Personae Non Gratae

The dark side of the force: As a supporter and backer of BFC Dynamo, Erich Mielke has always been an abomination to Union fans — and not just for sporting reasons. The BFC, long regarded as the ultimate enemy, was not only GDR serial champions but also the favourite club of the Stasi chief, who represented everything…

The traitor: In June 1993, Union Berlin beat Tennis Borussia Berlin 2-1, all but sealing their sporting promotion to the 2. Bundesliga. After a 1-0 win against Bischofswerda, "Die Eisernen" were already planning their future as a professional club in a haze of celebration — when the "bombshell" dropped…