Ultras Union Berlin

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The club's origins can be traced to 1906, when its predecessor FC Olympia Oberschöneweide was founded. The side took on the name SC Union 06 Oberschöneweide in 1910. Union was one of Berlin's premier clubs in the interwar period, regularly winning local championships and competing at the national level, including an appearance in the 1923 German championship final which they lost 0–3 to Hamburger SV. Early on, the team was nicknamed 'Schlosserjungs' (English: metalworker-boys) because of their then all blue kit, reminiscent of the typical work clothing worn in the factories of the industrial Oberschöneweide district. The popular cry of Union supporters – 'Eisern Union!' (Iron Union) – also emerged at this time. Since its foundation the club has had a distinct working-class image, in contrast to other local clubs with more middle-class origins, such as Viktoria 89 Berlin, Blau-Weiß 90 Berlin, BSV 92 Berlin or Tennis Borussia Berlin. After World War II, escalating Cold War tensions led Soviet authorities to refuse the team permission to travel to take part in the national final rounds. Two Union teams then emerged as most players and coaches emigrated west to form Sport-Club Union 06 Berlin. The eastern branch of the club went through a number of name changes: Union Oberschöneweide (1950), BSG Motor Oberschöneweide (1951), SC Motor Berlin (1955), TSC Oberschöneweide (1957), TSC Berlin (1963) – finally becoming the football club 1. FC Union Berlin in 1966. 1. FC Union Berlin was founded on the initiative of the powerful Herbert Warnke, chairman of the state-controlled national trade union FDGB and a member of the SED Politburo. The club was founded in a ceremony in the clubhouse of VEB Transformatorenwerk Oberschöneheide 'Karl Liebknecht' (TRO) in Oberschöneweide on 20 January 1966. The founding of the club was organized by the then-SED First Secretary in Köpenick, Hans Modrow. Union managed to win the East German Cup in 1968 when they defeated FC Carl Zeiss Jena 2–1 although they lost in their second cup appearance in 1986 to 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig by a score of 1–5. The East German state-owned film studio DEFA produced a documentary about the supporters of 1. FC Union Berlin in 1989. The documentary is called And Fridays at the Green Hell and follows a group of supporters of 1. FC Union Berlin to both home and away matches during the 1987–88 season.

In Their Own Story

In 1923, Union reached the German championship final, facing Hamburger SV. The match ended in a 0–3 loss, but it marked the club's first appearance on the national stage. Decades later, in 1968, Union won the East German Cup, defeating FC Carl Zeiss Jena 2–1. That victory stood as the club's only major trophy in the East German era. After German reunification in 1990, the team almost collapsed financially. They managed to hang on and find sponsorship, but only after winning their division in both 1993 and 1994 and each time being denied a license to play in the 2. Bundesliga due to their financial problems. The club's fortunes turned in 2019 when Union won promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in the club's history. In 2021, Union finished seventh in the league to qualify to the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League. In 2022, the club qualified for the UEFA Europa League by finishing fifth. The following season, the club qualified for the Champions League for the first time in their history, by finishing fourth in the Bundesliga.

Reader's Guide

The home ground of the club is the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. It is the second-largest in the German capital and has been home to Union Berlin and its forerunners since it opened in 1920. The stadium also hosts concerts and the annual Weihnachtssingen Christmas carols event. As of 30 June 2026, Union Berlin has 72,172 official members. The club has become well known for its enthusiastic and creative fan base and its chant 'Eisern Union' (Iron Union). During the Cold War, Union was based in East Berlin. The club developed a bitter rivalry with BFC Dynamo, which was supported by the Stasi. While their arch rivals won 10 titles in a row, Union yo-yoed between the DDR-Oberliga and the DDR-Liga with very little success. The club's working-class image has persisted since its foundation, in contrast to other local clubs with more middle-class origins, such as Viktoria 89 Berlin, Blau-Weiß 90 Berlin, BSV 92 Berlin or Tennis Borussia Berlin.

Did You Know?

• The club's origins can be traced to 1906, when its predecessor FC Olympia Oberschöneweide was founded.
• Union appeared in the 1923 German championship final, losing 0–3 to Hamburger SV.
• The club won the East German Cup in 1968, defeating FC Carl Zeiss Jena 2–1.
• The East German state-owned film studio DEFA produced a documentary about Union supporters called 'And Fridays at the Green Hell' in 1989.
• As of 30 June 2026, Union Berlin has 72,172 official members.