For the Lovers — Union Berlin

Union Berlin’s greatest successes in the twenty-first century, as of December 2019, were promotion to the Bundesliga in 2019 and reaching the DFB-Poka...

Union Berlin’s greatest successes in the twenty-first centur...

Union Berlin’s greatest successes in the twenty-first century, as of December 2019, were promotion to the Bundesliga in 2019 and reaching the DFB-Poka...

Union Berlin’s greatest successes in the twenty-first century, as of December 2019, were promotion to the Bundesliga in 2019 and reaching the DFB-Pokal final in their own city in 2001.

The 2019 playoff: by prevailing in the relegation

The 2019 playoff: by prevailing in the relegation playoff against sixteenth-placed Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart, Union Berlin reached the German top flight for the first time and all dams in the Wuhlheide burst.

The 2019 playoff: by prevailing in the relegation playoff against sixteenth-placed Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart, Union Berlin reached the German top flight for the first time and all dams in the Wuhlheide burst. Remarkably, Union got there with three consecutive draws. First Urs Fischer’s team came back from 0–2 down in Bochum to draw 2–2 and secure a place in the playoff. Then a 2–2 in Stuttgart and a 0–0 in Berlin made the fans’ dream come true. The Eisernen were promoted.

The year 2001: until then it was the

The year 2001: until then it was the greatest year in Union’s history.

The year 2001: until then it was the greatest year in Union’s history. The club won promotion to the second Bundesliga for the first time and, while still a third-tier side, reached the DFB-Pokal final in Berlin against Schalke 04. Even though they lost 2–0 to the Royal Blues, Union as cup runners-up were finally allowed to play in Europe.

UEFA Cup: in the UEFA Cup, Georgi Wassilew’s

UEFA Cup: in the UEFA Cup, Georgi Wassilew’s team beat Finnish club Haka Valkeakoski 3–0 in the return leg after drawing 1–1 in the small Finnish town.

UEFA Cup: in the UEFA Cup, Georgi Wassilew’s team beat Finnish club Haka Valkeakoski 3–0 in the return leg after drawing 1–1 in the small Finnish town. The return match on 27 September 2001 had a special note. It had to be played in the Jahnstadion of bitter rivals BFC Dynamo because the Alte Försterei was not approved for international matches.

Intertoto Cup winners 1985: international successes beyond t...

Intertoto Cup winners 1985: international successes beyond that were rare.

Intertoto Cup winners 1985: international successes beyond that were rare. The most notable came in 1985, when Union won their Intertoto group against Bayer Uerdingen, Standard Liège and Lausanne Sports.

Favourite-fall trap in the Wuhlheide: domestically, however,...

Favourite-fall trap in the Wuhlheide: domestically, however, the Alte Försterei quickly became a trap for favourites.

Favourite-fall trap in the Wuhlheide: domestically, however, the Alte Försterei quickly became a trap for favourites. In the 2000/01 season, all of football Germany finally got to know the cult venue in Köpenick. That happened especially through Union’s cup matches in that memorable season. In the cramped stadium where the scoreboard was still changed by hand and where the pitch in the snow-covered semi-final looked more like a Brandenburg field than a modern playing surface, the professional outsiders strung one upset after another together. The absolute peak came in the semi-final against Borussia Mönchengladbach. On 6 February 2001, Union reached the final by winning 6–4 on penalties.

Derby wins over Hertha: Union and their big

Derby wins over Hertha: Union and their big western neighbour Hertha BSC only met in the Bundesliga for the first time in November 2019, when Union won 1–0 thanks to a late goal.

Derby wins over Hertha: Union and their big western neighbour Hertha BSC only met in the Bundesliga for the first time in November 2019, when Union won 1–0 thanks to a late goal. In the second Bundesliga there had been only four East-West derbies between 2010 and 2013, with each side winning once. On 5 February 2011, Union triumphed 2–1 at the Olympiastadion in front of 74,244 spectators. John Jairo Mosquera and Torsten “Tusche” Mattuschka became derby heroes with their goals.

The first Bundesliga win: when the mighty BVB

The first Bundesliga win: when the mighty BVB came to the Wuhlheide on 31 August 2019, the roles seemed clear.

The first Bundesliga win: when the mighty BVB came to the Wuhlheide on 31 August 2019, the roles seemed clear. Dortmund wanted to become champions; Union had not yet won a Bundesliga match. But the game did not follow the script. Union took the lead through Marius Bülter in the 22nd minute, Dortmund equalised through Paco Alcácer three minutes later, and it was 1–1 at the break. Union then came out more aggressive and more dangerous. Bülter again in the 50th minute and Sebastian Andersson in the 75th struck against the black-and-yellows and secured Union Berlin’s first Bundesliga victory.

Union outfox Buschner: a result regarded as sensational

Union outfox Buschner: a result regarded as sensational in GDR times, a 2–1 win over Carl Zeiss Jena in the 1968 FDGB-Pokal final, gave Union their only national title.

Union outfox Buschner: a result regarded as sensational in GDR times, a 2–1 win over Carl Zeiss Jena in the 1968 FDGB-Pokal final, gave Union their only national title. Union coach Werner “Schwenne” Schwenzfeier wrong-footed Georg Buschner by pulling 21-year-old rookie Reinhard “Mäcki” Lauck out of the hat. Lauck himself was stunned by the selection. But the move surprised the favourite, and Union won 2–1 through goals by Meinhard Uentz and Ralf Quest. Lauck would later win Olympic gold with East Germany in Montreal in 1976.

Victories over BFC Dynamo: wins over the hated

Victories over BFC Dynamo: wins over the hated ex-Stasi club still carry cult status in Köpenick.

Victories over BFC Dynamo: wins over the hated ex-Stasi club still carry cult status in Köpenick. Examples include the 8–0 demolition in 2005 in front of 14,000 spectators in the Oberliga and the final meeting in the same division a year later. The match stood at 1–1 when a group of special Dynamo supporters stormed the field and forced abandonment. The NOFV sporting court later awarded Union a 2–0 victory.

Karl-Marx-Stadt, 28 May 1988: if you ask old

Karl-Marx-Stadt, 28 May 1988: if you ask old Union fans for their happiest Oberliga memory, you often get the surprising answer “Karl-Marx-Stadt”.

Karl-Marx-Stadt, 28 May 1988: if you ask old Union fans for their happiest Oberliga memory, you often get the surprising answer “Karl-Marx-Stadt”. On that day the Eisernen needed an away win to avoid relegation. Twice they went behind, twice they came back, and right at the end a final free kick led to a scramble and the winning goal for 3–2. “A madhouse,” as reporter Wolfgang Hempel put it. It was not Union who went down, but Vorwärts Frankfurt.

Fifth place in 2021/22 and qualification for the Conference League.