Eisern Union

Harald Hauswald

fans football Hauswald

Un mot sur l'oeuvre

HHAU001
This image is from a long-term project by Harald Hauswald on FC Union, an East Berlin football club. Originally Harald responded to an assignment from a West German magazine wanting to show the state of hooliganism in East Germany. His encounter with supporters of Union Berlin FC marked the beginning of the adventure. Harald never left them again and followed them regularly for more than twenty-five years, telling the story of Germany through them.
But, back to the image ! It is the last one of this body of work. He produced it for Hobo, the feature magazine published by L’Equipe in 2012.
28th December 2011, in the «an der alten Försterei», stadium, Union’s lair. Since reunification the club had become the refuge of people with « ostalgie ». Those who, while rejecting the East German system, miss the time when there was more solidarity and money was less important. Every year, on a December’s evening, Union supporters gather in the stadium despite there being no match. A surreal scene where 18,000 people sing carols and the Club’s anthem : « Eisern Union » (« Steel Union »).

Le témoignage d'Harald Hauswald

You have to know a little about the club’s history to understand. At the time of reunification, the club didn’t have much money and slipped down to the lower divisions. It is now back up into the Bundesliga 2 (2nd professional division). It is surviving and even starting to look healthier thanks to the supporters who took on the job of renovating the stadium, to meet modern standards, by working every weekend for months (140,000 hours work carried out by 2,000 volunteers). Ostalgie, the sentiment that unites them, is obviously not a desire to return to the old system. The younger generation didn’t know it at all, even if they are children of ‘ossis’. What people miss is that, even though life was difficult at the time, there was a spirit of helping others and human warmth which is disappearing. Not everything was about money. By being part of the club, they recreate that feeling.
 

Le choix de Jean-Denis

The image is simple, but the message it carries is so powerful ! You must look at it, read its story then look at it again and it will transport you. So far that you’ll be able to feel the emotion coming out of it.
If you play « Eisern Union » (on YouTube) at top volume, as well as immersing yourself in the image, you’ll need a big box of tissues !