'We do what the police cannot': Fanprojekte face battle to survive

A German court case threatens the existence of projects that play a crucial social-work role with football fans

- Nick Ames

In a section of woodland next to Wildparkstadion, this winter's festivities are in full swing. It is a cold, crackling December day and Karlsruhe's ultras have set up their version of a Christmas market. Warm glühwein may be the best bet in conditions such as these, but one of their number has also brought a portable outpost of the brewery that he runs.

Further along, children are served pancakes; anyone needing to augment their colours before the match against second-tier promotion rivals Hamburg can buy scarves or hats. The game is important, but the proceeds from these stalls, which will go to local organisations supporting refugees, will outlive any football result.

Everyone present knows Sophia Gerschel, a familiar face among the thrumming crowd. She has charted Karlsruhe's ups and downs with them for a decade and a half, but that is not all. In some cases, she may have helped them navigate tough or contentious situations, whether in or away from football, but that must stay between them. Her work is mirrored across Germany and she could not have anticipated becoming the national face of a battle for its survival.

"I never accepted that this could happen," she says. Gerschel is a leader of Karlsruhe's Fanprojekt, a body that has few parallels elsewhere in Europe. It is a form of social work, essentially aimed at helping younger fans deal with problems that may arise around football stadiums or in broader life.

On the ground Fanprojekte assist supporters in avoiding conflict or misunderstanding with police and, at away games, help deal with logistics. They tend to be funded by a mixture of local government and German football's ruling powers. Their work is regarded as both educational and preventative: helping steer people away from hooliganism, extremism or drugs while empowering individuals.