East Prussian Hockey (pre-1945)

This page details the history of ice hockey in the German region of East Prussia, within the Free State of Prussia, prior to 1945. The capital of the region was Königsberg (nowadays Kaliningrad, Russia). The area was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1945, with some territory going to Poland (Rastenburg, now Kętrzyn; Danzig, now Gdansk).

History
Prior to World War I, there was a bandy hockey game played between SC Lituania Tilsit and SC Preussen Insterburg. Later, Tilsit played under the name of VfS Eishockey, using Canadian rules.

After the war, hockey began to develop in East Prussia, with the first known East Prussian Championship being staged in 1927. The top teams from the region were VfK Königsberg, VfB Königsberg, VdS Tilsit, VfL Rastenburg and Rastenburger SV.

From 1929-1944, with the exception of 1932, East Prussia had a team qualify for the German Championship every year. VfB Konigsberg reached the final of the 1931 German Ice Hockey Championship, losing to Berliner Schlittschuhclub 9-2 in the championship game. The roster of the team was as follows: Chairman Kluge, G.Telitzki, H.Telitzki, A.Steinorth, Wisnewski, Rohde, Spiess, Sziburies, G.Steinorth and Hasford.

Called "Germany's forgotten hockey country", East Prussia had numerous youth players and teams prior to 1945. In the 1940-41 season, there were 70 youth and 60 student teams in the region. The area had the most youth teams in Germany from 1938-1944. A selection of Konigsberg young players entered the German Youth Hockey Championship in Bayern for the first time in 1937, reaching the final, where they lost to the hosts. East Prussian teams (known officially as "Ostland") won the German Youth Championships in 1939, 1942, and 1944, and the Student Championships in 1941, 1942, and 1944.

There was a local youth championship held in Konigsberg, known as the "Bannmeisterschaft". The following teams entered in 1941: VfK Königsberg I, VfK Königsberg II, VfB Königsberg, ASCO Königsberg, Wacker Königsberg and 1942: VfK Königsberg I, VfK Königsberg II, VfK Königsberg III, VfB Königsberg I, VfB Königsberg II, VfB Königsberg III, ASCO Königsberg, VdS Königsberg, Wacker Königsberg, Blau-Weiss Königsberg

Herbert Schibukat was the best pre-war East Prussian player. Schibukat was a long-time member of the German National Team and initially played for Rastenburger SV. He scored seven goals form RSV in a 17-2 win over Blau-Weiss Konigsberg in December 1937.

In the town of Danzig, 1911, BeUV Danzig began to play ice hockey at the Caffe Ludwig, where there was artificial ice in place. Gedania Danzig played in the East Prussian Championship in 1934-35, where they lost to VdS Tilsit 22-0, VfB Konigsberg 21-0, and VfK Konigsberg. A Danzig state team also lost to VfL Labiau 1-0 and VfK Konigsberg 9-1.

There were four teams in Danzig in 1938-39 - Danziger SC, Gedania Danzig, BeUV Danzig, and Danziger RB. There was also a Danzig Championship played. Known details: 1936 winnter: Danziger SC. In 1940 and 1941: Hochschule Danzig faced Danziger SC in the playoffs.

Random results: In 1937, Rastenburger SV defeated SV Lötzen 10:3 (3:0, 5: 1, 2:2; Goals: Wonnigkeit (4), Schibukat (4), Unger (2)). In 1941 they earned an "official Point Play" in Germany with a 19-1 win over Tilsiter SC. 1941: Tilsiter SC - EV Gumbinnen 6:0, Tilsiter SC - EG Insterburg 2:1 (0:0, 2:1, 0:0), Tilsiter SC - Memeler SV 8:0 (2:0, 3:0, 3:0).

A list of cities where hockey was played in East Prussia include Konigsberg, Rastenburg, Tilsit, Allenstein, Wehlau, Gumbinnen, Ortelsburg, Memel, Angerburg, Heydekrug, Insterburg, and Danzig.

East Prussian Championship

 * 1927: VfB Konigsberg
 * 1928: disputed championship
 * 1929: VdS Tilsit
 * 1930: VfB Konigsberg and VfL Rastenburg qualified for national championship
 * 1931: VfB Konigsberg
 * 1932: ?
 * 1933: VfL Rastenburg
 * 1934: VfL Rastenburg and Rastenburger SV qualified for national championship
 * 1935: Rastenburger SV and VfK Konigsberg qualified for national championship
 * 1936: Rastenburger SV
 * 1937: Rastenburger SV and VfK Konigsberg qualified for the national championship
 * 1938: Rastenburger SV
 * 1939: Rastenburger SV
 * 1940: Rastenburger SV
 * 1941: VfK Konigsberg
 * Youth Championships
 * 1940: Rastenburger SV
 * 1941: VfK Konigsberg
 * 1942: Rastenburger SV
 * Student Championships
 * 1941: Rastenburger SV
 * 1942: Tilsiter SC

National Championship Results

 * 1929: VdS Tilsit - third in Group A (0-2, 2:17)
 * 1930: VfB Konigsberg - third in Group A (0-2, 2:8), VfL Rastenburg - third in Group B (0-2, 1:11)
 * 1931: VfB Konigsberg - first in Group A, lost in final to Berliner SC (9:2)
 * 1933: VfL Rastenburg - second in Group A, lost in third place game to EV Fussen (4:0)
 * 1934: VfL Rastenburg and Rastenburger SV advanced to quarterfinals
 * 1935: VfK Konigsberg lost in qualification round, Rastenburger SV lost in third place game to SC Riessersee (1:0 OT)
 * 1936: Rastenburger SV - lost in quarterfinals
 * 1937: VfK Konigsberg - fourth in Group C (0-3, 3:12), Rastenburger SV - second in Group B (2-1, 8:2)
 * 1938: Rastenburger SV - third in Group B (1-2, 5:6)
 * 1939: Rastenburger SV - third in Group A (2-2, 7:5)
 * 1940: Rastenburger SV - third in Group A (1-1-2, 6:7)
 * 1941: VfK Konigsberg - third in Group A (0-2, 1:6)
 * 1942: KSG Konigsberg/Rastenburg - third in Group B (0-2, 3:14)
 * 1943: VfL Rastenburg - lost in first round
 * 1944: EV Konigsberg - third in Group B (1-3, 4:17)

German National Youth/Student Championship Results
Legendary victories of Prussia among the German youth and student championships:

Youth 1939 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: against Berlin 9: 2

Youth 1939 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: against Vienna: 2:1 - final

Youth 1940 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: against Berlin 7: 2

Youth 1941 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: against Bayern (Highland) 2: 0

Youth 1942 in Prague against Bohemia / Moravia 15: 2

Youth 1942 in Prague: Against Bayern (Highlands) 3: 1 - final

Students 1942 in Berlin: Berlin 5:0 (Qualification game for the final round in Prague)

Students 1942 in Prague against Dusseldorf 4: 1

Students 1942 in Prague against Schwaben 1:0 - final

Students 1941 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: against Wien 7:0

Students 1941 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: against Hochland 0:0 - final

Students 1944 in Prague: against Vienna - final (Vienna did not play, ceding title to Prussia)

Youth 1943 in Vienna: against Vienna 2: 1

Youth 1943 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: against Sudetenland 5: 2

Youth 1944 in Prague: against Bayern 2:1 - final

at the German Youth Championships from 1941-1944, the Prussian selection suffered only three defeats: (1940 to Vienna, Final 2:3 OT, 1941 against Dusseldorf 0: 1, 1943 against Schwaben 0: 1)

Teams
This is a partial list of clubs from the region.


 * Konigsberg
 * VfK Königsberg 1922-1944
 * ASCO Königsberg 1922-1943
 * VdS Königsberg 1938-1944
 * Wacker Königsberg 1941-1942
 * VfB Königsberg 1922-1944
 * Königsberger Hockey Club 1927-1930
 * Prussia Samland Königsberg 1922-1939
 * Hansa Königsberg 1931 (?) - 1941 (?)
 * SV Prussia 1927-1931
 * Königsberger STV 1931 (?) - 1935
 * VfL Königsberg 1933-1937(?)
 * Blau-Weiss Königsberg 1930-1942
 * Universität Königsberg 1927
 * Rasensport Preussen Königsberg 1927
 * Königsberger Stadtgymnasium 1929-1936(?)


 * Tilsit
 * VdS Tilsit
 * Post Tilsit
 * Tilsiter SC
 * VfL Ragnit
 * SC Lituania Tilsit
 * Memel
 * Freya Memel
 * Spielvereinigung Memel
 * SC Memel
 * MTB Memel
 * Rastenburg
 * VfL Rastenburg
 * Rastenburger SV
 * Allenstein
 * SV Allenstein 1910
 * Victoria Allenstein
 * Ortelsburg
 * SV Masovia Ortelsburg
 * Insterburg
 * Preussen Insterburg
 * TV 1885 Insterburg
 * BeUV Danzig
 * Danziger SC
 * Hochschule Danzig (formerly known as Gedania Danzig and Preussen Danzig)