The
Eishockey-Bundesliga ("Federal Ice Hockey League") was formed in 1958 as the elite hockey competition in the
Federal Republic of Germany, replacing the
Oberliga in this position. From the 1994-95 season, it was in turn replaced by the
Deutsche Eishockey Liga, which now also carries the name 1st Bundesliga in its logo. The DEL, originally administrated by the
DEB, the
German Ice Hockey Federation, became an independent league in 1997.