The first Jewish soccer team to win a European league championship is being honored at the World Jewish Sports Museum in Kfar Maccabiah. The exhibition “Spirit, Strength and Tradition” will open on June 3 after being postponed for a year because of the war and will remain open to the public free of charge throughout the 2026 Maccabiah Games.
The World Jewish Sports Museum at Kfar Maccabiah in Ramat Gan, the world’s leading institution in its field, will open a new exhibition on Wednesday, June 3: “Spirit, Strength and Tradition: The Story of Hakoah Vienna.” Marking 100 years since the Jewish soccer club’s historic Austrian championship, the exhibition was created with the World Jewish Congress in Israel, the What Matters initiative and Kfar Maccabiah. Its opening follows a one-year postponement due to the war.
A History of Jewish Pride on the Field
Hakoah Vienna was founded in 1909 in response to rising antisemitism in Europe. It was intended not only as a sports organization but also as a standard-bearer for the culture, society and community life of Vienna’s Jews, who accounted for around 10% of the city’s population at the time.
In the summer of 1925, the team achieved an unprecedented milestone by winning the Austrian soccer league championship – the first championship ever won by a Jewish club in a professional league in its country and one of the major achievements in European soccer at the time. Its success inspired Jewish communities around the world and helped lead to the establishment of additional Hakoah clubs, which became symbols of international fellowship and empowerment in the face of growing hostility.
Following the Anschluss, the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany, the club was banned and dissolved. Many people associated with the club were persecuted by the regime, but its global network of Hakoah clubs helped some of them escape. After the war, Hakoah clubs were founded in countries including Israel, the United States and Australia, while sporting activity under the Hakoah name was also renewed in Vienna.
What Is in the Exhibition?
The exhibition will present rare historical items collected from institutions and museums across Austria, including:
- Historical photographs of the club’s teams.
- Original posters and notices.
- Information about major figures in the club’s history.
Opening event details:
- Date: Wednesday, June 3, at the Jewish Sports Museum in Kfar Maccabiah, Ramat Gan.
- Participants: The opening evening will include a special panel attended by Daniel Lörcher, vice president of Borussia Dortmund and founder and CEO of What Matters, along with additional guests.
- Admission: The exhibition will be shown during the Maccabiah Games and for three months, with free admission to the public.
On the Way to the Maccabiah
The exhibition opens ahead of the Maccabiah Games, which begin in Israel on July 1. The Maccabiah is the flagship event of the Maccabi World Union, the world’s largest Jewish sporting event and the second-largest sporting event after the Olympic Games. Every four years, more than 10,000 Jewish athletes from around 80 countries come to Israel. In 2026, they will compete in around 45 sports, joined by tens of thousands of spectators.
Voices from the Project
Daniel Lörcher, vice president of Borussia Dortmund and founder and co-CEO of What Matters: “Sport offers new audiences an accessible route into history. At a time when antisemitism is becoming more visible in Europe and elsewhere, this exhibition is more than a reflection of history. It is a reminder that Jewish history is not merely a chapter in European history, but a central part of it. Preserving memory is essential to protecting democratic and open societies.”
Dr. Andreas Kahrs, founder and co-CEO of What Matters: “The history of Hakoah Vienna reflects the history of European Jewry. All the central elements of that historical story can be seen through the club’s experience. By using the universal language of sport, the exhibition creates opportunities for dialogue, empathy and education. It encourages new generations to confront prejudice and discrimination and recognize the responsibility we all share in standing against antisemitism.”
Hadassa Getzstain, chair of the World Jewish Congress Israel: “As the world’s attention turns once again to global soccer during the World Cup, this exhibition is a powerful reminder that long before the Holocaust attempted to destroy European Jewry, Hakoah Vienna demonstrated unapologetic Jewish pride, strength and courage. Hakoah’s legacy is not only part of Jewish history, but part of soccer history.”
Osnat Tzur, director of the World Jewish Sports Museum at Kfar Maccabiah: “The exhibition pays tribute to the historic soccer team of the leading Jewish sports club operating at the time. Alongside its extraordinary championship achievement, it served as a source of strength, pride and identity for entire Jewish communities around the world. As the only museum in the world devoted entirely to the heritage of Jewish sport, Kfar Maccabiah is the natural home for this exhibition. We thank the World Jewish Congress in Israel, the What Matters initiative and Borussia Dortmund for their partnership, and we will continue to host additional exhibitions in our fields of expertise.”
