Bundesliga Meisterschale

The Bundesliga Meisterschale (championship shield) is awarded to the German champions at the end of the season. 1. FC Köln was the first club to receive the trophy in 1964 after the inaugural season of the then-new first division was introduced in 1963. Every German champion since 1949 has held this shield. It replaced the Viktoria statue, which had long disappeared in the turmoil of war.

The Meisterschale was designed and created by art professor Elisabeth Treskow in the Kölner Werkschulen. The names of all the German champions since 1903 are immortalised on it – starting with VfB Leipzig. A silver ring with engraving plates was added to it in 1981, to allow further champions’ names to be engraved. Five 71.98 carat tourmaline cabochons, encased in gold, have also been set in the silver ring since then. It was extended further prior to the 2008/09 season finale. Five larger engraving plates for additional names of German champions were added to the silver ring of the 11kg shield. There is, at present, space to immortalise the names of all title holders up until 2027. The championship shield is insured for a sum of €50,000.