In a thrilling turn of events, Borussia Dortmund clinched their fight against relegation resoundingly.
This was a challenging time for all Borussia Dortmund (BVB) supporters in the spring of 2005 as the team was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. People in Dortmund were already discussing the possibility of a fresh start in the Kreisliga. Now, a book recounts the day when Rauball and Watzke saved BVB.
As Jan Philipp "Pini" Platenius, the author of the newly released book "When BVB went bankrupt and we became the Yellow Wall," reflects, "This was a day I never want to relive again. It was one of the hardest things I've ever gone through." Dr. Reinhard Rauball, then-president, expressed the sentiments of thousands of fans when he declared, "With those words, he expressed what I and thousands of other fans, despite not being actively involved, were feeling."
Platenius is an Ultra since the beginning, a die-hard fan who played a significant role in the transformation of the German stadium scene in the early 2000s. Twenty years later, Platenius begins his book about the eventful and dramatic 2004/05 season with reminiscences of heroes and idols from that time. Two prominent ones were Jan Hippler and Rambo, whose fence flags adorned stadiums and whose fanzines detailed their travels. Pini's book is a nostalgic trip back to the era of an iconic fan culture.
In his book, Platenius also provides a glimpse into the heart of the Ultra culture that remains a topic of controversy. This group, primarily young fans of the first Ultra generation in Germany, didn't know any better at the time. Their actions, which may seem strange in hindsight, were exciting and unique:
"Remember the game in Braunschweig in 2004? We were there with about 130 people. Two Wolfsburg fans who were asked to leave the guest block with their flag and then appeared in a BVB block in their club clothes, hanging up their flag – a tale that could only have happened in a different era."
Platenius' accounts highlight the tightrope that BVB fans walked at that time. The Borussia, so rich just a few years prior through its IPO, was causing concern for fans who considered their club their lifeblood. Rumors circulated that the BVB was bankrupt, and players weren't being paid on time:
"The latest news was that some players were receiving their salaries late and coach Bert van Marwijk was only being paid 'after repeated insistence'."
Despite their fears, the fans tried to carry on with their lives as Ultras:
"The atmosphere at the match against local rivals VfL Bochum was electric. Bochum fans presented four 'stolen' BVB scarves, a rubber puppet in a BVB jersey on a gallows, a banner, and some balloons and rolls of cash. On the Dortmund side, there was the banner 'Ja und?' even though we didn't know what the opposing side had planned ahead."
Unfortunately, the now-iconic 'Derby will be beautiful' banner was confiscated by the stewards before the match. This banner represented the fans' love-hate relationship with Schalke, the arch-enemy, while Bochum was just a side note:
"The Bochum Ostkurve presented four 'stolen' BVB scarves, a rubber puppet in a BVB jersey on a gallows, a banner, and some balloons and rolls of cash at the start of the game. On the Dortmund side, there was the banner 'Ja und?' even though we didn't know what the opposing side had planned beforehand."
Many media outlets did not believe in the impending bankruptcy and some even believed in a new start in the Kreisliga or Oberliga. The fans hoped for the best while preparing for the worst, all the while living their lives as Ultras:
"But the day of decision for BVB's financial future was quickly approaching – and even Pini and his friends could no longer ignore these moments. Some media outlets didn't believe in the insolvency, others spoke of a new beginning in the Kreisliga, others in the Oberliga, and there were already supposed or real plans for the catastrophe in various drawers."
And then, the proverbial hammer dropped:
"Sunday, March 13, 2005, we played at home against Stuttgart. It was the last day before 'Molsiris' Monday. I remember my own feelings and the atmosphere in the stadium as eerie and tense. We simply didn't know if it was our last time seeing the BVB, ever or at least for a few years."
On that notorious Monday in Düsseldorf, it wasn't just any ordinary matter for Borussia Dortmund. As Platenius recalls, "Molsiris was the real estate fund that possessed the Westfalenstadion and leased it to the financially strapped BVB. Molsiris, however, wasn't a one-man operation. Commerzbank's real estate fund had proactively attracted investors for the acquisition of the Westfalenstadion." And these investors were now confronted with the dilemma of either endorsing a restructuring scheme or not. It was, as one investor put it later, "the choice between a crappy and a miserable option." But it was also the time for three individuals whom BVB fans still owe a great debt of gratitude: "Dr. Rauball, Watzke, and Rölfs (auditors, ed.) managed to produce remarkable results during the six-hour debate with the investors."
At around 3:30 pm, the restructuring plan had been approved with an impressive 94.4% vote, according to Platenius in his enticing book "When BVB Faced Bankruptcy and We Became the Yellow Wall." He admits, "I would have been content if they had simply canceled the current season. We had accomplished everything, and I was completely drained." Looking back, March 14, 2005, marked the birth of the revitalized BVB. Aki Watzke seized command and, to the surprise of many Black and Yellow supporters, just six years later, Borussia Dortmund clinched the German championship under their coach Jürgen Klopp. The foundation for all subsequent victories was laid solely during the 2004/05 season - a season in which Borussia Dortmund narrowly evaded complete bankruptcy and the fans had to worry about their club for an extended period.
Following Platenius' recollections, another Ultra fan might say, "I remember how tense the atmosphere was during the Stuttgart match, fearing it could be our last game with Borussia Dortmund." After the investors' meeting, a relieved supporter might exclaim, "Thank goodness for Rauball, Watzke, and Rölfs; their efforts saved our beloved Soccer club from bankruptcy."
