60 years of 1. FC Union Berlin:
A Night of Celebration
1. FC Union Berlin celebrated their 60th birthday this evening with a both moving and joyful ceremony. Thousands of Union fans gathered at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei to spend the evening together in congratulations to their club.
The celebration was visible even from a distance, as the stadium and its surroundings were decked out in the club's colours; a large marquee with space for around 4,000 members and the entire area around the main stand were bathed in red and white. In front of the stadium, guests were greeted by a wintry wonderland with stalls, lights, and a 6 x 3.50-meter LED wall that broadcast the ceremony live from inside the marquee.
The ceremony began at 19:00 with the Union anthem, before Christian Arbeit, member of the executive committee and stadium announcer, welcomed the members to the event. This was followed by a respectful minute's silence for those club members who had passed away in the last year, which ended with applause, in keeping with Union tradition.
Amidst loud cheers, the players of the two professional teams then entered the central round stage via four catwalks. In short interviews, women’s and men’s head coaches Ailien Poese and Steffen Baumgart summarised the current sporting situation of their teams. Afterwards, both squads took their seats in the tent, accompanied by loud Union chants from the audience.
A mixture of historical images and humorous clips brought the club's 60-year history to life before Union President Dirk Zingler spoke about the club's past, present, and future. "Union is a community – and community thrives on responsibility,” he said. “This evening shows what we stand for and what has defined us for decades: ‘wir werden ewig leben’ [we will live forever] is not just a slogan to go up on the wall, but a promise that we fulfill together every day."
This was followed by the honours for deserving members:
Jörg Steinberg, author of the play “Und niemals vergessen – Eisern Union”, was awarded the golden badge of honour.
Jörg Hinze, former member of the executive committee, was named an honourary member of 1. FC Union Berlin after a moving laudatory speech by Dirk Zingler.
The centrepiece of the ceremony was the presentation of the Legends XI. Selected by several thousand Union fans last year in anticipation of the club's upcoming anniversary, the lineup provided a fine cross-section of Union's favourite players over its first six decades.
The selected Legends XI
- Goal: Frederik Rönnöw
- Defence: Ronny Nikol - Christian Stuff - Michael Parensen - Christopher Trimmel
- Midfield: Olaf Seier - Lutz Hendel - Damir Kreilach - Torsten Mattuschka
- Attack: Joachim Sigusch - Karim Benyamina
Some players had travelled to Köpenick especially for the evening. Damir Kreilach made his way from his home country of Croatia, while Michael Parensen stopped by from Austria, where he currently works.
Christopher Trimmel's appearance provided a particularly moving moment. To great cheers, the captain signed a new contract live on stage with President Zingler; he will remain part of the men's first team next season.
At the end, all the players from the Legends XI took to the stage once again – for the first time in the anniversary jersey that was presented to mark the club's birthday: a red adidas shirt with white accents on the collar and sleeves, retro lettering, and a special fabric texture. A special honour for the Legends XI came as the numbers of the selected players backs bore the likeness of the respective player.
Finally, actor and singer Alexander Scheer provided an emotional finale to the evening with his interpretation of David Bowie's classic “Heroes,” creating a finale that lived up to the evening: it was powerful, timeless, and full of heart.
An unforgettable evening
1. FC Union Berlin would like to thank all members, contributors, and helpers who made this special club anniversary possible and who are now embarking on Union's seventh decade together.
