Thread by @ftamsut

Eintracht Frankfurt & their fans have made the headlines due to their European away followings.

Ahead of their Europa League final vs. Rangers, here’s what you need to know about #SGE, their fans and the city behind all the madness.

Buckle up.

(Thread 1/21) #SGERFC #UELFinal

𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝘂𝗻

Like most clubs in Germany, Eintracht Frankfurt are controlled by the club’s members.

#SGE members who attend the club's AGM get to have a say on various issues, including voting for the club’s president on a one-member-one-vote basis. 2/21

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁

Meet Eintracht Frankfurt's president over the past 20 years, Peter Fischer.

When Fischer was first voted in, #SGE had 5,000 members.

Two weeks ago, the club has crossed the 100,000-member mark. Only Bayern, BVB, Schalke and Cologne have more members. 3/21

𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀

Under Fischer, Eintracht Frankfurt have become fiercest critics of the far right in Germany.

Here’s what Fischer said about how he thinks Nazis should be treated in the stands back in 2013, in an interview to @11Freunde_de. 4/21

Fischer also made the headlines in Germany for declaring no member of the far-right, populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party can become a member of Eintracht Frankfurt in 2017.

He has repeated that statement on various occasions since. 5/21

https://twitter.com/ftamsut/status/1139933318718382080

Eintracht Frankfurt’s stance against the far right is about more than just words.

After Fischer’s statement, some regional AfD politicians tried to join the club as members in a bid to legally challenge the club.

#SGE rejected their application. 6/21

As a result of Eintracht Frankfurt’s stance, Peter Fischer received antisemitic death threats from far-right groups. 7/21

https://twitter.com/ftamsut/status/975696707903279105

Fischer isn't the only executive which comes from the stands.

Match-going #SGE supporters from various generations are active across the club, which is part of the reason why the coordination between the club and its various fan and ultra groups is particularly successful. 8/21

𝗙𝗮𝗻𝘀

Like their club, large parts of Eintracht Frankfurt’s fan and ultra scene take an anti-racist stance.

One example is this popular sticker, by #SGE fan @SuperSebb, which can be seen across Frankfurt.

“One city, one club. Against racism, fascism and homophobia.” 9/21

After the terrorist attack in Hanau, just 20km from Frankfurt, in which nine people of migrant background were killed by a fascist, #SGE hosted Salzburg.

As an away fan disturbed the minute’s silence, the whole Waldstadion chanted “Nazis out!” 10/21

Eintracht Frankfurt fans take playing in Europe very seriously.

When playing at home, expect choreos, very loud support and creativity all around.

Here’s an example of how an #SGE ultra group celebrated its birthday with a choreo full of nuances. 11/21

https://twitter.com/ftamsut/status/1187673566436831232

Here’s how Eintracht Frankfurt’s ultra scene celebrated itself ahead of the game against Chelsea, its friendships with other groups and its visual motifs such as graffiti, stickers and banners with a huge flag over the Waldstadion’s whole Nordwestkurve. 12/21

One of Eintracht Frankfurt fans' most creative initiatives in recent years was a choreo which stretches over three (!) games.

"Eintracht," "Frankfurt," "My club" it reads. 13/21

Think it's also worth mentioning the last time Eintracht Frankfurt made it to a late stage of a European competition as they were beaten by Chelsea in the Europa League semifinal in 18/19.

Those were the scenes after the game. 14/21

https://twitter.com/JanAageFjortoft/status/1126607792851357696

As Europe has learned, Eintracht Frankfurt will take massive numbers to away games, with some 10,000 fans being the standard.

The pinnacle was, of course, Barcelona away, a game to which 30,000 supporters traveled. 15/21

https://twitter.com/archiert1/status/1514709861371727885

𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆

Eintracht, their fans and their political stance do not exist in a vacuum. 16/21

Frankfurt is a city where many extremes co-exist. Between ultracapitalist bankers and an antifascist scene; classical music and hip hop; art museums and graffiti; it’s a city where subcultures flourish.

In that sense, #SGE’s ultras represent their city: Extreme. 17/21

Expect that to be the case in Sevilla, too.

Per reports in Germany, Eintracht Frankfurt’s ultras are organizing a choreo which cost them in excess of 50,000 euros.

The choreo will be transported to Sevilla in seven trucks from Poland. 18/21

https://twitter.com/JanAageFjortoft/status/112660779285135769617/20

So yeah, this final is going to be an experience.

And while you’re watching the game, try and pay some attention to what’ll be going on in the stands, too.

It promises to be a cracker, in more ways than one 🙃 19/21

Last but not least, I cannot seriously write a whole thread about Frankfurt without recommending some food and drink.

Apfelwein (literally: Apple wine, which is the best alcoholic drink on the planet don't @ me) and Grüne Soße.

Thank me later. 20/21

Sources and photos: @dw_sports, Sky Sport, @FasziFankurve, HR, ZDF, @platschinho, @beves_welt, @eintracht_eng, @JanAageFjortoft.

For on-ground coverage of the Europa League final, both on the pitch and in the stands, make sure you follow the incredible @archiert1. 21/21

Quick addition to the list of sources: It’s been brought to my attention that the ZDF video in the thread was originally posted by @Renn_Ma.