Defender Paul Jaeckel, who was born in Eisenhüttenstadt, talks about his special Union feeling
Union has been the only club from the former GDR in the Bundesliga since promotion in 2019. Almost four years ago, the Irons ended a ten-year series without a real East club. In 2009, Energie Cottbus was relegated from the football upper house. RB Leipzig, founded in 2009 and at the top since 2016, is not considered a real Eastern club by many fans.
Curious: Union comes from the East, but only has two East Germans in the team: Kevin Möhwald (28), a native of Erfurt, and Paul Jaeckel (23), who was born in Eisenhüttenstadt.
It is therefore something special for the Brandenburger to play for Union.
Jaeckel: “It’s nice to fly the flag for the association, which sees itself as an Ossi association and workers’ association. I can identify with that very well.”
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Apparently friends and acquaintances too. According to the defender, they know that “Union is a workers’ club that lives from the fans. You know more there than you might about someone who is a little further west.”
A third East German joins in the summer. With Paul Seguin (26 / Fürth) comes a native of Magdeburg. Around 50 years ago, a Seguin transfer to Köpenick would have been a sensation. After all, father Wolfgang (76) is an FCM legend. Now his youngest son is moving to Berlin.
Jaeckel knows that East and West is no longer a big issue, especially for people born in the 1990s: “For me it makes no difference whether an Ossi or a Wessi is sitting in the dressing room.” Nevertheless, he is a little bit proud of it , of all things to play for Union.