{"id":14599,"date":"2025-01-09T18:04:20","date_gmt":"2025-01-09T17:04:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/?p=14599"},"modified":"2025-01-20T20:37:11","modified_gmt":"2025-01-20T19:37:11","slug":"we-are-not-all-angels-fc-st-paulis-unique-way-of-doing-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/14599\/we-are-not-all-angels-fc-st-paulis-unique-way-of-doing-football\/","title":{"rendered":"No Silverware, All Hearts – The Unique Values of FC St. Pauli"},"content":{"rendered":"

Football and passion go hand in hand, and the football club FC St. Pauli is no exception. Known for its progressive values and active members, the German fan-favourite has earned a cult following. But even this beloved club from Hamburg faces challenges of political disagreements and questions about commercialization. <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Frank opens the door and sits down at one of the benches of the \u201cKleine Pause\u201d for yet another time. The diner has since 1986 delivered burgers and fries over the counters to the hungry customers in the district of St. Pauli.<\/p>\n

Behind the counter is a woman in a black shirt with the yellow logo of the diner. The smell of frying oil and curry ketchup fills the air. This is really the place where you can take a small break from stressful everyday life.<\/p>\n

With times changing in the neighbourhood of St Pauli in the last decades, the \u201cKleine Pause\u201d is one of the few places, that has remained the same for its many regulars.<\/p>\n

Since the days of the 80\u2019s, a lot has changed in Germany, and with the upcoming elections for the country coming up in a months\u2019 time, a lot is at stake.<\/p>\n

Frank orders an iced tea, and speaks out:<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything gets more and more expensive. But here in one of the \u2018Hamburger-originals\u2019, the \u2018Kleine Pause\u2019 is a good island of old times.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

A district, a club, a feeling<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

The district of St. Pauli is located in the western part of Hamburg. Many people know the area because of the vibrant walkthrough of \u2018the Reeperbahn\u2019, the graffiti that can be seen wherever you look at the streets\u00a0\u2013 and of course the football club of FC. St Pauli.<\/p>\n

The club is not particularly famous for its achievements in football. Well, the club has never won any of the big German trophies, with fans only able to look jealously towards their neighbours from Hamburger SV, which has won the German league 6 times.<\/p>\n

The trophy cabinet still has a lot of space open on the shelves for the future, but even though the taste of silverware is sweet, the supporters of the club are more focused on something entirely different \u2013 the values.<\/p>\n

These values are so important, that the club has created guiding principles, that try to define what the club expects of their players, employees, and of course \u2013 fans.<\/p>\n

Tolerance and respect for everyone that visits the stadium are among the main principles. And with a Germany polarized by politics in this period, the area of St. Pauli assembles people into groups of openness, as Frank Behrens, one of the club\u2019s passionate fans, reflects.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a world of rising populism, homophobia, and xenophobia, St. Pauli remains a neighborhood where you know everyone here carries the same good moral standards,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"

Photo by: Anders M\u00f8rck. Frank Behrens has been a fan of FC St. Pauli for decades.<\/p><\/div>\n

Audio part 1:<\/h3>\n

In this audio piece, you will meet Frank Behrens, on the match day for a FC St. Pauli-game. Here there are specific traditions, that need to be followed before the first whistle of the game takes place.<\/p>\n\n