Grizzly Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 From the Leipziger Volkszeitung: quote:Das hoch explosive Ortsderby rückt näher, am Sonntag, 14 Uhr, empfängt der FC Sachsen den 1. FC Lok zum wohl brisantesten Stadtduell in deutschen Fußball-Landen. Heerscharen überregionaler Medienvertreter haben sich akkreditiert, warten im Zentralstadion leider Gottes nur aufs Eine: Ausschreitungen. Die Chefs beider Klubs wollen die tickende Zeitbombe mit einer konzertierten Aktion entschärfen. The highly explosive city derby comes nearer, on Sunday at 14:00, FC Sachsen meets 1. FC Lok in the most volatile city duel in Germany. Hordes of national media representatives have applied for accreditation and, unfortunately, will wait in Central Stadium for only one thing, hooliganism. The management of both clubs wants to diffuse the ticking time bomb with a concerted campaign. This Sunday, August 23rd is the first Leipzig derby since April 2003 though our 2nd team did play against LOK's first team in March 2008 before more than 12 000 fans. The derby is between two of East Germany's biggest teams who because of various financial problems and bankruptcies find themselves in the lowly 5th division. Nevertheless, this derby is known as the most explosive derby in Germany and is referred to as the Hassderby (Hate Derby). The hate between the two clubs stems from LOK being the favoured team of the East German communist party while supporting Chemie (now officially called Sachsen but still referred to as Chemie) was one of the few ways that people could express opposition to the dictatorship. Since reunification, however, LOK has become a favourite team of neo-Nazi hooligans while Chemie is more centre-left. Despite this game being played in the 5th division it will have more police than any of the 1st Bundesliga games. The clubs are trying to prevent problems between the fans of both teams by putting up billboards throughout the city with the message: Together for Fairplay and Respect - On the Field and in the Stands: They have also made a video of both teams with a similar message (unfortunately one has to watch a U2 commercial before the video): http://video.lvz-online.de/?bcpid=24263938001&bclid=22378892001&bctid=34464661001 The soccer authorities said they would also schedule the games of some nearby teams who are allied to the clubs at the same time to avoid fans/hooligans from these teams from joining the battle. Yet they did not do a very good job of this since they only managed to schedule Jena and Erfurt at the same time. LOK's biggest ally Halle and Chemie's ally Union Berlin are both free as is Dynamo Dresden who are not really a Chemie ally but are extremely anti-LOK and usually bring fans/hooligans to this match. Despite these measures there will probably be problems before or after the game if not during it as well. Game stoppages occur pretty regularly in this derby. It is pretty funny to think all this police and media presence is occuring for a game in the 5th division. Nevertheless, these Leipzig derbies are always the most intense games I ever attend partly because of the tension and partly because much of the rivalry doesn't have much to do with football but rather with political and social viewpoints and philosophies that are diametrically opposed. I was saving up to go to the game (went to the last several including the last one in 2003 but was also living there at the time) but they scheduled it very early in the season so it was too early for me. Unfortunately 5th division games are not televised but hopefully at the Impact game on Sunday I can celebrate the Chemie Sieg! The fifth division is actually pretty exciting this year. LOK hooligans have already caused their first away game to be cancelled by spraying poison on their opponent's field (of course it can't be proven that they did it). They did this to us once and apparently tried to do it already this year at our stadium but were spotted and took off before police could arrive. The team they did this to is Aue whose second team they were supposed to play and the field may have to be replaced at a cost of $100 000. Additionally, with the huge top level stadium in Leipzig, the destroyers of football, Red Bull have bought a small 5th division team from a Leipzig suburb and renamed it Red Bull Leipzig and are hoping to push it up quickly to the top leagues by spending a lot of money. Of course the hatred of this "commercial team without history" is the only thing that Chemie and LOK fans agree upon and many fans of other teams are protesting them. During their recent game against Jena's reserve team, a large number of Jena fans came to the game to protest against RB and the commercialization of soccer and blocked the RB team bus both before and after the game. It seems that RB can expect that against any team they play against with a large supporters base, even if it is that team's reserve team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youllneverwalkalone Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 I'm curious why, with this type of passionate fan support for the East German clubs, nobody with deep pockets have stepped forward to bring these clubs back up the pyramid. We've seen so many examples in England, with Fulham, QPR, and recently Notts County coming to mind. I know personally that I have a lot family who have taken advantage of various business opportunities in the former DDR. I would think football would be one of the most obvious business ventures that could be very successful? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amacpher Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 quote:Originally posted by youllneverwalkalone I'm curious why, with this type of passionate fan support for the East German clubs, nobody with deep pockets have stepped forward to bring these clubs back up the pyramid. We've seen so many examples in England, with Fulham, QPR, and recently Notts County coming to mind. I know personally that I have a lot family who have taken advantage of various business opportunities in the former DDR. I would think football would be one of the most obvious business ventures that could be very successful? If I'm not mistaken, German football doesn't allow the same freedom as in England in terms of a billionaire owner able to come in and revamp a club. I was under the impression that clubs in Germany aren't owned by individuals. I'm not sure about the details though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted August 19, 2009 Author Share Posted August 19, 2009 quote:Originally posted by amacpher If I'm not mistaken, German football doesn't allow the same freedom as in England in terms of a billionaire owner able to come in and revamp a club. I was under the impression that clubs in Germany aren't owned by individuals. I'm not sure about the details though. Yes German clubs have memberships and are owned by the fans. There are also rules that prevent clubs from being taken over in the same way as happens in England. I could probably write an essay on the various reasons for the problems East German clubs have had since reunification but don't really have the time. There certainly is a lot of potential in the East as their economy starts to improve and especially in Leipzig with its top class large stadium. Red Bull realized this but unfortunately were not satisfied with merely being a shirt sponsor of one of the clubs but actually wanted them to change their name to Red Bull Leipzig at which point negotiations broke down with both Chemie and LOK whose membership would never accept this. Thus, Red Bull bought a really small Leipzig suburban team called Markranstadt, renamed them RasenballSport Leipzig which they shorten to RB Leipzig knowing everyone will then call them Red Bull anyway (corporate names are not allowed in Germany with the exception of Bayer Leverkusen who had the name before the current rules came into effect). Most of the soccer fans in Germany are hoping Red Bull Leipzig will be a complete failure and it is even more hated than Hoffenheim. While most of the bigger teams in East Germany floundered, Energie Cottbus and Hansa Rostock managed to be successful. Yet these two teams are too small to be anything more than occasional 1st Bundesliga teams and will probably long term be 2nd to 3rd Bundesliga teams. I keep waiting for one of the big East German teams (Union & Dynamo Berlin, Chemie & LOK Leipzig, Dynamo Dresden, Jena and Magdeburg) to have some success and was of course hoping it would be Chemie. Now at least it appears as if our biggest allied club, Union Berlin, is on the verge of making a breakthrough. They are in the 2nd Bundesliga and have started well. Union is an East Berlin team with a big fan base and could sustain being in the 1st Bundesliga long term unlike Cottbus or Rostock. It would be nice having them in the 1st Bundesliga as although I don't dislike the West Berlin team Hertha, it is one of those teams that is a bit boring and lacking identity and character. Union has a much more interesting history and a better fan culture than Hertha and being in the capital could probably attract some decent sponsorship money if they make it to the 1st Bundesliga. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted August 23, 2009 Author Share Posted August 23, 2009 Very rare moment of Grizzly being awake at 8 am Sunday morning. If anyone wants to practice their German, the live radio broadcast from the derby is here: http://www.radio-leutzsch.de/livestream.php About halfway through the 1st half still 0-0 with Chemie seeming to be the better team so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted August 23, 2009 Author Share Posted August 23, 2009 Game has been stopped in 75th minute after LOK started firing flares and fireworks at the Chemie stand. Must be pretty big stuff they are using as one could clearly hear the explosions over the radio. Both teams have been sent to the dressing rooms. Chemie is outplaying LOK but have missed a lot of good chances and it remains 0-0. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted August 23, 2009 Author Share Posted August 23, 2009 After 10 minute break the game is restarted. Ends 0-0 despite Chemie dominating the play. 14986 fans which will be a record for the German 5th division. Could hear more explosions from the LOK stands at the end of the game. Reasonably happy with a tie and dominating the game since Chemie is still in bankruptcy procedings and because of this had a lot of difficulties in building the team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted August 23, 2009 Author Share Posted August 23, 2009 First videos are coming out. Television report: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rbRKrn2Do8 Some video of the game stoppage. Flares are being shot by both sides at each other. They are hard to see but you can definitely hear them. Apparently there was fighting after the game outside the stadium. One would think the police would be able to keep the two groups separated but apparently not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted August 23, 2009 Author Share Posted August 23, 2009 Looking for the videos I found a video from the infamous 2002 derby that I had never seen before. This is from Chemie's stadium though now the Derby's are all played in the larger central stadium which is neutral and easier to control the fans. This derby was famous for LOK rolling out two neo-Nazi banners something which is strictly forbidden in Germany and both can be seen on the video. The first states Rudolf Hess bei LOK Rechts Aussen/Rudolf Hess plays outside right for LOK (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Hess). The second states Wir sind Lokisten - Morder und Fashcisten/We are Lokists - Murderers and Faschists. You can hear the Chemie fans booing as this is rolled out. Me and my friends were also hit by a flare shot over from the LOK side and I am pretty sure it is the one that you can see at 4:40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FCH Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 This eight part documentary tells stories about the past of both clubs but also about todays challenges facing them and their fans. http://www.youtube.com/user/fehlerteufel1970#play/uploads/8/-rAJndrueWw http://www.youtube.com/user/fehlerteufel1970#play/uploads/7/duzL8o84R2Q http://www.youtube.com/user/fehlerteufel1970#play/uploads/6/uHAQDCKKmgg http://www.youtube.com/user/fehlerteufel1970#play/uploads/5/9pV_IFT2wtg http://www.youtube.com/user/fehlerteufel1970#play/uploads/4/2rBw8Icen7U http://www.youtube.com/user/fehlerteufel1970#play/uploads/3/qKawg9h_y2k http://www.youtube.com/user/fehlerteufel1970#play/uploads/2/9V4pkllg8d4 http://www.youtube.com/user/fehlerteufel1970#play/uploads/1/Hx_pMAzFtdk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FCH Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Derbytime is anytime. http://www.spiegel.de/sport/fussball/0,1518,653501,00.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 quote:Originally posted by FCH Derbytime is anytime. http://www.spiegel.de/sport/fussball/0,1518,653501,00.html Thanks for the link to this and the movie FCH. For those who don't read German some of our fans who were at a game of BSG Chemie (a team that was founded under our old name in a lower division so that if Sachsen Leipzig's bankruptcy is unsuccessful we will not be forced into the lowest division) were attacked by some LOK Leipzig hooligans and Neo-Nazis. For reasons too complicated to get into here, most of Chemie's leftist ultras go to the lower division BSG Chemie games. The Nazis knew where they were playing so showed up at a nearby gas station with weapons. The fact that the Chemie fans were more numerous but the LOK fans were armed with pepper spray and metal bars kept things at bay until one of the Nazis got in his car and ran a Chemie fan over. He was not killed but was sent to hospital with serious injuries. The situation between the clubs is pretty serious now, it is not really safe to wear your jersey in Leipzig especially if you support Chemie because LOK has a lot of violent fan groups. The big problem is how much LOK has been taken over by neo-Nazi groups. For years their management always overlooked this fact and ignored it. Then they had a bankruptcy in which the creditors rejected the reorganization and were forced to reform in the lowest division. Among the original board members of the refounded club were known neo-Nazis. Now since the club is back in 5th division and gets a lot of bad press and need sponsors they have banned these people but they are still working less openly to ensure LOK maintains a neo-Nazi fan scene. If anyone can read German there is a very interesting article about how the neo-Nazi German NPD party uses LOK to recruit new members and maintain a strong presence in the LOK fanscene: http://www.zeit.de/2009/37/DOS-Lok-Leipzig Until LOK manages to get rid of the neo-Nazi hooligans dominating their fanscene there will be little chance of the situation improving between the two clubs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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