Vice-president Walter Mennekes: ‘Sustainable dialogue with young and old’

Tradition met the future as FC Bayern invited members over the age of 65 to a meeting in the FC Bayern Museum at the Allianz Arena to find out how the so-called ‘silver generation’ views the club and to talk together about what moves them about the club. Vice-president Walter Mennekes asked attentively and conveyed greetings from president Herbert Hainer and his fellow vice-president Professor Dr Dieter Mayer, who both had to be in Barcelona due to appointments around the Champions League match. “Our entire executive committee stands for a deep, sustainable dialogue with our members, whether young or old,” Mennekes said.

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Walter Menneckes in dialogue with members over 65

Video

Walter Menneckes in dialogue with members over 65

Together with Kiki Hasenpusch, Benny Folkmann, managing director of FC Bayern eV, explained the history of the club, its social commitment and the projects to promote physical activity at schools in Munich and the surrounding area, coupled with an appeal to the audience to get in touch if they were interested, as the main focus was on how they could get involved in club life. There was sustained applause twice, for the club's commitment to urban society and for the activities of Red against Racism, for example on the culture of remembrance. Hans Buchholz explained how he’d stuck the sticker of the club’s initiative for diversity and combatting discrimination of any kind on his letterbox at his home in Cologne. “I don't understand anyone who says that a football club has to stay out of social issues. When my club, for which my heart bleeds, for which my heart beats, tackles such issues, I have to be there as a fan. It's about more than a goal in the 90th minute, it's about attitude. That's also the reason why I say FC Bayern is my club. It simply is.”

Ilana Lubelski feels the same way, saying: “FC Bayern is my life story.” When she fled Israel in 1966 to escape the looming Six-Day War, her dad said to her: “We will experience four miracles in Germany. A tree will grow in the living room every Christmas, and you will also see Sepp Maier, Gerd Müller and Franz Beckenbauer.” In addition to sporting success, an initiative such as Red against Racism also makes her proud today: “I can tell my children and grandchildren that we are 100 percent at the right club. I would like to thank everyone at this club for that.”

„Our entire executive committee stands for a deep, sustainable dialogue with our members, whether young or old.”
Walter Menneckes, vice-president

The eV team collected opinions and criticism over dinner, but the guests didn't have much to criticise. Kurt Kramer had brought along a pennant from the 1967 European Cup victory (“my first fan item”). Hans Weber revealed his biggest mistake with a grin: “After losing the European Cup final in 1982, I left in frustration and rejoined in 1983 with remorse”. And Peter Schreiber, with membership number 109, explained that his dad was an 1860 fan, but he never warmed to the Lions and became an FCB member in January 1965, “because I knew they would gain promotion”. The 79-year-old has never regretted the decision: “So many great moments. Others are not so lucky with their fan love.” The club's social commitment is “the icing on the cake of sporting success. Others wouldn't believe what FC Bayern does off the pitch. That makes me very proud.”

From around 150 applications, 25 participants were drawn by lot and got to take a tour down to the Allianz Arena pitch at the end of the evening. Mennekes initiated a Mexican wave with everyone as a farewell, actively supported by the staff. “Our team always has an open ear for our members, whether it's Benny Folkmann, Kiki Hasenpusch, Jasmin Gaßner, Jenny Sajons, Janine Ongyerth and Luis Trapp here today or the whole team in the office every day,” said Mennekes. “We want a lively FC Bayern where we support each other.” By the end, two of the guests had already announced their intention to get involved in the club's physical education concept in schools in the future. Above the doorway, where everyone said goodbye, was written in large letters: ‘It's great that you're here!’ This was especially true of the red ‘silver generation’ that evening. They had come to stay.