Some sources report that there were women playing a kind of football in Great-Britain as early as the beginning of the 18th century. On the english postcard from 1906 on the right we can see one of the pioneers in our century.
In Germany women's football started in the mid 1930-s, and was observed with reluctance by the officials of the German Football Association. Women's football was rejected with the most absurd arguments, even physicians did their best to prove how unhealthy this sport might be for females. Finally in 1955 women's football was prohibited by the German Football Association and clubs risked to be disqualified if they allowed women to play on their grounds.

Certainly the girls found ways to exercise and their number increased constantly. In other countries Women's football was not forbidden and in 1970 the 1st unofficial World Championship took place in Italy. Only then the german prohibition was abolished.

On the initiative of Charlotte Schmitz a football team was founded at Tennis Borussia Berlin already in 1969. The first players were friends and wives of some male players, also actresses from the well-known cabaret "Stachelschweine" and some hand-ball players. Originally they just wanted to play for fun, but under the coach Jack White (an iridescent character in the history of Tennis Borussia) in 1971 they participated in the 1st, at that time unofficial, Berlin championship and finished second.

The first team from 1970 with Charlotte Schmitz:

In the following years the women of Tennis Borussia became the most successful team in Berlin and today there are 3 teams: the team playing in the regional league and 2 girls teams (U-18 and U-14).

Here now a picture of 1996:

At the end of season 98/99:

Our girls reached the 3^rd position, loosing only their matches against the first two teams. They also became 2^nd in the Berlin Cup Tournament. Anyway, they played a good season and a certain improvement during the last matches could not be overseen. Continuing like that, they might enjoy us even more in autumn.
What could and certainly should improve is the support for the team, either by the club or by the spectators. The girls play rather attractive football and far from all that annoying commercial stuff and although the dates often coincide with the boys matches, there could come a lot more people to the fields Am Kühler Weg to watch and to support the girls. They really deserve it.

Source:

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