The Western German Cup (German: Westdeutscher Pokal) was a cup competition organised by the Western German Football Association, which was played from the 1949–50 season up to the 1973–74 season. The best teams then qualified for the following season of the DFB-Pokal. In the years 1954 to 1960, only the Western German Cup winner participated in the DFB-Pokal. In the 1954–55 season, there was no competition. From 1960–61, no final took place. Instead the club which finished best in the DFB-Pokal took the spot. With the introduction of the Bundesliga, the Western German Cup was only intended for clubs below the Bundesliga from the 1965–66 season. The last Western German Cup took place in the 1973–74 season. Since the introduction of the 2. Bundesliga in the 1974–75 season, the teams playing in the top two leagues directly qualify for the DFB-Pokal. Since then, the amateur teams now qualify through the Verbandspokal. Cup winners (Final details listed if known) 1949–50: Rot-Weiß Oberhausen (3–0 against Preussen Krefeld) 1950–51: Sportfreunde Wanne-Eickel (5–4 against Hombrucher FV 09) 1951–52: Rot-Weiss Essen (no final) Qualification for the DFB-Pokal-Half-Final: 1952–53: 1. FC Köln (2–0 against Rot-Weiss Essen) 1953–54: Schalke 04 (no final) 1954–55: not played 1955–56: Fortuna Düsseldorf (4–2 against Rot-Weiss Essen) 1956–57: Fortuna Düsseldorf (2–1 against Wuppertaler SV) 1957–58: Fortuna Düsseldorf (4–1 against 1. FC Köln) 1958–59: Schwarz-Weiß Essen (3–2 against Westfalia Herne) 1959–60: Borussia Mönchengladbach (3–1 against 1. FC Köln) After placing in the DFB-Pokal: 1960–61: Hamborn 07 (no final) 1961–62: Fortuna Düsseldorf (no final) 1962–63: Borussia Dortmund (no final) 1963–64: 1. FC Köln 1964–65: Borussia Dortmund Non-Bundesliga: 1965–66: Arminia Bielefeld (3–2 against Alemannia Aachen) 1966–67: Alemannia Aachen (2–1 against Schwarz-Weiß Essen) 1967–68: VfL Bochum 1968–69: Preußen Münster 1969–70: Wuppertaler SV 1970–71: Fortuna Düsseldorf 1971–72: Wuppertaler SV 1972–73: Rot-Weiss Essen 1973–74: Arminia Bielefeld (2–1 against Borussia Dortmund) Performance by club References General references Football cup competitions in Germany DFB-Pokal