Last week we posted the magnificent lost ground of VfL Köln 99. This week we are still in Cologne, but on the completely other side of this old and wonderful city. Sportpark Höhenberg is yet another absolute gem.
FC Viktoria Köln, a fairly new team, is playing there. The team was founded in 2010, but in fact the history goes further than that. In 1904 FC Germania Kalk was founded only to merge a few years later with FC Kalk. The new team name became SV Kalk 04. This happened in 1909. Only two years later they merged again. This time with Mülheimer FC. The new team name now was VfR Mülheim-Kalk 04, only to be changed into VfR Köln 04 in 1918. In 1926 they won the Western German championship.
During the Third Reich period the football structure changed completely and VfR played in several local Gauligas. Just like VfL Köln VfR decided to join forces with another team in order to be able to select a sufficient amount of team players. VfR temporarily joined forces with Mülheimer SV (as KSG VfR 04 Köln/Mülheimer SV 06). After the war they went their own way again and VfR continued playing in Oberliga West, although it was only for one season.
In 1949 VfR officially merged with Mülheimer FC to become SC Rapid Köln 04. In 1952 the team relegated to third division and in 1957 yet another merger happened. Rapid joined forces with SC Preußen Dellbrück to become SC Viktoria 04 Köln. Up until the 90s the team would play in second and third division when in 1994 (surprise surprise) the team would merge again. This team with the new team SC Brück which was founded after Preußen Dellbrück merged with Rapid. The new team name was SCB Preußen Köln. Unfortunately the team relegated to fourth and even fifth division.
In 2002 the team name was changed into SCB Viktoria Köln but only 8 years later the story was over. They had to file for bankruptcy and a new team was founded to take over the remaining youth teams. This team was the current FC Viktoria Köln. They expected to be able to start playing where SCB Viktoria ceased activities, but the FA forced them to start at the bottom. A year later FC Viktoria took over FC Junkersdorf which played a few divisions higher so they could promote a couple of divisions in one season. Currently they are playing in the Regionalliga West.
It was mentioned last week as well; Otto Pfister is one of the most known former players of this team. After his period at Viktoria, he moved to VfL Köln. The stadium, also known as the Flughafen Stadion, was built in 1931 and it was completely renovated in 2011 and 2012. During the World Cup in 2006 it formed the training facility for Tunisia, Japan and France. Nowadays it is also sometimes used for the national rugby team.
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