Herbert Hainer: Proven paths, new generations

A stunning mountain panorama, Weißwurst on the beer tables, Bavarian music by Die Heufelder, FC Bayern flags fluttering in the sun at Lake Tegernsee – the backdrop was perfect when Herbert Hainer got the 500 FC Bayern members in the mood for the day at ‘Gut Kaltenbrunn’ on Sunday morning. “One path, one story, one club,” said the FC Bayern president, who had come in lederhosen: “Today we’ll feel FC Bayern’s history together – step by step!”

The promotion walk around Lake Tegernsee in pictures:

To celebrate the promotion to the Bundesliga, FC Bayern walked around Lake Tegernsee on the initiative of former president Wilhelm Neudecker in 1965 – now the German record champions repeated it to mark their 125-year anniversary. More than 2,000 members had registered, 500 of which – the same number as back then – had been selected at random. After a Weißwurst breakfast with Paulaner beer, they walked to Rottach-Egern, where buses were waiting at Hotel Bachmair for the way back. The members chanted “Stern des Südens” again and again, and “Bayern, Bayern” echoed through the Tegernsee valley.

Today FC Bayern are “on proven old paths – with you, with new generations,” Hainer said: “FC Bayern has continued to develop steadily in the 125^th year of its existence. An event like this shows how we connect the past with the future.” Getting together off the pitch is important to the club: “We want to live FC Bayern together with you: at the stadium, but also at the members’ Schafkopf, in our members’ programmes like ‘Pack Ma’s’, the TEENS Club or our ‘Red against Racism’ initiative. In today’s world in particular, it’s important a club like FC Bayern is a home for everybody.” The audience, including first vice president Prof Dr Dieter Mayer, Peter Kupferschmidt as a member of the team that achieved promotion, Adrian Sarmiento (commercial manager of FC Bayern Basketball), FC Bayern eV management Benny Folkmann and Kiki Hasenpusch as well as Reinhard Frauscher from partner meine Volksbank-Raiffeisenbank responded with sustained applause. “Dear members,” said Hainer, “we know where come from – and where we want to go, together with you!”

Kupferschmidt signed autographs and posed for selfies while Hainer looked back on the promotion. It was the beginning of a unique success story, said the president: “Made possible by players like Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller, Sepp Maier or Peter Kupferschmidt. They came from humble backgrounds, they were down to earth and honest. And they laid the foundation on which persons like Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge built the club that inspires millions of people around the world today.” Each member was presented with a special shirt as a souvenir of the repetition of the promotion walk and a special edition of the FC Bayern members’ magazine ‘51’. “Those who remember their history aren’t reactionary – they act responsibly,” said Hainer. “We look ahead. As in the new anthem from our fans: Immer vorwärts [Forever forward], FC Bayern!”

The video of the promotion walk: