Close neighbours of the Stasi but not friends

Sunday 25 October 2015, Lichtenberg 47 3 Union Furstenwalde 3, Oberliga NOFV - HOWOGE Hans Zoschke

The home of Lichtenberg 47 maybe the closest ground to the former home (and now a museum) of the East German Stasi HQ, but they were certainly no friends of Erich Mielke and his Stasi henchmen.

In fact rumour has it that when Lichtenberg beat Dynamo, the team that Mielke supported it is rumoured he wanted the Hans Zoschke stadium demolished.

The ground was only saved when the widow of Hans Zoschke pleaded with Mielke to not demolish it. Hans Zoschke was a sportsman and also a communist who was killed by the Nazis.

We should thank his widow as she has helped save a beautiful ground, great clubhouse, top beer, superb scoreboard, and friendly fans – only downside? – No floodlights, but everything else is there to be liked, in particular the grass terraces.

The new named added to the stadium title is HOWOGE , the group that has  modernised much of the old East German housing and have added some colour to the former drab East German tower blocks - but they do not have to do anything to this ground, it is already beautiful.

Oh, I forgot the one bad thing – the worst statue in football – including the wig!

The game was even good with later comeback from the home team to snatch a draw, mot that seemed to please the two local girls (matching leggings) whose job is to operate the scoreboard!

Visit the ground, watch a game and also visit the Stasi Museum!