/Jade as the highest level of play of the regional football competitions.
The leagues success on national scale was moderate. The surprising victory of Hannover 96 in the 1938 championship over the all-dominating FC Schalke 04 with a 4-3 overtime win in the replay final remained the only triumph for the region.