Football thrills the masses - and not just in Germany. In recent years, historical science has therefore also considered the phenomenon of football within the context of everyday life and social history, with social historians particularly interested in the social, societal and economic connections of the sport. The German Football League hasexperienced a steady upward trend since it was founded; however the German Bundesliga scandal of the 1970s demonstrates that this path has not been as straightforward, as is believed. The focus of the book is the growth of the German Bundesliga, as it has evolved as a link between society and sport. The book is thus an inventory of the stateof modern football.

Professor Dr. Wolfram Pyta holds the Chair of Modern History at the University of Stuttgart.