{{Short description|German footballer (1873–1934)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{more references|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox football biography |name = Walther Bensemann |image = Walther Bensemann 1896.jpg |alt = |caption = Bensemann in 1896 |birth_date = {{birth date|1873|01|13|df=yes}} |birth_place = [[Berlin]], [[Kingdom of Prussia]], [[German Empire]] |death_date = {{death date and age|1934|11|12|1873|01|13|df=yes}} |death_place = [[Montreux]], Switzerland |height = |position = |years1 = 1889-? |clubs1 = International Football Club |years2 = 1891-? |clubs2 = [[Karlsruher FV]] }} '''Walther Bensemann''' (13 January 1873 – 12 November 1934) was a German pioneer of [[association football|football]] and founder of the country's major sports publication, ''[[Kicker (sports magazine)|Kicker]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Walther Bensemann: The Freedom of Hearts |url=https://www.kicker.de/walther-bensemann-die-freiheit-der-herzen-1066890/artikel |author=David Bernreuther |website=Kicker |language=de |date=2024-11-11 |access-date=2025-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Walther Bensemann {{!}} ZKM |url=https://zkm.de/en/person/walther-bensemann |access-date=2025-09-20 |website=zkm.de |language=en}}</ref>
==Biography== Bensemann was born in [[Berlin]], [[Province of Brandenburg|Brandenburg]], as the son of a [[Jew]]ish banker. During his time at private school in [[Montreux]], Switzerland, he learned about the new sport of football. When he moved to [[Karlsruhe]] in order to complete his school-leavers' exam, he began to spread the sport around the [[German Empire]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Karlsruhe Football Pioneer and Jew: The Story of Walther Bensemann |url=https://www.ka-news.de/region/karlsruhe/die-geschichte-von-walther-bensemann-karlsruher-fussballvisionaer-und-gruender-des-kicker-magazins-art-3177915 |author=Katherine Quinlan-Flatter |website=KA-News |language=de |date=2024-06-17 |access-date=2025-02-23}}</ref>
There, in September 1889, he founded the ''International Football Club'', the first football club in southern Germany, and two years later he was instrumental in the founding of [[Karlsruher FV]], one of the first champion clubs in Germany. He was also involved in the creation of ''Frankfurter Kickers'',<ref>{{cite book | title=Tor! The story of German football | first=Ulrich | last=Hesse-Lichtenberger| year=2003}}</ref> who would later become [[Eintracht Frankfurt]]. In 1900 he belonged to the founding-fathers of the [[German Football Association]].
Bensemann thought of football as a means of international understanding, so he started to organize international matches such as the ones between selections of [[Lausanne]] and southern Germany in 1893. Consequently, this also led to the five historical matches between selections from [[Germany national football team|Germany]] and [[England national football team|England]] between 1899 and 1901, which albeit not having any official status, are considered the historically first international matches of any Germany national side.{{cn|date=July 2024}}
In 1920, Bensemann founded ''[[Kicker (sports magazine)|Kicker]]'', which evolved soon into Germany's leading football magazine, a status which it retains today.{{cn|date=July 2024}}
In 1933, the [[Nazi Germany|Nazi]] ''[[Machtergreifung]]'' in Germany compelled Benseman to move to Montreux where he died soon, relatively unnoticed and without means.{{cn|date=July 2024}}
He also taught German at Birkenhead School in the Wirral.<ref>{{cite web |title=Walther Bensemann |url=https://stadtlexikon.karlsruhe.de/index.php/De:Lexikon:bio-0498 |website=Stadtlexikon Karlsruhe |language=de |access-date=2025-02-23}}</ref>
== Walther Bensemann Prize == The German academy for football culture gives the Walther Bensemann prize<ref>[http://www.fussball-kultur.org/fussball-kulturpreis/walther-bensemann-preis/ Walther Bensemann Preis]</ref> every year to a person for extraordinary dedication with courage and a pioneering spirit, for social responsibility, fairplay, intercultural understanding in and around football. The prize comes with a monetary reward of €10,000.<ref>{{cite web |title=The clearest voice in football: Christian Streich follows in the footsteps of Franz Beckenbauer and Sir Alex Ferguson |url=https://www.footboom1.com/en/news/football/1934899-the-clearest-voice-in-football-christian-streich-follows-in-the-footsteps-of-franz-beckenbauer-and-sir-alex-ferguson |author= |website=Footboom |date=2024-10-14 |language=en |access-date=2025-02-23}}</ref> It was given amongst others to [[Franz Beckenbauer]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Franz Beckenbauer: All Information on Life, Titles, Documentary, and Family |url=https://www.sportsillustrated.de/fussball/franz-beckenbauer-alle-infos-zu-leben-titel-doku-und-familie |author= |website=Sports Illustrated |language=de |access-date=2025-02-23 |date=2024-01-10}}</ref> [[Bobby Charlton]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Bär |first=Andi |title=Academy honors Sir "Bobby" Charlton: Bensemann Prize for the old veteran |url=https://www.fussballn.de/sites/cms/artikel.aspx?SK=4&Btr=15464 |website=Fußballn |language=de |date=2011-11-07 |access-date=2025-02-23}}</ref> [[Marcello Lippi]], [[Alex Ferguson]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Sir Alex Ferguson Wins Walther Bensemann Prize |url=https://www.besoccer.com/new/sir-alex-ferguson-wins-walther-bensemann-prize |author=Liam Hanna |website=BeSoccer |language=en |access-date=2025-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Beckenbauer was the first: All recipients of the Bensemann Prize |url=https://www.kicker.de/loew-und-seine-vorgaenger-alle-traeger-des-bensemann-preises-875699/slideshow |website=Kicker |date=2024-10-14 |access-date=2025-02-23 |language=de}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{WorldFootball.net|walther-bensemann}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bensemann, Walter}} [[Category:1873 births]] [[Category:1934 deaths]] [[Category:Sportspeople from the Province of Brandenburg]] [[Category:German men's footballers]] [[Category:Men's association football midfielders]] [[Category:Karlsruher FV players]] [[Category:Eintracht Frankfurt players]] [[Category:Footballers from Berlin]] [[Category:Jewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to France]] [[Category:Emigrants from Nazi Germany to France]] {{Germany-footy-midfielder-stub}}