[1] The first appearance by VfL on the national stage came with their participation in the regional Süddeutschland qualifying round for the German championship in 1927.

Despite being beaten 2:0 by SpVgg Sandhofen in relegation play, they avoided being sent down when league reorganization expanded their division allowing VfL to stay up in the Gauliga Baden-Staffel Nord.

They rebounded and took the division title in 1941, but were quickly eliminated from the national playoffs after a poor showing in their qualification group.

From 1943 to 1945, VfL played as part of the combined wartime side Kriegspielgemeinschaft Neckarau alongside SpVgg Mannheim.

The team resurfaced in the Amateurliga Nordbaden (III) in 1957–58, capturing a title there, but failing in their bid to win promotion to second-tier competition.

After a second-place finish in the Amateurliga Nordbaden the next year, the club took part in the national amateur championship and advanced as far as the semifinals where they were put out by SC Jülich (1:0, 1:3).