Founded in 1895, as FuCC Eintracht (Fussball and Cricket Club), Eintracht is one of northern Germany's most famous and popular clubs. In recent years, the club has fallen on hard times, and the only real success was winning the Bundesliga title in 1967. However, this started a slow decline which eventually led to relegation in the early 70s.
Pre-WWII results were generally solid, with Eintracht usually near the top of the regional league (then known as Braunschweiger SV Eintracht).
Eintracht has provided some 13 internationals to the national team, mostly players from the 1960s-70s. Among the best known are Horst Wolter (13 caps), Lothar Ulsaß (10 caps) and Bernd Franke (7 caps). During this period, Braunschweig experienced the highpoint of the club's existence: the Bundesliga title in the 1966/67 season. This was a solid team of veterans that mostly were local lads, and were given little respect by the rest of the league. Indeed, they did have trouble scoring goals (only 49, Lothar Ulsass led with a mere 15), but they had the best defense by far, anchored by GK Wolters, defenders Peter Kaack and Jurgen Moll. This was a team that could grind out the points. They led Eintracht Frankfurt by two points after the 18th round, and managed to hold that until the end. Although they did have a good season two years later, within 5 years the club was relegated for the first time.
In 1973, Eintracht had it's greatest impact on German soccer. Their team was crap, but they became the first club to carry a sponsor on their uniform. The company was Jägermeister, maker of that gross herbal liquer. They originally had the full sponsor, but teh DFB objected. Eventually it was shrunk down so that the club emblem was essentially the Jägermeister deer. (In later years, the league relented somewhat, and sponsors could have their name prominrntly displayed). Overall, the 1970s were reasonbly decent years for the club on the field.
By the mid 1980s, Eintracht was running out of gas, going up-down and finally a drop into the 3rd division for the first time in club history. After that drop, they quickly returned to the 2nd level, but without distinction, finally falling back down in 1993.
Throughout the late 1990s, the club seemed to be on the verge of breaking back into the 2nd division, only to choke near the finish line. When they finally made it back, in 2002, it was only for one season, and the dropped back down.
A brief stay in the 2.Liga starting in 2005 proved to be too much. The club reasonably well at the gate, but on the field they were overmatched. Eintracht started the inaugural 3.Liga season with hope, but struggled to compete. They never really worried about relegation, but never threatened to move up either. On the positive side, they did well at the box office, and seemed to be building a solid squad.
All the hard work paid off, and in 2013 Eintracht was back in the Bundesliga after an almost 30 year absence. Of course, they were immediately relegated, but given the meager resources, they gave a reasonably good account of themselves, and a win on the last day might have even them stay up.
The future is hard to predict, but the fact that the club has been conservative financially would seem to indicate that they ride the elevator between the top and 2nd flights on a regular basis.
Full Name | Braunschweiger Turn- und Sportverein Eintracht von 1895 e.V. | ||||||||||||||||
City | Braunschweig (Niedersachsen). Pop: 245,500 (2002). | ||||||||||||||||
Address |
Hamburger Straße 210, 38112 Braunschweig Phone: (0531) 232300 Fax: (0531) 2323030 Open Tu-Fri 10-13, 1400-1700 e-mail: eintracht@eintracht.com | ||||||||||||||||
Colors | Yellow shirts, blue shorts. Also black jersey with yellow trim. | ||||||||||||||||
Nicknames | Die Löwen (The Lions) | ||||||||||||||||
Stadium |
Hamburger Straße Capacity: 25,000 (9,800 seats). The stadium was built in 1923, previously they had played in a small park on Helmstedter street that cost RM 5,000 and held 300 folks. (Hey, we're talking 1905). It was torn down in 1931. | ||||||||||||||||
Tickets |
Range from 7-18 euros, although there is sometype of luxury suites for 84
euros (2003/04)
Supporters |
Averaged 10,000 in 2004 (Regionalliga). Some of the strongest support in
northern Germany. Lots of fan clubs.
A good contact is through the internet fan club Webloewen (web Lions).
| Friends |
1.FC Magdeburg, SV Waldhof Mannheim and Swiss club FC Basel.
|
Foes |
Hannover 96 is a bitter foe, as is of course VfL Wolfsburg.
| Heroes |
13 German internationals. Most notable are midfielder Lothar
Ulsaß, (10 caps, 1965-69) and keeper Horst Wolter (13,
1967-70) | Zeroes |
| Beer |
Feldsclösschen and Wolters.
|
Pub Grub |
Eintracht-Klause ,
Roggenkamp 1, 38112 Braunschweig - close to stadium, is highly
recommended. Foreign vistors
are welcomed: "It's the meeting point of the Webloewen - they are
never involved in trouble and are friendly and helpful to every
visitor." | The Net |
One of the first clubs to jump onto the internet, the official site is www.eintracht.com . This is almost a
model site, although it's only in German.
| |
Recent History: -------------- 2013-14 (I) Bundesliga 18th 2012-13 (II) 2.Liga 2nd 2011-12 (II) 2.Liga 8th 2010-11 (III) 3.Liga 1st 2009-10 (III) 3.Liga 4th 2008-09 (III) 3.Liga 13th 2007-08 (III) Regionalliga Nord 10th 2006-07 (II) 2.Liga 18th 2005-06 (II) 2.Liga 12th 2004-05 (III) Regionalliga Nord 1st 2003-04 (III) Regionalliga Nord 6th 2002-03 (II) 2.Liga 15th 2001-02 (III) Regionalliga Nord 2nd 2000-01 (III) Regionalliga Nord 8th 1999-00 (III) Regionalliga Nord 3rd 1998-99 (III) Regionalliga Nord 3rd 1997-98 (III) Regionalliga Nord 2nd 1996-97 (III) Regionalliga Nord 2nd 1995-96 (III) Regionalliga Nord 2nd 1994-95 (III) Regionalliga Nord 6th 1993-94 (III) Oberliga Nord 2nd 1992-93 (II) 2.Liga 19th 1991-92 (II) 2.Liga Nord 7th 1990-91 (II) 2.Liga 13th 1989-90 (II) 2.Liga 7th 1988-89 (II) 2.Liga 9th 1987-88 (III) Am.Oberliga Nord 1st 1986-87 (II) 2.Liga 17th 1985-86 (II) 2.Liga 12th 1984-85 (I) Bundesliga 18th 1983-84 (I) Bundesliga 9th 1982-83 (I) Bundesliga 15th 1981-82 (I) Bundesliga 11th 1980-81 (II) 2.Liga Nord 2nd 1979-80 (I) Bundesliga 18th 1978-79 (I) Bundesliga 9th 1977-78 (I) Bundesliga 13th 1976-77 (I) Bundesliga 3rd 1975-76 (I) Bundesliga 5th 1974-75 (I) Bundesliga 9th 1973-74 (II) Regionalliga Nord 1st 1972-73 (I) Bundesliga 17th 1971-72 (I) Bundesliga 12th 1970-71 (I) Bundesliga 4th 1969-70 (I) Bundesliga 16th 1968-69 (I) Bundesliga 4th 1967-68 (I) Bundesliga 9th 1966-67 (I) Bundesliga 1st CHAMPIONS 1965-67 (I) Bundesliga 10th 1964-65 (I) Bundesliga 9th 1963-64 (I) Bundesliga 11th
(c) Abseits Guide to Germany : www.abseits-soccer.com