Ostelbien Dornburg: Once upon a time there was a Neo-Nazi group
Read the short journey from the German team, with Neo-Nazi roots, Ostelbien Dornburg. Threats and violence , on and off the pitch. The prosecution against their leader Wesemann, who was a founding member of the “Blue White Street Elite”, but also the decision of the judicial authorities of Saxony – Anhalt.
German football finally got rid once and for all from Ostelbien Dornburg. Why did it get rid of them? Because this group was founded and staffed by members of far-right organizations. A club which became known by consistent attacks on opposing players and referees.
For some time, the German football federation was receiving complaints about the neo-Nazi profile of this club, but was always putting these “under the carpet”. Finally, after intense media pressure, the Federation was forced to eliminate Ostelbien Dornburg, which was playing in the championship of the Kreisliga (tenth division of German football).
The specific club represented an area just 270 permanent residents in the town Gommern, outside Magdeburg. But the violence of 18 of its members (of which 15 were actively nostalgic to Adolf Hitler) had led the club to be present in Media headlines for months on end.
The presence of Neo-Nazis are frequent in the cities of Saxony – Anhalt
The group leader, Dennis Wesemann, faces charges of assault, disturbing the peace and demonstration of banned symbols. At the same time four local teams refused to play against Ostelbien in the local Kreisliga, while 59 of the 65 referees refuse to officiate their games.
The climax of the story, which ultimately led the Federation to the decision to expel Ostelbien Dornburg, was an article in the newspaper “Taz”. This article gave mention to an incident whereby their Leader, Dennis Wesemann, during a match, physically assaulted a rival Albanian footballer, and also spat in his face.
“The club has repeatedly and grossly violated the legal terms of the LSB (State Athletic Federation). In 2015 there was an accumulation of violations of fair play, as well as unsportsmanlike conduct, based on social discrimination, ” said a member of the Football Federation, leaving hints that … it was not uncommon for players of Ostelbien Dornburg to get away with these sort of behaviour in the past.
The emblem of Ostelbien Dornburg
Last July, the local MDR television network had broadcast a live game, and captured the incidents that ensued following the defeat Ostelbien Dornburg, for the relegation playoffs. At the same time the Network released a picture from the local council of the nearby village, Stresow, in which Dennis Wesemann was present and under the threat of violence was terrorizing the locals. The MDR cameraman were attacked by Dennis Wesemann during image acquisition, while many people -who were terrified at the time- did not want to speak on camera regarding the incident. At the same time, the journalists left the village, underf police escort.
The chairman of the LSB (State Athletic Federation), Lutz Bengsch, who promised to give a solution no later than August 31, kept his promise Earlier, he did not fail to express his optimism regarding the elimination of the club: “We are working intensively towards this direction” .The case was finally treated as “urgent” thanks (also) to the intervention of Sebastian Striegel, a representative of the Greens in the parliament of Saxony – Anhalt , who started a new initiative for the annihilation of the particular football club.
Finally, on August 11, the judicial authorities of the State decided the definitive elimination of the team from the championship and the prohibition of its engagement with football or other athletic activities.
Sebastian Striegel, who was initially disappointed with the apparent indifference of the FSA on this issue, expressed his satisfaction at hearing the news: “I think it’s good that the football federation of Saxony – Anhalt reacted. I regret that did not happen earlier. The identity of the club, the continuous reports of incidents of violence during matches, as well as it’s players extreme right-wing tendencies had been known for years. ”
The LSB initially tried to expel Ostelbien Dornburg at its inception (in 2011), but it was overruled by a court decision on the grounds that the club could not be expelled unless it was a purely political issue, even the players and coaches were originating from the Neo-Nazi organization “Blue White Street Elite”, whose founding member was Wesemann.
“After consultations with the German Olympic Committee, we decided not to appeal against the decision, so as not to give it larger dimensions and importance,” said Erwin Bugar (from the soccer federation), who -as mentioned by the Germans- has regretted the reason why Ostelbien Dornburg attracted Media atention.
For their part, however, the players Ostelbien Dornburg, say they’re determined not to accept the decision and continue to play. “We see each foreclosure process as unjustified and inappropriate,” commented a representative of the club at the local newspaper “Magdeburg Volkstimme”, who insisted on keeping his anonymity. He also added: “In such a case, we will use all the legal routes we are entitled, in order to turn around this decision.”
The video that follows, is from the incidents during the relegation playoff game. The Neo-Nazi”action” begins at 1:33…