The Western German football championship (German: Westdeutsche Fußball Meisterschaft) was the highest association football competition in Western Germany, in the Prussian Province of Westphalia, the Rhine Province, the northern parts of the province of Hesse-Nassau as well as the Principality of Lippe, later to become the Free State of Lippe. The competition was disbanded in 1933 with the rise of the Nazis to power. It is not to be confused with the German championship in what was commonly referred to as West Germany from 1949 to 1990. Overview German football was, from its beginnings, divided into regional associations, which carried out their own championship, which often pre-dated the national German championship. With the interception of the later in 1903, the former became qualifying tournaments for it but these regional championships still held a high value for the local clubs. These regional championships were: Southern German football championship - formed in 1898 Brandenburg football championship - formed in 1898 Central German football championship - formed in 1902 Western German football championship - formed in 1903 March football championship - existed from 1903 to 1911 Northern German football championship - formed in 1906 South Eastern German football championship - formed in 1906 Baltic football championship - formed in 1908 All this regional championships were suspended with the rise of the Nazis to power in 1933. At the end of the Second World War, some resumed, now in league format. Others completely disappeared, like the Baltic championship, as the territories they were held in were not part of Germany any more. With the South West German football championship, a new regional competition also appeared in 1945. Ultimately, with the formation of the Fußball-Bundesliga, all this regional championships ceased altogether. History Background When the Western German championship was established in 1903, the region of Western Germany (German: Westdeutschland) was politically divided into three territories, the first three being part of the Kingdom of Prussia: Hesse-Nassau, northern parts only, from 1906 Rhine Province northern parts only Province of Westphalia Principality of Lippe With the defeat of the German Empire in 1918 and the formation of a Republic, the former Kingdoms and Principalities became states. For the two Prussian provinces, this only meant that the Kingdom was replaced with the Free State of Prussia, while the Principality was transformed into the Free State of Lippe. Football association On 23 October 1898, the Rheinischer Spielverband was formed,