Hertha BSC vs. Union Berlin – The Fan-Culture of Soccer in Berlin

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Hertha Logo vs Union Logo

I always knew about German's love for soccer, since Germany is not only one of the leading countries in the international football scene but has also numerous different clubs that enjoy a huge fanbase. What I did not know was that besides the pure love for the game, there is also a huge rivalry in Berlin between the fans of the two clubs everybody living or staying in Berlin should know about (dramatic drumroll please!): Hertha BSC and 1.FC Union.

Bonding
While I thought there is enough space in Berlin for both clubs, every old-established soccer fan in Berlin told me passionately that there is definitely not. Being in Berlin and wanting to be part of the fan community of soccer, you have to choose wheter you are a so-called 'Herthaner' or a 'Unioner'.

Union Berlin

While today there is a huge rivalry between the fandoms of the two clubs, this was not always the case. In fact (here come some 'Fußball-Fun-Facts'), in the times of the GDR Hertha fans, being in the West of Berlin, and 1.FC Union fans, being in the East, motivated each other by shouting out to each other over the Berlin Wall with megaphones. This bonding was called 'Freunde hinter Stacheldraht' and a soccer-fandom friendship beyond the boarders. Once again, soccer united people.

In 1989, when the fall of the Berlin Wall took place, 'Herthaner' and 'Unioner' finally got together and celebrated their common love for soccer, their clubs and their old-new friendship. Now, more than twenty years later, friends turned into competitors.

When the two clubs met again in the years of 2010 and 2012 in the same division, there were a lot of derbys between the two home clubs of Berlin. This led to the fans of every club wanting to win and the rivalry began. While in Berlin itself there is a huge discrepancy between 'Herthaner' and 'Unioner', there is also a fan-devision in the rest of Germany (by following this link, you can find a detailed and fun graphic of how many fans of each club are situated in Berlin as well as in Germany: http://interaktiv.morgenpost.de/fussballkarte-berlin/#11/52.5690/13.3312).

As for me, being a non-soccer expert but still an enthusiast when it comes to supporting the German 'Fußballspieler', I cannot decide yet which Berlin soccer-spirit to choose since every club, Hertha BSC as well as 1.FC Union, have a strong fandom in their corner.

So to sum up, if you do not know yet which fandom to join in the German capital do not hesitate to ask Berliners all over the city why they chose their club – they will be more than happy to explain to you why their club is the one to choose (or even start singing the hymn of their club) - either way, since we are talking about German soccer-fans here, you will be in good company!





Location: Berlin, Germany

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