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Scheisse! We're Going Up!
THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF A CLUB ON THE RISE AND A CITY IN FLUX. THIS IS UNION BERLIN.
No football club in the world has fans like Union Berlin. The underdogs from East Berlin have stuck it to the Stasi, built their own stadium, and even given blood to save their club. But now, they face a new and terrifying prospect: success.
Scheisse! tells the human stories behind the unexpected rise of this unique club. But it’s not just about football. Union’s tale is interwoven with a witty cultural history of contemporary Berlin that shines a light on the social issues which still define the German capital thirty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Scheisse! will appeal to readers who are captivated by sports biographies such as Raphael Honigstein's Das Reboot and social history like John Kampfner's Why The Germans Do It Better.
No football club in the world has fans like Union Berlin. The underdogs from East Berlin have stuck it to the Stasi, built their own stadium, and even given blood to save their club. But now, they face a new and terrifying prospect: success.
Scheisse! tells the human stories behind the unexpected rise of this unique club. But it’s not just about football. Union’s tale is interwoven with a witty cultural history of contemporary Berlin that shines a light on the social issues which still define the German capital thirty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Scheisse! will appeal to readers who are captivated by sports biographies such as Raphael Honigstein's Das Reboot and social history like John Kampfner's Why The Germans Do It Better.
280 pages, Paperback
Published October 20, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
September 11, 2022
thanks to the publishers and netgalley for a free copy in return for open and honest review
Interesting history of this East Berlin club which has gone through many changes since it started out and the lows and the highs of the club as it moved up through the German league system. liked the analogue of the supporters talking about the club through the years.
Interesting history of this East Berlin club which has gone through many changes since it started out and the lows and the highs of the club as it moved up through the German league system. liked the analogue of the supporters talking about the club through the years.
June 15, 2022
German football has been incredibly well served by the quality of the books about it either written or translated into English. In particular, Uli Hesse, Raphael Honigstein and Ronald Reng have brought the story of German football to English readers in a number of excellent books. ‘Scheisse! We’re Going Up!’, Kit Holden’s upcoming book on the Union Berlin football club is another wonderful addition to that list.
Up-to-date Bundesliga fans will know that Union have been on a remarkable run of form the past three years, reaching 5th place in the Bundesliga having only reached the top flight in 2019. Union Berlin has fast become the football hipster’s latest club of choice (sorry St. Pauli) thanks to their rise to the Bundesliga, their forest-surrounded stadium in East Berlin, their romanticized history of resistance to the Stasi, their fan-developed stadium, and their viral Christmas Carol sessions (yes, seriously).
The story of Union however is much more than a football club. It’s not however the story of a romantic past of resistance to authoritarianism. Holden, like the club itself, is careful to burst the bubble that the club was a hotbed of anti-Communist activity during the dark days of the GDR- rather it was a relatively safe space for normal citizens to vent and sing and the rivalry with Dynamo, the Stasi’s ream, a cathartic way to express disapproval for the repressive East German regime.
The book instead is about community, belonging, the meaning of football clubs, and the challenge of keeping what works while facing the inevitability of change. It’s also about the city of Berlin and the challenges posed by both its unique history of partition and by its vibrant future.
Holden tells the history of the club and the city through interviews with a variety of fans and officials. It’s an inspired choice and the narrative weaves excellently between personal recollections and the over-arching story of both the city and the club’s past, present and future. The book is packed with stories and recollections of fans and their passion oozes out of every page. It wonderfully captures the essence of the club and what makes it special.
Scheisse is an absolutely brilliant book. It captures the very essence of why sport matters, the importance of recognizing that clubs are more than simply entities to be commercialized, and the often overlooked fact that change, while inevitable, does not have to mean the loss of that which was special about what already exists.
Up-to-date Bundesliga fans will know that Union have been on a remarkable run of form the past three years, reaching 5th place in the Bundesliga having only reached the top flight in 2019. Union Berlin has fast become the football hipster’s latest club of choice (sorry St. Pauli) thanks to their rise to the Bundesliga, their forest-surrounded stadium in East Berlin, their romanticized history of resistance to the Stasi, their fan-developed stadium, and their viral Christmas Carol sessions (yes, seriously).
The story of Union however is much more than a football club. It’s not however the story of a romantic past of resistance to authoritarianism. Holden, like the club itself, is careful to burst the bubble that the club was a hotbed of anti-Communist activity during the dark days of the GDR- rather it was a relatively safe space for normal citizens to vent and sing and the rivalry with Dynamo, the Stasi’s ream, a cathartic way to express disapproval for the repressive East German regime.
The book instead is about community, belonging, the meaning of football clubs, and the challenge of keeping what works while facing the inevitability of change. It’s also about the city of Berlin and the challenges posed by both its unique history of partition and by its vibrant future.
Holden tells the history of the club and the city through interviews with a variety of fans and officials. It’s an inspired choice and the narrative weaves excellently between personal recollections and the over-arching story of both the city and the club’s past, present and future. The book is packed with stories and recollections of fans and their passion oozes out of every page. It wonderfully captures the essence of the club and what makes it special.
Scheisse is an absolutely brilliant book. It captures the very essence of why sport matters, the importance of recognizing that clubs are more than simply entities to be commercialized, and the often overlooked fact that change, while inevitable, does not have to mean the loss of that which was special about what already exists.
September 7, 2022
A fantastic read with great insight to the clubs history, philosophy, community and fans. The way in which they stick to their values and traditions is admirable, especially with the way in which modern day football develops and becomes more of a commercial business than a football club.
The book is broken into chapters of various stories from different individuals who have affected or been effected by Union. I found myself living vicariously through these stories and imaging myself in the stadium.
Part of me wants to visit Berlin and experience a match day at the Alten Försterei and to become part of the fanbase and community, but I also want to leave it to be preserved as a traditional club and enjoy it from afar.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this!
The book is broken into chapters of various stories from different individuals who have affected or been effected by Union. I found myself living vicariously through these stories and imaging myself in the stadium.
Part of me wants to visit Berlin and experience a match day at the Alten Försterei and to become part of the fanbase and community, but I also want to leave it to be preserved as a traditional club and enjoy it from afar.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this!
March 5, 2023
I had taken a liking to Union before hearing about this book and after reading this they are cemented as my new team! They are a cracking club and Berlin is a great city- hopefully one day I can get to see them - but I will be sure to keep a low profile, god forbid being a ‘tourist supporter!’
November 11, 2025
Almost finished the book; it is a window to a Club I only knew about circumstantially. I had never before read about its resolve and difficulties. It made me research the clubs logo, stadium, location and key results along with watching videos about it.
One thing, which I would think would help the reader get into the spirit would be to have the anthems/poems/chants in original German language as well and not only English.
Kit has prompted me to check out his other books.Good writing style and the fact that he has interviewed so many people for this book means he's done extensive research on the topic.
One thing, which I would think would help the reader get into the spirit would be to have the anthems/poems/chants in original German language as well and not only English.
Kit has prompted me to check out his other books.Good writing style and the fact that he has interviewed so many people for this book means he's done extensive research on the topic.
September 29, 2022
Awesome read. Watching Union at the Alte Forsterei is on the bucket list now, seems like an awesome community and club. Great insight into the history of the club along with the societal impacts of Germany’s history on both the club and their supporters. The question posed to many of the fans interviewed throughout this book about whether success will dilute the vibe and community of the club was an intriguing one as we’ve seen this be the case with many other clubs throughout Europe. Union is in the middle of this transition so it’s interesting to see how that success has already affected the club and what they’re doing to ensure the club keeps their identity.
The Bundesliga seems like an awesome league to follow and this book’s encouraged me to show more interest in the league.
The Bundesliga seems like an awesome league to follow and this book’s encouraged me to show more interest in the league.
September 14, 2022
What a brilliant book! It was the title which caught my attention and I was half expecting a humorous gallop through the history of Union Berlin with a smattering of references to German reunification. It is much, much more than than that. This is a detailed, thoughtful and intelligent chronicle of the rise and fall … and rise and fall … and rise and rise of a football club which has a real identity as an integral part of the tough East Berlin community in which it is situated. That identity is under threat as never before as Union Berlin’s current success as a leading Bundesliga club demands a rethink of the balance between commerce and community. The format of the book, telling the story of Union Berlin’s history and evolution through the perspectives of those people most closely involved brings realism and a real sense of what the club means to those people. That story is intertwined with the collapse of the GDR regime, the fall of the Berlin Wall and German reunification and what social and economic effect those monumental events had and continue to have on the city and people of Berlin and on Union Berlin.
I highly recommend this book to football fans and any non-football fans interested in a true “David and Goliath” tale told against the backdrop of a fascinating period of post-war European history.
I highly recommend this book to football fans and any non-football fans interested in a true “David and Goliath” tale told against the backdrop of a fascinating period of post-war European history.
June 18, 2022
An outstandingly fun read, this will make any reader a fan of Union. Just say it right, and not with the English pronunciation, thank you many. Years ago a book made me a fan of Hellas Verona, as I didn't have an Italian team and the book, looking at a year in the life of the squad, was so enjoyable. This one certainly had a mountain to climb as I have been and always will be a Bayern boy, ever since visiting the old Olympic Park in the early '80s. But as I say, people who read this and fail to find an affinity with the Irons must have a cable loose. "Outside of the stadium, they often have the air of a beloved village cricket club" our author decides, and he can't really be proven wrong on this evidence.
Perhaps unexpectedly, the book latches on to one fan per chapter, and even if the interview yields little in the way of content itself the subject is seriously clung to. So we see the club as a home for dissenters in the old East Berlin in the old East Germany – the cross-town rivals being either the army squad, or much worse that favoured by the Stasi. We see the errant awkwardness the club faced when the Wall fell, and Die Wende impacted on so much of society (and there's proof this is worth five stars just from the fact the socio-politics of Germany through the ages is so prominent I itched to get the old DVD of the best film ever, "Goodbye, Lenin!", plugged in and watched yet again).
But this is a football story, and one so seldom seen given the structure (I at first typed "stricture" and that's too close to the truth) of the British game. Here is the rampant underdog, still without a stadium allowed to host European matches, nudging their nose in the trough to such an extent the fans can only show their concern with the titular banner. When people are not used to the big time, it can scare them big time – and indeed often in this telling the promotion the team most want is into the second division, not the one above. Or worse. The point of the whole narrative can be summed up in one line here – "If the club's soul was forged in times of hardship, does that mean that they lose something of themselves in the good times?".
Everybody will always maintain their clubs are the best, and I will insist on Liverpool being superior in England, despite allegiance to the Union-besting talents of my adopted home squad of Leicester, Bayern Munich, and Lech Poznan as being the ones other clubs should chase. And that's not just for talent and spirit and achievement – Poznan have a day every year when they utilise employees to clear war hero cemeteries. And the closest to that nature in Germany is probably 1e FC Union Berlin – meaning that I can definitely see me egging them on in the majority of their games next season, and more relevantly, egging this book about them on to the heights it deserves to achieve.
Perhaps unexpectedly, the book latches on to one fan per chapter, and even if the interview yields little in the way of content itself the subject is seriously clung to. So we see the club as a home for dissenters in the old East Berlin in the old East Germany – the cross-town rivals being either the army squad, or much worse that favoured by the Stasi. We see the errant awkwardness the club faced when the Wall fell, and Die Wende impacted on so much of society (and there's proof this is worth five stars just from the fact the socio-politics of Germany through the ages is so prominent I itched to get the old DVD of the best film ever, "Goodbye, Lenin!", plugged in and watched yet again).
But this is a football story, and one so seldom seen given the structure (I at first typed "stricture" and that's too close to the truth) of the British game. Here is the rampant underdog, still without a stadium allowed to host European matches, nudging their nose in the trough to such an extent the fans can only show their concern with the titular banner. When people are not used to the big time, it can scare them big time – and indeed often in this telling the promotion the team most want is into the second division, not the one above. Or worse. The point of the whole narrative can be summed up in one line here – "If the club's soul was forged in times of hardship, does that mean that they lose something of themselves in the good times?".
Everybody will always maintain their clubs are the best, and I will insist on Liverpool being superior in England, despite allegiance to the Union-besting talents of my adopted home squad of Leicester, Bayern Munich, and Lech Poznan as being the ones other clubs should chase. And that's not just for talent and spirit and achievement – Poznan have a day every year when they utilise employees to clear war hero cemeteries. And the closest to that nature in Germany is probably 1e FC Union Berlin – meaning that I can definitely see me egging them on in the majority of their games next season, and more relevantly, egging this book about them on to the heights it deserves to achieve.
October 10, 2023
I don’t normally write long reviews but feel compelled to write one for this superb book.
First and foremost, this is a story about a fascinating football club. Kit Holden wonderfully charts Union’s history through time, providing not just an insight into the football team but the community of East Berlin both pre and post-reunification. It balances the faults and challenges of the club with the undeniable uniqueness and approach to football that have made Union so popular in recent years. I loved how the author aligned the similarities with Berlin itself, battling with mainstream attraction as the ‘cool’ becomes more visible to a wider audience and what this means for those who were there from the beginning.
This book is also a wider take on modern football, how capitalism is driving a different approach to football in England (and across the world). Consumption rather than participation of football is removing atmospheres from stadiums and where success is the primary cause of enjoyment rather than a benefit.
I read this book at a time when I am contemplating the relationship with my own club, Newcastle Utd, after the controversial takeover from the Saudi wealth fund. The book provided me with a clearer idea of what draws me to Newcastle and whether the success that is inevitable in the coming years will strengthen or weaken the bond I have with the club.
Ultimately this book is about what it is to be a football fan, what makes us love the game so much and the factors that impact this. 100% recommend to anyone who is into the beautiful game. It is brilliant.
First and foremost, this is a story about a fascinating football club. Kit Holden wonderfully charts Union’s history through time, providing not just an insight into the football team but the community of East Berlin both pre and post-reunification. It balances the faults and challenges of the club with the undeniable uniqueness and approach to football that have made Union so popular in recent years. I loved how the author aligned the similarities with Berlin itself, battling with mainstream attraction as the ‘cool’ becomes more visible to a wider audience and what this means for those who were there from the beginning.
This book is also a wider take on modern football, how capitalism is driving a different approach to football in England (and across the world). Consumption rather than participation of football is removing atmospheres from stadiums and where success is the primary cause of enjoyment rather than a benefit.
I read this book at a time when I am contemplating the relationship with my own club, Newcastle Utd, after the controversial takeover from the Saudi wealth fund. The book provided me with a clearer idea of what draws me to Newcastle and whether the success that is inevitable in the coming years will strengthen or weaken the bond I have with the club.
Ultimately this book is about what it is to be a football fan, what makes us love the game so much and the factors that impact this. 100% recommend to anyone who is into the beautiful game. It is brilliant.
May 27, 2022
Scheiße! A ubiquitous exclamation in the German-speaking world, which can express disappointment, frustration, nervousness, anger. Or concern, as in the case of Union fans, unprepared for a promotion that could disfigure the team. Because Union was not born as a team of winners, but as an opportunity to get together and party, despite everything (and by despite everything we mean from the STASI onwards). Yet from a certain moment on, this small team from a suburb, playing in a stadium built by its own fans, began not to miss a beat, in an epic ride that Kit Holden recounts by mixing sport with the history and transformations of the incredible city that is Berlin. Like Berlin, Union has changed its skin, trying not to sell out its soul, or, if it must be sold, looking for the right buyer. A very interesting book, for lovers of football or Berlin. Or the two at once.
September 10, 2022
This is an incredible book about an incredible football club. Far from the dry and boring "official history" you would get about another club, this book delivers an overview not just of the club but - one could argue, more importantly - of the community surrounding it.
The book is broken up into chapters that are always introduced by a match report about a noteworthy fixture in the club's history. Pretty much every possible perspective is given a chance to shine, from the fan-of-the-first-hour to a newer fan, from the club's president to the fan who stumbled into working for the club. And what you end up with, is a pretty entertaining and surprisingly moving history of an iconic club.
It's simply impossible to read this and not become even a little bit of a fan of Union.
(I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)
The book is broken up into chapters that are always introduced by a match report about a noteworthy fixture in the club's history. Pretty much every possible perspective is given a chance to shine, from the fan-of-the-first-hour to a newer fan, from the club's president to the fan who stumbled into working for the club. And what you end up with, is a pretty entertaining and surprisingly moving history of an iconic club.
It's simply impossible to read this and not become even a little bit of a fan of Union.
(I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)
September 23, 2022
It is not often one discovers such a well written and fascinating book on football as this. The chapter structure based on a number of key games in Union Berlin's history and the quality of the writing make this one of the most engaging and entertaining books that I have ever read. Yes, I am a Union fan (since shortly after my move to Germany in 2009) but I can recommend it to anybody even without much of an interest in football. The story really centres around the history of the club developing from a small disadvantaged DDR Berlin team to being one of the top Bundesliga sides. This history is written very much with the club existing in the contest of a changing Berlin since DDR times.
Absolutely brilliant!
Absolutely brilliant!
May 31, 2025
After watching a great documentary about Union from Copa90 I decided to give this a shot, and I have it say it's great.
It's a fantastic delve into the past and present of the club whilst taking its time to look at the community and how important it is to the identity of the club. It's an East German club and they make that very clear, and thats not a bad thing.
It's also no puff piece, it's not afraid to criticise where criticism is due and by the end of the book you have a real understanding about the ups and downs they have had.
Overall, very interesting and a enjoyable read (even if it did take me like 3 years).
It's a fantastic delve into the past and present of the club whilst taking its time to look at the community and how important it is to the identity of the club. It's an East German club and they make that very clear, and thats not a bad thing.
It's also no puff piece, it's not afraid to criticise where criticism is due and by the end of the book you have a real understanding about the ups and downs they have had.
Overall, very interesting and a enjoyable read (even if it did take me like 3 years).
September 4, 2022
I thought this was a fantastic book, well researched and well written.
Union Berlin, and East Germany, are an interesting subject given less in written about them than perhaps more famous clubs and parts of Berlin, and Kit Holden's book is an extremely personal and interesting story given the structure of taking 12 themes (and time periods in Union's history) and speaking to different Union fans about their experiences of each.
Made me want to visit the Stadion An der Alten Försterei for myself, and keep an eye on Union's results.
Union Berlin, and East Germany, are an interesting subject given less in written about them than perhaps more famous clubs and parts of Berlin, and Kit Holden's book is an extremely personal and interesting story given the structure of taking 12 themes (and time periods in Union's history) and speaking to different Union fans about their experiences of each.
Made me want to visit the Stadion An der Alten Försterei for myself, and keep an eye on Union's results.
November 15, 2024
4.5 This is how all profiles on football clubs should be written. If you’re coming here expecting a look at the tactics or the matches that were key to Union’s promotion, this isn’t the book for you. In fact, the matches and players themselves aren’t mentioned really all that much. Instead, it is a story of the growth of not just a football club, but the city, and the supporters, and asks some important questions about the football club’s role in the latter two as society changes with time. A fantastic read and recommended to all football fans.
February 27, 2023
Accidental dissidents
Union were born as dissidents as a result of not being owned or support by institutions in the GDR. The club prioritise the match going fans, most of whom subscribe to a view of a unified collective. The book does highlight the division in the fan base relating to ethical and moral issues, showcasing the club to be imperfect. Overall this was a fascinating read and definitely provides a comprehensive view of Germany’s most interesting club.
Union were born as dissidents as a result of not being owned or support by institutions in the GDR. The club prioritise the match going fans, most of whom subscribe to a view of a unified collective. The book does highlight the division in the fan base relating to ethical and moral issues, showcasing the club to be imperfect. Overall this was a fascinating read and definitely provides a comprehensive view of Germany’s most interesting club.
July 19, 2022
Union Berlin are one of the most fascinating football clubs in Europe. Their story and their remarkable success on the pitch of the last few years is told really well by Kit Holden. In each chapter a supporter is interviewed about a particular milestone that has shaped this unique club. It is also a history of the changing city of Berlin from the cold war to today. I loved it.
January 29, 2024
Wasn’t going to read this since it’s about a club I support but then I thought maybe I should read it because it’s about a club I support. Very insightful storytelling from both the author and the people he interviews, and provides a detailed and varied background into this truly special football club. I learned new things and I’d recommend it to any football fan. Eisern!
May 4, 2025
I like the way the author tried to challenge the Union's stories and myths coming from its past. At the same time, there are plenty of moments appreciating the club's history and what has become out of this.
Interesting and very emotional book, which is very hard to write on the subject of football. Great job!
Interesting and very emotional book, which is very hard to write on the subject of football. Great job!
August 3, 2022
Really interesting read. The history of the club (and the city) through the eyes of the fans. Recommended for fans of the sport or those just interested in the sociological history.
Thanks to NetGalley and Duckworth Books for the advance reading copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Duckworth Books for the advance reading copy.
October 2, 2022
Loved the book, but you have to be pre-interested in German football culture. I wrote much more about it here.
April 7, 2023
Fascinating account of Union Berlin - an amazing story. It loses a star because it is overlong - an awful lot of repetition and duplication - really this should be a pamphlet or an extended long read in a magazine.
February 20, 2025
A great story about the East German club, where the author occasionally indulges in nostalgia but also challenges myths and fairytale stories with real testimonies and data. A must-read for any Unioner!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2025
thoroughly enjoyed. As someone who has visited Alte Försterei in 2019 when Union were Bundesliga 2 I really felt there was something different about that club. This book only goes to solidify that feeling. The history of the club and Berlin as a whole is fascinating
August 22, 2022
Fantastic book whether you love football, history, Berlin, or powerful personal story.
August 22, 2022
Avoids well-trodden cliche, and gets straight to the heart of what FCU actually is and its place in modern Berlin.
March 1, 2023
Fascinating read about an incredible football club and post war Berlin.
Extremely well written, read it in a day or two!!
Extremely well written, read it in a day or two!!
September 2, 2023
I would recommend this book to any “new” Union football fan or anyone in Berlin interested in football.
September 29, 2023
Very interesting. A bit dry. Liked the intertwining of matches to reflect the club at that time-a good literary tool
December 31, 2023
Brilliant read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews