60 years of the German Bundesliga (1963/64 – 2023/24) display

Ben McFadyean, PhD, a researcher in the School of Film, Media and Culture, curated this exhibition celebrating 60 years of the German Bundesliga.  The Bundesliga ('Federal League'), sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga or 1. Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of the German football league system, the Bundesliga is Germany's primary football competition. The Bundesliga comprises 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga. Seasons run from August to May. Games are played on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. All of the Bundesliga clubs take part in the DFB-Pokal cup competition. The winner of the Bundesliga qualifies for the DFL-Supercup.  

The display comprises a series of posters documenting the history of the Bundesliga and a display of fan merchandise including signed player shirts, fan scarfs and pin badges, replica signed player photographs, season tickets, press passes and other memorabilia together with a replica league cup.

For an insight into the inspiration behind the display, view the Q&A session with Ben in this Library blog post.

   Press pass for the Women's Bundesliga match between SGS Essen vs. Vft. Wolfsburg season 23/24, a die-cast model of the 2017 Borussia Dortmund Fan Club taxi, a replica trophy of the Red Dragons FC Bayern Munich Supporters club won in the challenge match in 2016 by the Borussia Dortmund Fan Club London, and a book about Erwin Kostedde, the first Black Bundesliga football player 

Die-cast model of the 2017 Borussia Dortmund Fan Club London taxi

Two commemorative pin badges: 1. FC Mülheim silver honorary membership pin badge awarded to Ben McFadyean for work to support the club between 2019-2023 and Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund commemorative pin badge made for the DFB Pokal 2015 German FA Cup Final

Trophy of the Dragons FC Bayern Munich London Supporters Club cup won in a 2016 challenge match by the Borussia Dortmund Fan Club London

Photograph of Borussia Dortmund the last champions before the introduction of the Bundesliga in 1963, and replica signed photograph of 51-time Germany international player Mattias Sammer, now on the board of Borussia, signed photo of 23/24 Borussia Dortmund Croatian-German coach Edin Terzic

Borussia Dortmund fan club of Malaysia scarf, Current Borussia Dortmund Sporting director, former striker Lars Ricken's signed 1996/97 Champions League winning season shirt, and the first team shirt season 2021/22 of VFL Osnabrück Ghanaian-German winger Aaron Opoku

Signed pennant of Chemnitzer FC, Champions of the East Germany league in 1967