Austria
FK Austria Wien is a professional football club from Vienna, Austria, founded in 1910. The club plays at the Franz Horr Stadium, known as the Generali Arena, and competes in the Austrian Bundesliga. Austria Wien is the most successful club in Austrian football history, having won 24 Austrian Bundesliga titles and 27 Austrian Cup titles. The club reached the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final in 1978 and the European Cup semi-finals the following season, representing their greatest European achievements.
History
Overview
General information about the club
FK Austria Wien has its origins in Wiener Cricketer, which was established on 20 October 1910 in Vienna. The club underwent several name changes, first becoming Wiener Amateur-SV in December 1910, before adopting the name Fußballklub Austria Wien on 28 November 1926. The team is known in English as Austria Vienna and has become one of Austria's most prestigious football institutions.
Most recent season and achievements
In the 2012-13 season, Austria Wien won its 24th league title, finishing ahead of holders Red Bull Salzburg. However, they lost the Austrian Cup final 1-0 to third-tier club FC Pasching. In August 2013, Austria Wien qualified for the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time after defeating Dinamo Zagreb in the play-offs round, though they finished last in their group.
History
Early years
FK Austria Wien claimed its first championship title in 1924 as Wiener Amateur. The club adopted the Austria Wien name in 1926 as the amateurs became professionals, winning their second league title that same year. The 1930s marked one of Austria Wien's most successful eras, bringing two titles in 1933 and 1936 in the Mitropa Cup, a tournament for champions in Central Europe. The star of that side was forward Matthias Sindelar, who was voted in 1998 as the greatest Austrian footballer.
Successful period
The club's success was interrupted by the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938, with Austria taunted as "Judenklub". While Jewish players and staff were killed or fled the country, Sindelar died under unresolved circumstances on 23 January 1939 of carbon monoxide poisoning. Nazi authorities directed the team to change its name to Sportclub Ostmark Wien on 12 April 1938, but the club re-adopted its historical identity on 14 July 1938.
Crisis and recovery
Austria Wien won its first league title for 23 years in 1949 and retained it the following year, later winning a fifth title in 1953. The club won three consecutive titles in 1961, 1962, and 1963. Forward Ernst Ocwirk, who played in five league title-winning sides, managed the team to 1969 and 1970 Bundesliga titles. The 1970s saw another successful era with eight league titles in eleven seasons from 1975-76 to 1985-86.
Current period
At the start of the 1990s, Austria Wien enjoyed sustained success with three consecutive Bundesliga titles from 1991 to 1993. However, the club declined in the late 1990s due to financial problems. Frank Stronach's Magna consortium took over in 1999, leading to a Bundesliga title in 2002-03. After Stronach's withdrawal in 2005, the club faced challenges but managed to win a Bundesliga and Cup double in 2005-06.
Achievements and Honors
Domestic competitions
Austria Wien has won 24 Austrian Bundesliga titles and 27 Austrian Cup titles, making them the most successful club in Austrian football history. They have also won six Austrian Supercup titles, including four consecutive victories from 1991 to 1994. The club has also won the Wiener Cup twice, in 1948 and 1949.
Continental and global competitions
In European competition, Austria Wien reached the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final in 1978, losing 4-0 to Anderlecht. The following season, they reached the European Cup semi-finals, losing 1-0 on aggregate to Malmö FF. In 1982-83, they reached the Cup Winners' Cup semi-finals, losing 5-3 on aggregate to Real Madrid. The club won the Jeunesse et des Etudiants de Jeux Sportif tournament in 1959 and reached the Copa Rio semi-finals in 1951 and 1952.
Symbols and Colors
Traditional home and away kits colors
The club is traditionally associated with violet colors, earning them the nickname "Violets" among supporters.
Traditional Rivals
Rapid Wien
Austria Wien contests the Vienna derby with Rapid Wien. The two clubs are among the most supported and successful in Austria and are the only Austrian clubs never to have been relegated. Both teams originate from Hietzing, the 13th district in Vienna's west, but have since moved to different districts. Austria Wien is seen as a middle-class club and was historically part of the coffeehouse culture associated with the capital's intelligentsia, while Rapid traditionally holds the support of the city's working class. The two clubs first met in a league championship match on 8 September 1911, with Rapid winning 4-1.
Club Traditions and Behind the Scenes
Nicknames
The club is commonly known as the "Violets" due to their traditional violet colors.
Ownership and finances
Austria Wien was taken over by Austro-Canadian billionaire Frank Stronach's Magna auto-parts consortium in 1999. Following deals with the Memphis cigarette company, the club was renamed FK Austria Memphis Magna. On 21 November 2005, Stronach withdrew from the club, leading to significant player departures. On 1 July 2008, the original name FK Austria Wien was reinstated without a sponsor's name for the first time in 30 years.
Stadium
Austria Wien plays its home games at the Franz Horr Stadium, which has a capacity of 17,000 since 2008 renovations. The stadium was renamed the Generali Arena in a naming-rights deal with Italian insurer Generali announced at the end of 2010. Originally built in 1925 for Slovan Vienna, the stadium was largely destroyed during World War II. Austria Wien moved to the ground in 1973, playing their first match there on 26 August. The stadium has undergone expansions and renovations in 1982, 1986, 1998, and 2008.