13 February 1948 - The Sweet Smell Of Success

On 13 February 1948, Köln formed from the merger of two other clubs. They went on to become the first Bundesliga champions.

The two previous clubs were Kölner BC, founded in 1901, and Spielvereinigung 1907 Köln-Sülz, founded in 1907. Their merger came about as a result of the reorganization of German football under the Third Reich and the re-establishment of league play after the end of World War II.

Initially assigned to the regional Oberliga West, they were one of sixteen teams chosen for the new national Bundesliga, which started play in the fall of 1963. Spurred by the goal-scoring duo of Karl-Heinz Thielen (16 goals) and Christian Müller (15), they finished at the top of the table, six points clear of runners-up Meidericher SV.

They won the league again in 1964, with second-place finishes in 1963 and 1965, then won it for a third time  in 1978. After finishing as runners-up a few more times, including 1989 and 1990, they went into a slump that ended in relegation in 1998.

Since then, they have moved between the top two divisions and currently sit at the bottom of the Bundesliga table. 

24 March 1965 - The Curse Of The Coin Toss

On 24 March 1965, Liverpool and Köln, having already drawn 0-0 over two legs in the European Cup quarterfinals, played a rematch in Rotterdam. As with the 1957 World Cup qualifying rematch between Spain and Turkey, the European Cup tie came down to a coin toss.

In fact, the 1964-65 European Cup competition was rife with outcomes decided by the flip of a coin. Both Anderlecht and Dukla Prague needed one to advance out of the preliminary round after scoreless playoff matches against Bologna and Górnik Zabrze, respectively. In a bit of foreshadowing for Liverpool, both teams were eliminated in the next round - Dukla Prague by Real Madrid and Anderlecht by Liverpool themselves to set up the quarterfinal match-up against Köln.

The first two matches, played in Cologne on 10 February and in Liverpool on 17 March, ended as scoreless draws, requiring a replay at a neutral ground. The teams met in Rotterdam on 24 March and Liverpool jumped out to a 2-0 lead with goals from forwards Ian St. John (20) and Roger Hunt (37). Given the teams' inability to score in the first two legs, the lead was as improbable as it was seemingly insurmountable.

But the Germans were undaunted and wasted little time in pulling themselves level. One minute after Hunt's goal, striker Karl-Heinz Thielen cut Liverpool's lead in half, then, three minutes into the second half, his fellow striker Hannes Löhr netted the equalizer. That would be the last goal of the match, as the teams finished 2-2. To break the deadlock, the rules at the time called for a coin toss, which Liverpool won. Their reward was a semifinal meeting with Cup holders Inter, who eliminated the English side by an aggregate score of 3-4 on their way to their second consecutive European Cup trophy.

13 February 1948 - The Sweet Smell Of Success

On 13 February 1948, Köln formed from the merger of two other clubs. They went on to become the first Bundesliga champions.

The two previous clubs were Kölner BC, founded in 1901, and Spielvereinigung 1907 Köln-Sülz, founded in 1907. Their merger came about as a result of the reorganization of German football under the Third Reich and the re-establishment of league play after the end of World War II.

Initially assigned to the regional Oberliga West, they were one of sixteen teams chosen for the new national Bundesliga, which started play in the fall of 1963. Spurred by the goal-scoring duo of Karl-Heinz Thielen (16 goals) and Christian Müller (15), they finished at the top of the table, six points clear of runners-up Meidericher SV.

They won the league again in 1964, with second-place finishes in 1963 and 1965, then won it for a third time  in 1978. After finishing as runners-up a few more times, including 1989 and 1990, they went into a slump that ended in relegation in 1998.

Since then, they have moved between the top two divisions and currently play in the second tier after being relegated in 2012.

24 March 1965 - The Curse Of The Coin Toss

On 24 March 1965, Liverpool and Köln, having already drawn 0-0 over two legs in the European Cup quarterfinals, played a rematch in Rotterdam. As with the 1957 World Cup qualifying rematch between Spain and Turkey, the European Cup tie came down to a coin toss.

In fact, the 1964-65 European Cup competition was rife with outcomes decided by the flip of a coin. Both Anderlecht and Dukla Prague needed one to advance out of the preliminary round after scoreless playoff matches against Bologna and Górnik Zabrze, respectively. In a bit of foreshadowing for Liverpool, both teams were eliminated in the next round - Dukla Prague by Real Madrid and Anderlecht by Liverpool themselves to set up the quarterfinal matchup against Köln.

The first two matches, played in Cologne on 10 February and in Liverpool on 17 March, ended as scoreless draws, requiring a replay at a neutral ground. The teams met in Rotterdam on 24 March and Liverpool jumped out to a 2-0 lead with goals from forwards Ian St. John (20) and Roger Hunt (37). Given the teams' inability to score in the first two legs, the lead was as improbable as it was seemingly insurmountable.

But the Germans were undaunted and wasted little time in pulling themselves level. One minute after Hunt's goal, striker Karl-Heinz Thielen cut Liverpool's lead in half, then, three minutes into the second half, his fellow striker Hannes Löhr netted the equalizer. That would be the last goal of the match, as the teams finished 2-2. To break the deadlock, the rules at the time called for a coin toss, which Liverpool won. Their reward was a semifinal meeting with Cup holders Inter, who eliminated the English side by an aggregate score of 3-4 on their way to their second consecutive European Cup trophy.