What brings us together: One year of temporary exhibition dedicated to diversity.
Time flies so fast – and yet it feels like it was only yesterday. A whole year has already passed since we had the privilege of opening the temporary exhibition “Borussia connects. One club, many faces.” at the BORUSSEUM together. This was conceived by MAPAMUNDI in cooperation with the BORUSSEUM.
Usually, the BORUSSEUM shines a spotlight on the sporting heroes. But this exhibition turns the focus onto the people who truly embody BVB: the unique fans.
This exhibition is a tribute to diversity and to the stories of the great BVB family. It tells the stories of people for whom BVB is more than just football – it is a part of their identity, an anchor in their lives. The stories we have collected show how deeply the love for this club runs and how it connects generations, cultures, and life paths with one another.
90, 11, 77
Ninety, eleven, seventy-seven. What sounds like BVB’s ticket hotline is actually the coordinates of a man who deeply impressed us with his story: Manfred. He is 90 years old, still stands in Block 11 on the South Stand (Südtribüne), and has been an ardent BVB fan for 77 years. He is one of the oldest fans we interviewed for this exhibition.
I am a Dortmund girl. When I was seven years old, my dad took me to the stadium for the very first time. My name is Katharina and as an ethnologist and founder of MAPAMUNDI – connecting diversity, preparing this exhibition was a journey back to my own roots. The interview with Manfred was a very special highlight, because it led me right into the building where I used to visit my grandparents as a child. He was their neighbor. Not only did he offer me a unique insight into the history of BVB, but also into the world of my own childhood.
When BVB chants saved lives.
After twelve years, I returned to Dortmund for this project. I worked there until 2013 as deputy manager at the BORUSSEUM before emigrating to Argentina.
In this football-crazy country that I truly realized the incredible charisma and global reach of BVB. In 2016, I took part in an expedition and crossed the Andes on horseback from Argentina to Chile. It was wonderful to marvel at this breathtaking Andean landscape, but it was also exhausting, as we rode for several hours a day for days on end. It went steeply uphill and downhill, along narrow paths or through wide valleys. It was an incredible experience that I will never forget.
You are probably wondering right now what the Andes have to do with BVB?
The gauchos gave us an important piece of advice: under no circumstances should you fall asleep on horseback, because that was the greatest danger – you would fall off and get seriously injured. At an altitude of almost 5,000 meters, I tried to stay awake on horseback. How? With the chants from the Westfalenstadion. So I sang, sometimes loudly, sometimes quietly: “Olé, hier kommt der BVB!” or “Wir halten fest und treu zusammen.” That gave me the energy I needed to ride all the way to the next camp. At the border with Chile, I met a Chilean man who immediately recognized the BVB flag I was carrying. When I gave it to him as a gift, he rode away filled with pride.
BVB connects people all over the world.
Perhaps that was when the idea for this exhibition first came to me. I am absolutely thrilled that it has now become a reality.
I would like to thank the protagonists of this exhibition, who represent the diverse fan scene of BVB. Thank you for the time, openness, and courage to share your stories. I have always found it fascinating to collect and document people’s life stories. We conducted many interviews, I accompanied them with a camera to the stadium, and we recorded videos in the BVB-TV studio.
This exhibition is a tribute to diversity and to the stories of the great BVB family. It is proof of how deeply the love for this club runs and how it connects generations, cultures, and destinies with one another.
Nine-year-old Erik was introduced to his passion for BVB by his mother, and 16-year-old Lea lives the sense of togetherness in her family and has already been a match escort kid for BVB. They are the best example that age plays no role when it comes to being part of this community. Michael also shares his love for the club with his daughter, and Dr. Reinhold Lunow passes his enthusiasm on to his grandchildren. But Borussia does not only connect generations.
Anke shares her great passion for the sport with her husband and emphasizes that in the stadium, you suffer together and celebrate together.
Andreas, one of the co-founders of “The Unity”, organizes away trips that foster friendships and even relationships.
Florian, a teacher, also works as a volunteer for whom this commitment is a matter of the heart to help people.
And Dominik and Heiko, as members of the “Rainbow Borussen”, show that love for the club connects people regardless of background, age, or gender.
Football creates community beyond the pitch.
Meike and the residents of the WBZ residential home are united by their love for BVB, which creates a feeling of joy and belonging. Love for BVB knows no borders.
Miguel lives in San Diego, USA. He discovered the club on TV, and for him, Dortmund is like a home on the other side of the world.
Hideo from Tokyo watches the matches in the middle of the night to experience the passion that bridges continents. Another focus of the exhibition was on the people who live right there locally.
Prof. Dr. Manfred Bayer, Rector of TU Dortmund University, who came to Dortmund from Franconia and found a new home in this city and this club.
And Martin “Tilli” Tillmann, originally from Dortmund-Mengede, whose immeasurable loyalty to BVB was even immortalized on a giant banner featuring his fan vest (Kutte) on the South Stand.
Roland from Dortmund-South is the head of the helmet storage (“Helmbude”) at the stadium and demonstrates how football brings people together.
Finally, the story of Kim from Saarbrücken, who attends matches despite his disability, highlights the special willingness to help and the strong solidarity among BVB fans.
When emotions connect: Our Fanomenal Interview
Even after the ceremonial exhibition opening, the excitement continued: The Fanomenal team led by Jannis Gluth and Tobi Westerfellhaus visited us at the BORUSSEUM and interviewed us. The absolute highlight followed shortly before the BVB home match against Wolfsburg: Our interview was broadcast live and in color on the huge stadium screens. An incredibly moving moment full of pride and enthusiasm, shared with all the fans in the stadium – pure goosebumps!
A big thank you.
Capturing, listening to, and documenting all these deeply personal life stories – the intense interviews and accompanying our protagonists – was a truly valuable experience for us at MAPAMUNDI.
It was a matter close to our hearts to make visible what defines this club at its core: BVB lives not only from the moments on the pitch, but above all from the passion, loyalty, and unique diversity of its fans.
From the bottom of my heart, I would also like to thank Melanie and Sarah from the BORUSSEUM for the wonderful collaboration – as well as Dr. Lunow for his valued and active support. Without all of you, this project would not have been the same!
MAPAMUNDI – connecting diversity
