By Sebastian Karkos
1. FC Union was only founded in 1966, but the roots of the club from Oberschöneweide go back to 1906.
The predecessor clubs were called Union Oberschoeneweide or TSG Oberschoeneweide. The working class image dates from the early years as the fans were mostly working class.
This is how the term “Schlosserjungs aus Oberschöneweide” became established, also based on the blue and white jerseys, which were reminiscent of overalls.
Blue and white then became red and white. 1. FC Union was a classic elevator team in GDR times. Biggest (and only national title to date): GDR Cup Winner 1968.
The star of the club is the stadium. The Alte Försterei has room for 22,012 fans. More than 18,000 of them are standing. The spectators are close to the pitch, which makes the atmosphere so special.
Union’s biggest pound, however, are the fans. Their battle cry “Iron Union” is legendary. When Union faced ruin in the 1990s and after the turn of the millennium, they launched rescue actions. “Blood for Union” made a lot of money in 2004.
FDGB Cup, 1967/68 season. Quarter-finals: Union beats Sachsenring Zwickau 1-0. Union also took the pot Photo: ullstein bild
Because there was no money, hundreds of fans helped with the 2008/09 stadium renovation. Incidentally, the biggest club event of the year has nothing to do with football. Christmas caroling always takes place on December 23rd in the Alte Försterei – with 28,500 fans.
The only GDR club in the upper house
After promotion to the second division in 2009, the club seemed “trapped” in the lower house of football. After ten years in the second division, the “Iron” (as the 56th club ever) rose to the Bundesliga for the first time and have since been the only former GDR club in the football upper house.
Oberliga 1970: FC Union Berlin fans celebrate their team in the stadium in the season after promotion Photo: ullstein bild
Fathers of Success: Coach Urs Fischer (56) and manager Oliver Ruhnert (50). The Swiss and the Sauerland took over sporting responsibility in 2018, since then things have only gone up: promotion, 11th, 7th and 5th place in the Bundesliga. After the 2021 qualification for the internationally third-class Conference League, the Europa League will continue from Thursday (first opponent in the Alte Försterei: Saint-Gilloise/Belgium).
Ex-Bayern boss Uli Hoeneß (70) just praised the people from Köpenick: “Very successful. Very sympathic. I like that. They do a super job!”
Bayern and Union are close together in the table. In reality, both clubs are worlds apart. According to transfermarkt.de, the market value of the Union professionals is 89.3 million euros. The Bayern players come to 846.53 million euros. That says a lot.