Hansa Rostock: Ultras between passion and brutal violence!

Hansa Rostock: Ultras between passion and brutal violence!

FC Hansa Rostock is not just a club in the German football landscape, but also an identity creator beyond the region. The red-white-blue colors are known far beyond the city limits and attract a loyal fan base from all over Germany. But the club is repeatedly plagued by serious riots, which mainly come from ultra fans. They are notorious not only for their passion, but also for their willingness to use violence. In the podcast episode “11KM” of HR Info Radio NDR sports journalist Jonas Freudenhammer discusses the challenges that the club’s management is facing who has to deal with problems with these ultra fans.

The violent scenes surrounding Hansa Rostock games are not isolated cases. According to Harald Lange, a well-known fan researcher, the Rostock Ultras even have “too much power” within the fan scene. Lange describes the scene as often violent and emphasizes that the club's management has recognized the negative impact on the club's image, but is unable to intervene in a regulatory manner. This insight is no coincidence: In the past, Rostock experienced serious riots during a game against Dynamo Dresden, which resulted in more than 50 injuries. The risk for the club of receiving draconian punishments from the DFB, including ghost games or partial exclusions, is constantly growing. Lange criticizes the fact that pressure through punishments and bans cannot solve the problem and instead calls for self-regulation within the fan scene. But it is precisely this self-regulation that does not seem to be working in Rostock. The slow development is creating a tense situation that is putting pressure not only on fans but also on the club's management.

Challenge of stadium violence

Another point highlighted by Lange is the lack of adequate measures to curb the violence. In Rostock there are currently no block closures or stadium bans that could help defuse the situation. Instead, the area for ultras and away fans is only separated by a modest sector separation, a safety net and a buffer block. However, the club refuses to relocate the guest block in the Ostseestadion to avoid escalations for logistical reasons.

A look into the history of fan scenes

But why is the situation surrounding Ultra fans so complex? The history of organized fan scenes in Germany shows how deeply emotions are anchored in football. Football creates community, but is also a place of hostility and violence. Over time, the professionalization and commercialization of football has greatly changed the relationship between fans and clubs. From the 1980s onwards, fan scenes developed their own techniques to defend their identity and values, which often resulted in violence. But resistance to commercialization and the search for one's own place in football are also part of this development. Organizations such as the Alliance of Active Football Fans (BAFF) have set themselves the goal of advocating for the interests of fans, including maintaining standing room and socially acceptable ticket prices.

A circumstance that further fuels the dynamics surrounding the Ultras of Hansa Rostock and the problem of violence. The future remains uncertain and shows that a rethink is necessary, both among the fans and the club management. Only together is it possible to stop the worrying developments surrounding the club and to bring the passionate love of football back to the fore as it deserves.

FC Hansa Rostock is facing a challenge that not only affects the fans, but also the club structure itself. It remains to be seen whether the club is able to bring about the change necessary to enable a peaceful and passionate fan scene that does not threaten both the club's image and the game itself. Time will tell whether the right steps are taken - because as long as Ultras and the club operate separately, the problems will inevitably persist.

For further information on the challenges of fan culture in Germany and the developments in Rostock, see the articles from Ostsee Zeitung and bpb.