1. FCN Schwimmen

1. FCN Schwimmen e.V. is a German sports club based in Nuremberg, Bavaria, dedicated to swimming, water polo and triathlon. It originated as the swimming department of 1. FC Nürnberg, which began offering swimming in September 1913 on the initiative of August Hussel. In 1995, as part of an organisational reform at 1. FC Nürnberg, the department became an independent registered association (e.V.) while remaining part of the FCN umbrella organisation (FCN-Dachverband). It is the third-oldest surviving swimming club in Nuremberg. The club offers a broad range of activities: children's and adult swimming courses, recreational and competitive swimming, water polo, triathlon and aqua fitness. It operates year-round training in a 50-metre pool and has its own open-air club pool (Clubbad) at Valznerweiher, to which members have free admission. 1. FCN Schwimmen is a base club (stützpunkttragender Verein) for the Bavarian Swimming Association (BSV) state training centre for swimming; in water polo the state training centre is coordinated together with Post SV Nürnberg. Historically, the club's water polo team was among the best in Germany, especially in the 1950s, winning several German vice-championships. Swimmers from the club have won German championships, and in 1941 Liselotte Bachmeier became the first FCN swimmer to take a German title, in the 400 m freestyle. The club's own pool, opened in 1925, hosted world records, including Walter Laufer's 200 m medley record in 1926 and Herbert Klein's 200 m breaststroke record in 1950. Today the club remains active in competitive swimming, water polo and triathlon, with qualified coaches and a strong youth programme.

The swimming department of 1. FC Nürnberg was established in September 1913 on the initiative of August Hussel. In the same year the first water polo match was played, ending in a 0:12 defeat against 1. Nürnberger Schwimmverein 07. The department grew quickly to over 100 members training in the Nuremberg Volksbad. During World War I training almost ceased and membership fell to 23, but by 1919 the new department head Wilhelm Müller counted 153 members. In 1919 the department persuaded the club presidency to build its own sports pool in Zerzabelshof; club president Leopold Neuburger performed the first spadework on 19 August 1919, but inflation prevented completion and the swimmers moved to the Naturgartenbad in Mögeldorf. By 1922 the department had 583 members. In that year the water polo team played its first international friendly against Club de Nation from Geneva, winning 3:2. In 1925, thanks to a 70,000 Mark mortgage provided by the city of Nuremberg, the club's own pool was completed and opened on 28 June. In the new pool the American swimmer Walter Laufer improved his world record in the 200 m medley to 2:49.9 minutes in 1926 during the South German championships. In 1928 the water polo team took part in the German water polo championships for the first time, but was eliminated in the preliminary round despite a 4:1 win over München 99. In 1930 the club hosted the German water polo championships in its own pool. Improved training conditions brought success: in 1932 Ernst Rührenschopf won the South German championship in the 100 m freestyle in 1:11.9 minutes and Hans Zeller in the 100 m backstroke. Zeller was invited to a preparatory course for the 1936 Olympic Games in 1934. During the Nazi era, the club reacted to the Nazi takeover: on 27 April 1933, months before the official Gleichschaltung of clubs in July 1933, it resolved to exclude all Jewish members effective 1 May. Second chairman Karl Müller, who became president in May 1935, implemented the decision, which did not affect first-team players. In April 1933 the club introduced a Geländesport (terrain sports) department, described by department head Karl Frick as intended to turn able-bodied athletes into 'wehrhafte Deutsche' (defensive Germans). For the swimming department this meant changes including HJ-Prüfungsschwimmen, Bahnmeisterschaften and Reichsleistungsklassen. At the 1938 German army championships Karl Schaller won the 200 m breaststroke in 2:57.8 minutes. In 1941 Liselotte Bachmeier became the first FCN swimmer to win a German championship, taking the 400 m freestyle title — the first swimming success for Nuremberg at all. Her clubmate Alfred Böbel finished sixth in the 100 m freestyle at the national championships. In 1946 the American military government confiscated the club's own pool, which was only returned in 1949; during that time the club trained at friendly clubs. In 1950 the water polo team around Eduard Hahn, Walter Preuß, Alfred Böbel and Karl Ruffershöfer took third place at the Bavarian championships. In the same year the club pool saw another world record, though not by an FCN swimmer: Herbert Klein achieved it at the Bavarian championships in the 200 m breaststroke in 2:33.0 minutes. After the swimmers won no title at those championships, 1952 was much better with eight titles at Bavarian competitions. The highlight was the success at the South German championships by student world champion Walter Pavlicek in the 200 m breaststroke. The Austrian Pavlicek — a participant in the 1948 Summer Olympics — had recently moved from Vienna to Nuremberg and joined the FCN. In water polo, good youth work paid off in 1954 when the FCN youth team won the German youth championship. The seniors had also improved significantly, with a strong local rival in Bayern 07 Nürnberg, which became German champion for the first time in 1953. As leaders of the Oberliga Süd, they took part in the final round for the German championship for the first time in 1955, but lost the deciding match against SC Rote Erde Hamm 2:3. The following year the water polo team again won the German vice-championship. In 1957, as South German champions, they only finished sixth in the final round. In 1995, as part of an organisational reform at 1. FC Nürnberg, the swimming department became an independent registered association (e.V.) under the name 1. FCN Schwimmen, while remaining part of the FCN umbrella organisation (FCN-Dachverband), like the other former club departments. Since then the club has offered swimming, water polo and triathlon. It is the third-oldest surviving swimming club in Nuremberg. The water polo team was among the best German teams especially in the 1950s and won several German vice-championships. Today the club is a base club for the Bavarian Swimming Association (BSV) state training centre for swimming, and in water polo the state training centre is coordinated together with Post SV. It offers children's and adult swimming courses, recreational and competitive sport, and triathlon, with qualified coaches and year-round training in a 50-metre pool, plus its own open-air pool at Valznerweiher.

• 1995

  Swimming department becomes independent registered association 1. FCN Schwimmen e.V. within FCN umbrella.

• 1956

  Water polo team again wins German vice-championship.

• 1955

  Water polo team reaches final round of German championship, loses deciding match to SC Rote Erde Hamm 2:3.

• 1954

  FCN youth water polo team wins German youth championship.

• 1952

  Swimmers win eight Bavarian titles; Walter Pavlicek wins South German 200 m breaststroke.

• 1950

  Water polo team takes third at Bavarian championships; Herbert Klein sets 200 m breaststroke world record in club pool.

• 1946

  American military government confiscates club pool; returned in 1949.

• 1941

  Liselotte Bachmeier becomes first FCN swimmer to win a German championship (400 m freestyle).

• 1938

  Karl Schaller wins 200 m breaststroke at German army championships.

• 1933

  Club resolves to exclude Jewish members effective 1 May; Geländesport department introduced in April.

• 1932

  Ernst Rührenschopf and Hans Zeller win South German championships.

• 1930

  Club hosts German water polo championships in its own pool.

• 1928

  Water polo team participates in German championships for the first time.

• 1926

  Walter Laufer sets world record in 200 m medley (2:49.9) in the club pool.

• 1925

  Club's own pool completed and opened on 28 June with a 70,000 Mark mortgage from the city of Nuremberg.

• 1922

  Department reaches 583 members; first international water polo friendly against Club de Nation (Geneva), won 3:2.

• 1919

  Wilhelm Müller becomes department head; first spadework for own pool in Zerzabelshof on 19 August.

• 1913

  Swimming department of 1. FC Nürnberg founded on initiative of August Hussel; first water polo match played.

A traditional Nuremberg sports club combining competitive swimming, water polo and triathlon with broad recreational programmes and its own open-air pool.

• Swimming courses for children and adults

• Competitive swimming training

• Water polo teams

• Triathlon section

• Aqua fitness

• Clubbad (open-air pool) access

1. 1FCN Schwimmen e.V. official websitefcn-schwimmen.de
2. 2Über uns – Triathlonfcn-schwimmen.de
3. 31. FCN Schwimmen – Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 41. FCN Schwimmen – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org