Berlin - footy trip

The first thing you notice is the name of the stadium: Karl Liebknecht Stadion. Liebknecht was a fervent antiwar demonstrator and member of the Social Democratic Party for Potsdam, who together with Rosa Luxemburg went on to found the Spartacus League, a Marxist revolutionary movement organised during the First World War. Like almost every football club in and around Berlin, SV Babelsberg 03, (null-drie), are happy to let their identity define them. The team in the fourth-tier of German football – the Regionalliga Nordost – are famously left leaning, anti-fascist and anti-racist. 

The liveliest section of the crowd wears that reputation on its sleeve. For the first few minutes couldn't see match for flares and banners, even missed the first goal 😵‍💫 the flags flying all commemorate Liebknecht, Che Guevara, Trotsky and other famous revolutionary figures litter the thousand-strong Nordkurve, while there are loads of anti-fascist and anti-homophobia banners on the advertising hoardings. The coordinated singing and bouncing soundtracks during the game are something sadly missing at north end and although a lower division club the atmosphere is electric, helped by the ability to stand and have a beer during the game
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