The list of German champions in the Handball Bundesliga is long! THW Kiel is the record champion with 23 championship titles.

Before 1966, the German championship was organised in final rounds of the various regional league champions and runners-up. From 1966, the Handball Bundesliga was introduced as the highest league. It was initially played in two leagues (North and South). The league champions played out the title in a first and second leg until 1974. From 1975 to 1977, the champions were played out in semi-finals and finals between the first and second-placed teams in the two leagues.

In 1977, the single-tier Bundesliga was introduced. Since then, the first-placed team has automatically been the German champion. The years 1990 to 1992 were an exception, as the former GDR-Oberliga was integrated into the Bundesliga and played in two divisions. The champion was determined in a play-off round with the best eighth-placed teams.