Violence in the northern derby
When HSV hooligans killed Adrian Maleika
October 16, 2025 – 5:33 p.mReading time: 3 minutes
On October 16, 1982, Werder Bremen and HSV met in Hamburg. Adrian Maleika also made his way to the stadium. But he never arrived: On the way, the fan was fatally attacked by right-wing HSV hooligans.
HSV and Werder Bremen wanted to play an atmospheric duel in the DFB Cup on October 16, 1982. But almost nobody talked about Hamburg’s narrow 3-2 victory in the Volksparkstadion later: the violent death of the young Bremen fan Adrian Maleika, caused by an attack by right-wing extremist HSV hooligans, overshadowed the events of the evening.
16-year-old Adrian Maleika, a glazier’s apprentice, traveled to the cup game with friends from his fan club “Die Treuen”. Several hundred other Werder fans also made their way Hamburg. As soon as they arrived at the main train station, HSV supporters attacked the guests.
On the way to the Volksparkstadion, the situation escalated – a mass brawl broke out. Right-wing radical hooligans from Hamburg attacked the Bremen fans with smoke bombs, gas guns and flares. Bottles and stones also flew. The Werder supporters were pushed into a small forest near the stadium. “Here they come, kill them,” the HSV hooligans are said to have shouted at the start of their attack.
A stone hit Adrian Maleika in the head and seriously injured him. He suffered multiple skull fractures. When he was already defenseless on the ground, the hooligans continued to kick him. The 16-year-old was taken to the hospital in Altona, but he died there on October 17th as a result of cerebral paralysis. Two other young Werder supporters were so seriously injured that they also had to be taken to hospital.
Several members of the “Die Löwen” fan club were later identified as leaders in court. The group was said to have a close connection to the neo-Nazi scene. She was also notorious for her brutality and willingness to use violence. Back then, the “Lions” set the tone in the HSV curve in Block E. Right-wing radical slogans and symbols were part of everyday life in the Volksparkstadion during this time.
At the end of 1983, eight “lions” had to answer before the youth chamber of the Hamburg regional court. They denied any involvement in the fatal attack on the Bremen fans. On the contrary: the guests started the attack and triggered the mass brawl. One of the defendants, “Löwen” co-founder Bernhard B. (then 24), is said to have been tattooed with an iron cross, a swastika and the word “hate.”
The question of who killed Adrian Maleika remains unanswered to this day: who exactly threw the stone has never been determined. Five “Lion” hooligans were acquitted. Peter L. (then 21) received a youth sentence of two and a half years. Bernhard B. received a suspended sentence of twelve months. Caren Edith G. (then 21) was sentenced to ten hours of work for breach of the peace and involvement in a fight. The court did not see any intent to kill in any of them.