Union Berlin, the rebel club of East Berlin

After have just touched the direct promotion one week ago, finishing third behind Koln and Paderborn, Union Berlin will play in the Bundesliga next season, thanks to a double draw (2-2 away and 0-0 at home) against a much more experienced and string team, the Stuttgart of Mario Gomez and Benjamin Pavard who arrived at 14th place in the top flight. What amazes is not only the fact that since 2012 no lower German series team had been able to win such a play-off, but that it was a team with a unique history like the red and white one that managed to do it.

Always considered the rebel team of the capital, not so much for the rivalry with Hertha Berlin but rather for the one with the Dynamo Berlin, Union has always represented a unique reality in the national panorama, even though it almost never participated in the major league. This will in fact be the first time in Bundesliga, a doubly historical milestone if it is considered as the only real team of the former GDR, the German Democratic Republic that ceased to exist in 1990, whose only component in Bundesliga actually is only the RB Leipzig.

In East Berlin, and precisely in the Köpenick district, Union has its headquarters but above all its fan-base, always of popular extraction because of the origins of the first supporters, workers and metalworkers. Founded in 1906, after many changes of denomination and social colors (the original was blue) the acquired the current status only in 1966; in addition to the eternal opposition to the Dynamo, the team of the Stasi (the secret services of the former GDR) which had won ten consecutive titles, of the Union have few memories based on winnings and good results: after a life spent in the minor leagues, the only ones exploits are fairly recent.

The German Cup final lost against Schalke 04 in 2001 and the recent defeat on penalties, again in the DFB Pokal, at Borussia Dortmund, had helped to remind us of this absolutely cult team from the far East of Berlin, where it had settled following the post-World War II split. More than for purely footballing reasons, it is said that the supporters of the Union went to the stadium only to conspire against the regime, exercising a form of considerable resistance and increasingly strengthening that sense of community that was embodied by the proletarian class of Germany Eastern before the fall of the Wall.

The financial troubles, those two million euros that the Eisernen needed to avoid bankruptcy, have however been resolved thanks to the humanity and the affection of their fans, who despite having almost completely lost a very specific political connotation, literally gave the blood to finance the club and contribute to the sporting rebirth. It was 2004, in fact, when the same supporters started donating blood in hospitals in order to raise money for the cause. Then, between 2008 and 2013, the fans (about 2400 volunteers) always became protagonists of the restructuring of the An der Alten Fosterei stadium with their own hands, making it the spartan and functional venue that is today, ready for another maintenance work. Functional and spartan yes, but also welcoming, given that on the occasion of the 2014 World Cup won by the German national team it had turned into a huge living room, where everyone could bring their own sofa and enjoy the games as if they were at home, in a absolutely intimate and genuine atmosphere.

The same word Union says it, never so appropriate: participation is one of the key-words of the German team's fans, which year after year have increasingly strengthened their faith. The stadium for which so many efforts had been made (outside the stadium there is no statue of any player but only a giant helmet with the signatures of all the participants in the works) is now almost entirely owned by the fans thanks to a recent popular shareholding operation and during the Christmas period becomes then the real meeting point to be together during Weihnachtssingen, a special night during which traditional choirs are sung by lighting candles and drinking glühwein all together. A real habit born almost by chance in 2003 and lived year after year with increasing passion, up to involving 28 thousand people during the last eve.

A team of this kind, so compact and proud and with a faithful community always at its side, could only live with the fans the most beautiful moment, that of the final whistle that sanctioned the promotion. The field invasion (absolutely peaceful) that happened at the end of the game was an exciting moment that went around the world. Also because the players, as well as the coach, are anything but famous: on the bench there is the former Basel Urs Fischer, in the field the brother of Toni Kroos, Felix, and many interesting young people. The secret this year was to suffer as few goals as possible, a difficult task given the average goal of the Zweite Liga, and then also a bit of luck, see goalkeeper Gikiewicz's goal against Heidenheim.

After have just touched the direct promotion one week ago, finishing third behind Koln and Paderborn, Union Berlin will play in the Bundesliga next season, thanks to a double draw (2-2 away and 0-0 at home) against a much more experienced and string team, the Stuttgart of Mario Gomez and Benjamin Pavard who arrived at 14th place in the top flight. What amazes is not only the fact that since 2012 no lower German series team had been able to win such a play-off, but that it was a team with a unique history like the red and white one that managed to do it.

Always considered the rebel team of the capital, not so much for the rivalry with Hertha Berlin but rather for the one with the Dynamo Berlin, Union has always represented a unique reality in the national panorama, even though it almost never participated in the major league. This will in fact be the first time in Bundesliga, a doubly historical milestone if it is considered as the only team of the former GDR, the German Democratic Republic that ceased to exist in 1990.

Proprio a Berlino Est, e precisamente nel quartiere di Köpenick, l'Union ha la sua sede ma soprattutto il suo bacino di tifosi di riferimento, da sempre di estrazione popolare per via delle origini dei primi supporters, operai e metalmeccanici. Dopo i tantissimi cambi di denominazione sociale, oltre all'eterna contrapposizione alla Dynamo, la squadra della Stasi (i servizi segreti della ex DDR), dell'Union si hanno pochi ricordi basati su successi e risultati: dopo una vita trascorsa nelle leghe minori, gli unici exploit sono abbastanza recenti. La finale di Coppa di Germania persa nel 2001 contro lo Schalke e la recente sconfitta ai rigori, sempre nella DFB Pokal, in casa del Borussia Dortmund, avevano contribuito a ricordarci di questa squadra assolutamente cult proveniente dell'estremo Est berlinese.

I guai finanziari, quei due milioni di Euro che servivano agli Eisernen per evitare la bancarotta, sono però stati risolti grazie all'umanità e alla vicinanza dei propri tifosi, che hanno letteralmente dato il sangue per finanziare il club e contribuire alla rinascita sportiva. Era il 2004, infatti, quando gli stessi supporters iniziarono a donare sangue negli ospedali pur di racimolare soldi utili alla causa. Tra il 2008 e il 2013, poi, sempre i tifosi (circa 2400 volontari) si resero protagonisti della ristrutturazione dello stadio An der Alten Fosterei con le loro stesse mani, rendendolo l'impianto funzionale e spartano che è oggi, pronto per un'altra opera di manutenzione. Funzionale e spartano si, ma anche accogliente, visto che in occasione dei Mondiali 2014 vinti dalla Nazionale tedesca si era trasformato in un gigantesco salotto, in cui ognuno poteva portare il proprio divano e godersi le partite come se fosse a casa propria, in un'atmosfera assolutamente intima e genuina.

Lo dice la stessa parola Union, mai così appropriata: la partecipazione è uno dei capisaldi dei tifosi della squadra tedesca, che anno dopo anno hanno rafforzato sempre più la loro fede. Lo stadio per cui tanti sforzi erano stati profusi (al di fuori dell'impianto non c'è la statua di nessun calciatore ma solo un elmetto gigante con le firme di tutti i partecipanti ai lavori) durante il periodo natalizio diventa poi il vero punto di incontro per stare insieme durante il Weihnachtssingen, una veglia durante la quale si cantano cori tradizionali accendendo candele e bevendo glühwein tutti insieme. Una vera e propria abitudine nata quasi per caso nel 2003 e vissuta anno dopo anno con passione sempre maggiore, fino a coinvolgere 28 mila persone durante la scorsa vigilia.

Una squadra del genere, così compatta e orgogliosa e con una comunità fedele sempre al proprio fianco, non poteva che vivere con i tifosi il momento più bello, quello del fischio finale che ha sancito la promozione. L'invasione di campo (assolutamente pacifica) che è capitata a fine partita è stato un momento emozionante che ha fatto il giro del mondo. Anche perché i giocatori, così come l'allenatore, sono tutt'altro che famosi: in panchina c'è l'ex Basilea Urs Fischer, in campo il fratello di Toni Kroos, Felix, e tanti giovani interessanti. Il segreto di quest'anno è stato subire il minor numero possibile di reti, un compito arduo visto la media gol della Zweite Liga, e poi anche un pizzico di fortuna, vedi il gol del portiere Gikiewicz contro l'Heidenheim.