1. FC Union Berlin facts for kids
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| Full name | 1. Fußballclub Union Berlin e. V. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Die Eisernen (The Iron Ones) | |||
| Founded | 20 January 1966 (preceded by FC Olympia Oberschöneweide, founded 1906) |
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| Ground | Stadion An der Alten Försterei | |||
| Capacity | 22,012 | |||
| President | Dirk Zingler | |||
| Head coach | Bo Svensson | |||
| League | Bundesliga | |||
| 2020–21 | Bundesliga, 7th of 18 | |||
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Union Berlin is a professional German football club based in Köpenick, Berlin. The club's full name is 1. Fußballclub Union Berlin e. V..
The club started way back in 1906 as FC Olympia Oberschöneweide. During the Cold War, Union Berlin was located in East Berlin. After Germany reunited in 1990, the club joined the German league system. From 2009 to 2019, they played in the 2. Bundesliga, which is the second-highest football league in Germany.
In 2019, Union Berlin made history by getting promoted to the Bundesliga for the very first time. They continued to achieve great things, qualifying for the first-ever UEFA Europa Conference League in 2021. In 2022, they qualified for the UEFA Europa League. The next season, they reached the Champions League for the first time by finishing fourth in the Bundesliga.
The team plays its home games at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. This stadium is the second-largest in Berlin. Union Berlin and its earlier teams have played there since it opened in 1920. The stadium also hosts concerts and a popular Christmas carols event called Weihnachtssingen.
As of October 2024, Union Berlin has 67,638 official members. The club is famous for its passionate and creative fans. Their well-known chant is "Eisern Union" (Iron Union).
Club History
Early Years (1906–1945)
The club we know today as 1. FC Union Berlin has roots in an older club called FC Olympia Oberschöneweide. This club was founded in 1906 in Oberschöneweide, which was a suburb of Berlin at the time. In 1910, the team changed its name to SC Union 06 Oberschöneweide.
Union was one of Berlin's top clubs between World War I and World War II. They often won local championships and played at the national level. In 1923, they even reached the German championship final, but lost 0–3 to Hamburger SV.
The team was nicknamed "Schlosserjungs" (metalworker-boys). This was because their blue uniforms looked like the work clothes worn in the factories of the industrial Oberschöneweide area. The famous fan chant "Eisern Union!" (Iron Union!) also started around this time. From the beginning, the club was seen as a team for working-class people. This was different from other local clubs that had more middle-class beginnings.
In 1933, German football was reorganized into 16 top divisions called Gauligen. Oberschöneweide played in the Gauliga Berlin-Brandenburg. They usually had average results. They were relegated in 1935 but returned to the top division in 1936. In 1940, the team won their division title. This allowed them to play in the national playoffs, where they were knocked out by Rapid Wien. Union then went back to being an average team. They were relegated again in 1942 and played their last war-shortened season in 1944–45.
After World War II: Changes and Divisions (1945–1961)
After World War II, the Allied powers ordered all German organizations, including sports clubs, to be dissolved. A new sports group called SG Oberschöneweide was formed in late 1945. This team played in the City League that was set up right after the war.
The team did not qualify for the new top league, Oberliga Berlin, in 1946. However, they were promoted in 1947 and won the division title right away. They became a club again as SG Union Oberschöneweide in 1948–49.
In the 1949–50 season, the club finished second in Berlin. They qualified for the national final rounds. But, because of growing tensions during the Cold War, Soviet authorities did not let the team travel to play. This led to two Union teams forming. Most players and coaches moved to West Berlin to create Sport-Club Union 06 Berlin. This new team played in the playoff match in Kiel, losing 0–7 to Hamburger SV.
The players who stayed in East Berlin continued as SG Union Oberschöneweide. A third team, Berliner Ballspiel-Club Südost, was also formed by some players who had moved to the west. The western team was strong until the Berlin Wall was built in 1961. The division of the city changed things for BBC Südost, which now plays in lower divisions.
Rebirth as Union Berlin (1961–1990)
The East Berlin part of the club changed its name many times. It was Union Oberschöneweide (1950), BSG Motor Oberschöneweide (1951), SC Motor Berlin (1955), TSC Oberschöneweide (1957), and TSC Berlin (1963). Finally, it became the football club 1. FC Union Berlin in 1966.
1. FC Union Berlin was officially founded on January 20, 1966. This happened during a big reorganization of East German football. The club was created in the middle of a large industrial area in East Germany. It was initially supported by the FDGB, which was the state-controlled trade union. This support was meant to make Union Berlin a "civilian club" for working people.
The club was state-funded. All club decisions had to be reported to the DTSB, which was the central sports agency. The DTSB was directly controlled by the SED Central Committee, the ruling political party.
The support from the FDGB ended in 1975. After that, 1. FC Union Berlin relied on support from the local SED party and state-owned businesses. Union Berlin developed a strong rivalry with BFC Dynamo. BFC Dynamo was supported by the Stasi, the powerful state security service. While BFC Dynamo won many titles, Union Berlin often moved between the top and second divisions with little success.
Union did manage to win the East German Cup in 1968. They beat FC Carl Zeiss Jena 2–1. They reached the cup final again in 1986 but lost 1–5 to 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig.
In 1989, the East German film studio DEFA made a documentary about Union Berlin fans. It was called And Fridays at the Green Hell. It followed a group of supporters to games during the 1987–88 season.
The 2. Bundesliga Era (1990–2019)
After German reunification in 1990, the team played well on the field. However, they faced serious financial problems. They managed to survive these tough times and found sponsors. Even after winning their division in 1993 and 1994, they were denied a license to play in the 2. Bundesliga because of their money issues. The club almost went bankrupt again in 1997.
Union came close to getting into the 2. Bundesliga in 1998–99 and 1999–2000, but they didn't make it. They finally succeeded in 2000–01 under Bulgarian manager Georgi Vasilev. They easily won the Regionalliga Nord (III) and moved up a division. That same year, they reached the final of the German Cup, where they lost 0–2 to FC Schalke 04. They also played in the UEFA Cup, reaching the second round before losing to Bulgarian team PFC Litex Lovech.
The club dropped to the Regionalliga Nord (III) in 2004–05. Then they went down to the NOFV-Oberliga Nord (IV) in 2005–06. But they quickly returned to the third division after winning the Oberliga title. In 2008–09, Union became one of the first clubs in the new 3. Liga. They won the league and were promoted to the 2. Bundesliga on May 10.
In 2011, there was a discussion when it became known that club president Dirk Zingler had been part of the Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment during his military service. This regiment was connected to the Stasi. Zingler explained that he wanted to serve in Berlin and didn't know the regiment was part of the Stasi. However, this regiment was an elite group, and recruits were carefully chosen for their loyalty. Zingler had also been a member of the Socialist Unity Party (SED) and a leader in the Free German Youth (FDJ).
On June 1, 2018, Swiss coach Urs Fischer became the new head coach. The team stayed in the second tier until the 2018–19 season. They earned their first promotion to the Bundesliga by beating VfB Stuttgart in the relegation play-offs. After the win, the club's supporters ran onto the field to celebrate, but no one was hurt.
Bundesliga and European Football (2019–Present)
Union Berlin became the first Bundesliga club from former East Berlin. They were the sixth club from former East Germany to reach this top league. Before their first Bundesliga season, the club signed new players like Neven Subotić, Anthony Ujah, and Christian Gentner. They also re-signed Marvin Friedrich, who scored a key goal against Stuttgart in the play-offs.
The first-ever Bundesliga goal for Union Berlin was scored by Sebastian Andersson in a 1–1 draw against Augsburg. On August 31, 2019, the club beat Borussia Dortmund 3–1 at home. This was their first win in a Bundesliga game. The team finished the season in 11th place, with Sebastian Andersson scoring 12 goals.
On May 22, 2021, in their second Bundesliga season, Union Berlin qualified for the first-ever UEFA Europa Conference League. They finished seventh after a 2–1 home win against RB Leipzig. Max Kruse scored the winning goal in the 92nd minute, sending Union to Europe for the first time in 20 years.
In the next season, the club finished fifth in the league. This qualified them for the Europa League, where they reached the round of 16. In the 2022–23 season, Union Berlin qualified for the Champions League group stage for the first time ever. They secured this spot with a 1–0 home win against Werder Bremen on the final matchday.
In the 2023–24 season, the club had a difficult start. They went 14 competitive matches without a win. Because of this, they decided to part ways with coach Urs Fischer. After two losses to teams also fighting relegation, Union dropped to 16th place. However, on the final matchday, they won 2–1 against Freiburg in stoppage time. This win secured their spot in the Bundesliga for another season.
Stadium: Stadion An der Alten Försterei
In 1920, SC Union Oberschöneweide, the team before today's Union Berlin, needed a new home field. Their old pitch was being built over with houses. The club moved a bit further from the city to the north-western part of Köpenick.
The new stadium was officially opened in August 1920. The first match was between Oberschöneweide and the German champions 1. FC Nürnberg, which Oberschöneweide lost 1–2. An earlier game had been played there on March 17, when Union played Viktoria 89 Berlin.
When Union was promoted to the DDR-Oberliga (the top league in East Germany) in 1966, the stadium needed to be bigger. It was first expanded in 1970. More extensions were added to the terraces in the late 1970s and early 1980s, increasing the capacity to 22,500. However, the facilities at Alte Försterei were simple and started to show their age.
After German reunification, Union was placed in the third league. The old stadium was one of the challenges the club faced in trying to get promoted to higher leagues.
In mid-2008, the club decided to modernize the stadium, the Stadion An der Alten Försterei (Old Forester's House). Money was tight, so the fans decided to help build the stadium themselves. More than 2,000 Union supporters worked 140,000 hours to create what is now known as the largest football-specific stadium in Berlin. While the stadium was being rebuilt, Union played at the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark.
Inside the stadium, there are many outdoor beer kiosks and grills selling bratwurst and pork steaks. The official opening was on July 12, 2013, with a friendly match against Scottish Champions Celtic. The stadium holds 22,012 people, with 3,617 seats and the rest standing terraces.
World Cup Living Room
In 2014, the club had a unique idea. They invited fans to bring their own sofas to the stadium for the entire World Cup. This way, fans could watch the televised matches together. More than 800 sofas were placed on the pitch in rows in front of a big screen. This event later won the Fan Experience Award at The Stadium Business Summit in 2015.
Future Plans for the Försterei and European Games
In 2017, plans were announced to expand the Försterei from 22,012 to 37,000 seats. This would involve adding a new tier to three of the stands. These plans are expected to start at the end of the 2023/24 season. Union's President, Dirk Zingler, said that for the 2024/25 season, Union Berlin will play at the Olympiastadion in former West Berlin.
In the 2021/22 season, Union Berlin played their UEFA Europa Conference League games at the Olympiastadion. This was because UEFA had a rule against standing terraces. This rule was changed in the 2022/23 season, allowing "safe standing." So, Union was able to play at the Försterei for their 2022/23 UEFA Europa League campaign.
After qualifying for the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League, Dirk Zingler confirmed that Union would again play at the Olympiastadion. This was because the Försterei was too small for the high demand for Champions League tickets. For example, 120,000 tickets for all three home games (40,000 for each game) sold out in one day. The Försterei will be used for the UEFA Youth League games.
Club Organization
1. FC Union Berlin is mostly run by its fans. Dirk Zingler has been the club's president since 2004. In 2022, the club had 41,088 registered members.
| President | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Werner Otto | 20 June 1966 | 31 July 1967 |
| Heinz Müller | 1 August 1967 | 31 July 1970 |
| Paul Fettback | 1 August 1970 | 31 October 1973 |
| Heinz Hiillert | 1 November 1973 | 25 November 1975 |
| Günter Mielis | 26 November 1975 | 1 March 1982 |
| Dr. Norbert Woick | 2 March 1982 | 31 October 1983 |
| Klaus Brumm | 1 November 1983 | 20 December 1984 |
| Uwe Piontek | 21 December 1984 | 3 November 1987 |
| Hans-Günther Hansel | 4 November 1987 | 5 June 1990 |
| Gerhard Kalweit | 6 June 1990 | 31 July 1993 |
| Detlef Bracht | 17 August 1993 | 31 July 1994 |
| Horst Kahstein | 14 November 1994 | September 1997 |
| Heiner Bertram | 7 October 1997 | 12 October 2003 |
| Jürgen Schlebrowski | 13 October 2003 | 30 June 2004 |
| Dirk Zingler | 1 July 2004 |
Sport Management
- Oliver Ruhnert, since May 5, 2018
Sponsorships
Union Berlin is supported by about 300 different companies and partners.
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 1998/99 | Nike | Skandia |
| 1999/2000 | BSR Gruppe | |
| 2000/01 | ||
| 2001/02 | ||
| 2002/03 | Saller | |
| 2003/04 | ||
| 2004/05 | ||
| 2005/06 | Nike | EastWest |
| 2006/07 | ||
| 2007/08 | Silicon Sensor | |
| 2008/09 | do you football | |
| 2009/10 | kfzteile24 | |
| 2010/11 | ||
| 2011/12 | Uhlsport | |
| 2012/13 | f.becker | |
| 2013/14 | ||
| 2014/15 | kfzteile24 | |
| 2015/16 | Macron | |
| 2016/17 | Layenberger | |
| 2017/18 | ||
| 2018/19 | ||
| 2019/20 | Aroundtown SA | |
| 2020/21 | Adidas | |
| 2021/22 | ||
| 2022/23 | Wefox |
Club Name History
The history of 1. FC Union Berlin includes several different club names over the years.
| Date | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 17 June 1906 | FC Olympia Oberschöneweide | The club was founded as FC Olympia Oberschöneweide. |
| 22 July 1906 | BTuFC Helgoland, department Oberschöneweide | It joined BTuFC Helgoland as a department. |
| 10 February 1907 | BTuFC Union 1892, department Oberschöneweide | It joined BTuFC Union 1892 as a department. |
| 20 February 1909 | Union Oberschöneweide | It joined the football association Verband Berliner Ballspielvereine (VBB) as SC Union Oberschöneweide. |
| 1945 | SG Oberschöneweide | SC Union Oberschöneweide was dissolved by the Allied authorities. The club was refounded as SG Oberschöneweide. |
| December 1948 | SG Union Oberschöneweide | The club was allowed to use its old name again. |
| 1951 | BSG Motor Oberschöneweide | It joined with the sports community BSG Motor Oberschöneweide. The team colors changed from blue and white to red and white. |
| 1 February 1955 | SC Motor Berlin | The first team joined the new sports club SC Motor Berlin as a football department. |
| 6 June 1957 | TSC Oberschöneweide | SC Motor Berlin merged with other sports communities to form TSC Oberschöneweide. |
| 18 February 1963 | TSC Berlin | It merged with other sports clubs to form TSC Berlin. |
| 20 January 1966 | 1. FC Union Berlin | The football part of TSC Berlin became a separate football club. This was the founding of 1. FC Union Berlin. |
Players
Current Team
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Players on Loan
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Famous Former Players
Jörg Heinrich- Robert Huth
- Torsten Mattuschka
- Marko Rehmer
Karim Benyamina
Sergej Barbarez
Daniel Teixeira- Sebastian Polter
Bobby Wood- Max Kruse
- Christian Gentner
Taiwo Awoniyi
Sebastian Andersson
Julian Ryerson
All-Time Top Scorer
The club's all-time top scorer is Karim Benyamina from Algeria, with 87 goals. He scored these goals in 213 games for the club.
The number 22 jersey will not be worn by another Union player until someone breaks Karim Benyamina's scoring record. This was a special gesture from President Dirk Zingler to honor Benyamina's six successful years at the club. Over 14,000 fans came to say goodbye to Benyamina and another club legend, Torsten Mattuschka.
Reserve and Women's Teams
The club used to have a reserve team called 1. FC Union Berlin II. This team played in the fourth-tier Regionalliga Nordost. However, the club stopped the team from competing at the end of the 2014–15 season.
Union Berlin's women's team was started in September 1969. It was the first women's team in Berlin and one of the first in East Germany. They played their first game on January 17, 1970, losing 7–1. In 1971, the team joined KWO Berlin's women's team. Then, after Germany reunited in June 1990, KWO merged with Union Berlin.
Coaching Staff
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Bo Svensson |
| Assistant coach | Babak Keyhanfar |
| First-team coach | Kristoffer Wichmann |
| Goalkeeper coach | Michael Gspurning |
| Athletic trainer | Martin Kruger |
Manager History
.jpg)
| List of Union Berlin managers since 1965 |
|---|
 Werner Schwenzfeier |
20 January 1965 | 30 June 1969 |
| Fritz Gödicke |
1 Jul 1969 | 30 June 1970 |
| Harald Seeger |
1 Jul 1970 | 30 June 1972 |
| Ulrich Prüfke |
1 Jul 1972 | 30 June 1974 |
| Dieter Fietz |
1 Jul 1974 | 6 Dec 1975 |
| Heini Brüll (caretaker) |
7 Dec 1975 | 31 December 1975 |
| Heinz Werner |
1 Jan 1976 | 18 July 1982 |
| Harry Nippert |
19 July 1982 | 30 September 1983 |
| Karl-Heinz Burwieck |
1 Okt. 1983 | 30 June 1984 |
| Karl Schäffner |
1 Jul 1984 | 31 December 1987 |
| Karsten Heine |
1 Jan 1988 | 9 Apr 1990 |
| Gerd Struppert (caretaker) |
10 April 1990 | 30 June 1990 |
| Werner Voigt |
1 Jul 1990 | 3 Jun 1992 |
| Gerhard Körner (caretaker) |
4 Jun 1992 | 30 June 1992 |
| Frank Pagelsdorf |
1 Jul 1992 | 30 June 1994 |
| Frank Engel |
1 Jul 1994 | 25 January 1995 |
| Hans Meyer |
26 January 1995 | 2 Oct 1995 |
| Eckhard Krautzun |
3 Oct 1995 | 24 March 1996 |
| Frank Vogel (caretaker) |
25 March 1996 | 10 April 1996 |
| Karsten Heine |
11 April 1996 | 25 September 1997 |
| Frank Vogel |
26 September 1997 | 14 December 1997 |
| Ingo Weniger |
2 Jan 1998 | 30 September 1998 |
| Fritz Fuchs |
30 September 1998 | 1 Jun 1999 |
 Georgi Vasilev |
1 Jul 1999 | 12 October 2002 |
| Ivan Tischanski (caretaker) |
13 October 2002 | 5 Nov 2002 |
| Miroslav Votava |
6 Nov 2002 | 24 March 2004 |
| Aleksandar Ristić |
25 March 2004 | 30 June 2004 |
| Frank Wormuth |
1 Jul 2004 | 27 September 2004 |
| Werner Voigt |
28 September 2004 | 9 Dec 2004 |
| Lothar Hamann/ Holger Wortmann (caretakers) |
10 December 2004 | 19 December 2004 |
| Frank Lieberam |
20 December 2004 | 9 Dec 2005 |
| Georgi Vasilev |
13 December 2005 | 5 Apr 2006 |
| Christian Schreier |
6 Apr 2006 | 19 June 2007 |
| Uwe Neuhaus |
20 June 2007 | 12 May 2014 |
| Norbert Düwel |
1 July 2014 | 31 August 2015 |
| Sascha Lewandowski |
1 September 2015 | 4 March 2016 |
| André Hofschneider (caretaker) |
5 March 2016 | 30 June 2016 |
| Jens Keller |
1 July 2016 | 4 December 2017 |
| André Hofschneider |
4 December 2017 | 20 May 2018 |
 Urs Fischer |
1 June 2018 | 15 November 2023 |
| Marco Grote (caretaker) |
15 November 2023 | 26 November 2023 |
 Nenad Bjelica |
26 November 2023 | 6 May 2024 |
| Marco Grote (caretaker) |
6 May 2024 | 30 June 2024 |
| Bo Svensson (caretaker) |
1 July 2024 | present |
European Competitions
Overview of Matches
| Competition | S | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UEFA Champions League | 1 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 10 | −4 |
| UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup | 2 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 13 | +1 |
| UEFA Europa Conference League | 1 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 9 | +3 |
| Intertoto Cup | 2 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 12 | +3 |
| Total | 6 | 40 | 14 | 10 | 16 | 47 | 44 | +3 |
European Matches Played
- Union Berlin score listed first.
| Season | Competition | Round | Opposition | Home | Away | Agg. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967–68 | Intertoto Cup | Group B7 | KB |
0–3 | 0–1 | 3rd place |
 Katowice |
3–0 | 0–1 | ||||
 Union Teplice |
0–1 | 1–1 | ||||
| 1986–87 | Intertoto Cup | Group 2 | Bayer Uerdingen |
3–2 | 0–3 | 1st place |
| Lausanne-Sport |
1–0 | 1–1 | ||||
 Standard Liège |
4–1 | 2–1 | ||||
| 2001–02 | UEFA Cup | 1R |  Haka |
3–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 |
| 2R | Litex Lovech |
0–2 | 0–0 | 0–2 | ||
| 2021–22 | UEFA Europa Conference League | PO | KuPS |
0–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 |
| Group E | Slavia Prague |
1–1 | 1–3 | 3rd place | ||
 Feyenoord |
1–2 | 1–3 | ||||
 Maccabi Haifa |
3–0 | 1–0 | ||||
| 2022–23 | UEFA Europa League | Group D | Union Saint-Gilloise |
0–1 | 1–0 | 2nd place |
 Braga |
1–0 | 0–1 | ||||
| Malmö FF |
1–0 | 1–0 | ||||
| KRPO | Ajax |
3–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | ||
| R16 | Union Saint-Gilloise |
3–3 | 0–3 | 3–6 | ||
| 2023–24 | UEFA Champions League | Group C |  Real Madrid |
2–3 | 0–1 | 4th place |
| Braga |
2–3 | 1–1 | ||||
 Napoli |
0–1 | 1–1 |
UEFA Club Ranking
As of September 18, 2023
| Rank | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 70 | Molde |
21.500 |
| 71 | Maccabi Tel Aviv |
21.500 |
| 72 | Union Berlin |
21.000 |
| 73 | Antwerp |
21.000 |
| 74 | Borussia Mönchengladbach |
21.000 |
Player Records
Most Appearances
These are for official professional matches only. Updated as of September 24, 2024.
| Rank | Player | Years | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Christopher Trimmel |
2014–present | 293 | 23 | 19 | 1 | 336 |
| 2 | Lutz Hendel |
1968–1984 | 297 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 307 |
| 3 | Tom Persich |
1994–2006 | 285 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 303 |
| 4 | Torsten Mattuschka |
2005–2014 | 272 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 281 |
| 5 | Michael Parensen |
2009–2020 | 234 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 249 |
| 6 | Jan Glinker |
2002–2014 | 232 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 236 |
| 7 | Christian Stuff |
2006–2014 | 214 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 219 |
| 8 | Ronny Nikol |
1997–2003 | 200 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 216 |
| 9 | Frank Placzek |
1987–1997 | 192 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 196 |
| 10 | Karim Benyamina |
2005–2011 | 189 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 192 |
Top Goal Scorers
These are for official professional matches only. Updated as of September 24, 2024.
| Rank | Player | Years | League | Cup | Europe | Total (Apps) | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacek Mencel |
1990–1994 | 66 | 0 | 0 | 66 (118) | 0.56 |
| 2 | Karim Benyamina |
2005–2011 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 62 (192) | 0.32 |
| 3 | Torsten Mattuschka |
2005–2014 | 60 | 1 | 0 | 61 (281) | 0.22 |
| 4 | Sergej Barbarez |
1993–1996 | 48 | 0 | 0 | 48 (92) | 0.52 |
| 5 | Daniel Teixeira |
2001, 2005–2007 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 47 (68) | 0.69 |
| 6 | Sebastian Polter |
2014–2015, 2017–2020 | 44 | 2 | 0 | 46 (104) | 0.44 |
| 7 |  Goran Markov |
1993–1995 | 43 | 1 | 0 | 44 (83) | 0.53 |
| Nico Patschinski |
1994–1998, 2006–2009 | 43 | 1 | 0 | 44 (140) | 0.31 | |
| 9 | Steffen Menze |
1998–2003 | 38 | 2 | 0 | 40 (164) | 0.24 |
| 10 | Matthias Zimmerling |
1991–1994, 1997–1998 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 37 (92) | 0.40 |
Club Culture
1. FC Union Berlin is known as one of Europe's "cult" clubs. This is because of many special things its fans and the club have done over the last 20 years.
The club's nicknames are Eiserne (the Iron Ones) or Eisern Union (Iron Union). These names came from an older nickname, Schlosserjungs (metalworker boys). This was because their blue uniforms looked like the work clothes of local factory workers.
In May 2004, fans helped the club financially. They raised enough money to keep the club's license for fourth-division football. This campaign was called 'Bleed for Union'. Fans actually donated blood to Berlin hospitals. They then gave the money they received from the blood bank to their club.
After 2010, Union Berlin became more popular with new people moving to Berlin, including those from other countries. They were attracted to the club's special atmosphere.
In 2023, Wildz, an entertainment brand, became a main sponsor of the club.
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Punk legend Nina Hagen.
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Weihnachtssingen (Christmas carols singing) in 2010.
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Union Berlin boat on the river Spree.
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Union Berlin Bus.
Club Rivalries
During the East German era, 1. FC Union Berlin had a strong rivalry with BFC Dynamo. BFC Dynamo was connected to the powerful state security service of East Germany, known as the Stasi. Union, on the other hand, was supported by the local government and state-owned businesses. The club was seen by some as representing an unofficial opposition to the communist system.
Between 1979 and 1988, BFC Dynamo won ten league titles in a row. Many people believed they had unfair advantages, which made the rivalry even stronger. Fans of both teams often clashed. Union fans saw their club as the underdog, rooted in the working class. Union became the most popular club in East Berlin.
Some sources say that Union Berlin fans chanted "The wall must go!" during games in the 1980s. This was a reference to the Berlin Wall. However, some also say this story might be a bit exaggerated. Union fans saw themselves as stubborn and non-conformist. But this image was not always about political resistance. Most Union supporters were just regular football fans.
Despite 1. FC Union Berlin and Hertha BSC being the two biggest clubs in Berlin, their rivalry has been less intense. Fans of both clubs showed support for each other when Berlin was divided. In the 1970s, fans from both clubs visited each other's stadiums. They even sang chants like "Hertha and Union – one nation."
The two groups of supporters met for the first time after the Berlin wall opened. This was at an indoor tournament in January 1990. Hertha BSC and 1. FC Union Berlin played each other for the first time on January 19, 1990. Hertha BSC won 3–2.
On January 27, 1990, Hertha hosted Union Berlin in a friendly match at the Olympiastadion. Over 52,000 fans attended. Fans from both clubs paid for tickets using either East or West German money. They sang songs about German reunification.
More than twenty years later, on September 17, 2010, the two teams played each other in a competitive match for the first time. It was a 2. Bundesliga game at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei, and it ended in a 1–1 draw.
On November 2, 2019, Union Berlin played Hertha at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei in their first-ever top-flight match. Union won 1–0 with a penalty goal from Sebastian Polter in the 87th minute. The game was stopped for a short time because Hertha fans threw fireworks onto the field. Over 1,100 police officers were on duty for the game. After the game, Union Berlin goalkeeper Rafał Gikiewicz was praised for guiding Union fans away from the field after a small pitch invasion.
Union Berlin also has rivalries with Hansa Rostock, Dynamo Dresden, and Magdeburg. These rivalries started when the teams played in the DDR-Oberliga.
More recently, a rivalry has grown with RB Leipzig. This started after Red Bull GmbH took over a fifth-division team and helped it rise through the leagues. In 2011, Union Berlin ran ads against this investment. On September 21, 2014, Union Berlin fans held a silent protest for the first 15 minutes of a home game against RB Leipzig. They called RB Leipzig a "marketing product" with "brainwashed consumers." Union Berlin won that game 2–1. On August 18, 2019, during Union Berlin's first Bundesliga game against RB Leipzig, the club's oldest fan group, the Wuhlesyndikat, organized a 15-minute silent protest at the start of the game.
Club Songs
The official Union Berlin song is "Eisern Union" by German punk singer Nina Hagen. This song was recorded in 1998. A famous fan chant, also called 'Eisern Union', is sung back and forth between the Waldseite and Gegengerade stands during games.
Christmas Tradition
Union Berlin is also famous for its Christmas traditions at their home stadium. In 2003, the yearly Union Weihnachtssingen (Christmas carols singing) started as a small gathering of just 89 fans. By 2013, 27,500 people attended, including players and fans from other teams. Fans drink Glühwein (mulled wine), wave candles, light flares, and sing Christmas carols mixed with football chants.
Club Mascot
Ritter Keule (which means: Cudgel the Knight) is the mascot of Union Berlin. He was first introduced in the year 2000.
Movies and Games
Union fürs Leben (Union for life) is a 2014 documentary film. It shows the strong passion of the supporters for 1. FC Union Berlin.
Honours and Achievements
National Titles
- German Football Championship
- Runners-up: 1923
- DDR-Liga Nord (Second Division)
- Winners: 1965–66, 1969–70
- Runners-up: 1963–64
- DDR-Liga B (Second Division)
- Winners: 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1980–81, 1981–82
- DDR-Liga A (Second Division)
- Winners: 1984–85, 1990–91
- Runners-up: 1989–90
- 3. Liga (Third Division)
- Winners 2008–9
- II. DDR-Liga I (Third Division)
- Winners: 1961–62
- German Cup
- Runners-up: 2000–01
- East German Cup:
- Winners: 1967–68
- Runners-up: 1985–86
Regional Titles
- Berlin/Brandenburg Champions (−1933)
- Winners: 1920, 1923
- Runners-up: 1917, 1925
- Gauliga Berlin-Brandenburg:
- Winners: 1940
- Oberliga Berlin (1945–63):
- Winners: 1947–48
- Runners-up: 1949–50
- NOFV-Oberliga Mitte (Third Division)
- Winners: 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94
- Regionalliga Nordost (Third Division)
- Winners: 1999–2000
- Runners-up: 1995–96
- Regionalliga Nord (Third Division)
- Winners: 2000–01
- NOFV-Oberliga Nord (Fourth Division)
- Winner: 2005–06
- Berlin Cup (Tiers III–VII)
- Winners: 1947, 1948, 1994, 2007, 2009
- Runners-up: 1926, 1997
Youth Titles
- East German Youth Championship
- Runners-up: 1985, 1988
- East German Junior Cup (Junge Welt-Pokal)
- Winners: 1960
Season Performance
More About Union Berlin
In Spanish: F. C. Union Berlin para niños
- Football in Germany
- Football in Berlin
- Sport in Berlin
