the 1956 german football championship was contested by the nine qualified oberliga teams and won by borussia dortmund, defeating karlsruher sc in the final. the runners-up of the oberligas, except berlin, played pre-qualifying matches to determine which three of the four would go on to the group stage. the remaining eight clubs then played a home-and-away round of matches in two groups of four. the two group winners then advanced to the final.