Bleeding for Union: Kölmel’s blessing did not flow without interruption. When the club crashed into the Oberliga in 2005, his suspended sentence for delaying insolvency was already a fact. Union had already once again been threatened with collapse in 2003/04. Through the blood donation campaign “Bleeding for Union” in May and June 2004, the supporters raised money and helped gather the urgently needed 1.46 million euros.
Zingler, Kölmel and other sponsors put in the rest. The club stabilised and later, under Christian Schreier, won promotion back to the Regionalliga.