The forged bank guarantee: the biggest financial crime story around the Köpenickers took place in 1993. On the pitch, Union had finally qualified for the second Bundesliga, beating Bischofswerda 1–0 in the playoff. Afterwards it emerged that the bank guarantee required for licensing had been forged. On 2 July 1993 the DFB awarded the second-division place to hated West Berlin rivals Tennis Borussia.
Later reports suggested that an employee of Union’s sponsor had tipped off TeBe boss and Schlager producer Jack White. White gratefully passed on the information. However it happened, the end result was clear: Union were denied entry, then denied a licence again a year later because of debt of 2.56 million marks.
To avoid sinking even deeper into the red, they had to sell players such as Marko Rehmer and Sergej Barbarez. Frank Pagelsdorf left Berlin and later took Hansa Rostock up to the Bundesliga.