Extreme Football Tourism: WEST GERMANY: Altonaer FC 1893 (1908-1919, 1979-2008, 2009-) / VfL Altona (1919-1923) / Altonaer FC 93 VfL (1923-1938) / Altonaer FC 93 Borussia (1938-1979) / Altonaer FC 1893 (B) (2008-2009)

Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn, Hamburg Altona (Altonaer FC 1893, formerly VfL Altona / Altonaer FC 93 VfL / Altonaer FC 93 Borussia / B ground of Altonaer FC 1893)

Federal Republic of Germany, state: Hamburg

2 X 2025 / Altonaer FC 1893 - FSV Schöningen 2011 0-4 / Regionalliga Nord (= FRG level 4)

Timeline

1893 / Foundation of a sports club in Altona, by then a suburb of Hamburg, but an independent city until 1938 – and in fact part of the Duchy of Sleswick-Holsatia, subject to the Danish crown, until the Second Sleswick War between Denmark and Prussia (1864-65). The new club is given the name Altonaer Fussball- und Cricketclub (FCC) 1893, with Hermann Hambrock taking on the role of chairman. In the early years, the club includes several branches, including one for athletics. The first pitch of the new football club is the so-called Exerzierweide in Bahrenfeld, a military parade ground near modern-day Schnackenburgallee. On this field, nicknamed ‘Exer’ by locals, several football matches could be played at the same time, with many other clubs from Greater Hamburg making use of it in the years preceding World War I, including SC Sperber Hamburg, SC Victoria Hamburg, SC Germania Hamburg, and Hamburger FC 1888.
1894 / With the cricket branch being done away with, Altonaer FCC 1893 takes on the adapted name Altonaer Fussball-Club von 1893, mostly Altonaer FC 1893 or simply AFC. That same year, the club becomes one of the founding members of the so-called Hamburg-Altonaer Fussball-Bund (HAFB), an association of local football clubs.
1895 / Altonaer FC 1893 is one of the clubs to take part in the first edition of the so-called A-Klasse of the HAFB.
1898 / Altonaer FC 1893 clinches its first title in HAFB A-Klasse.
1899 / Altonaer FC 1893 clinches its second consecutive title in HAFB A-Klasse.
1900 / Altonaer FC 1893 clinches its third consecutive title in HAFB A-Klasse. That same year, AFC becomes one of the founding members of the nationwide German Football Association, the so-called Deutscher Fussball-Bund (DFB).
1903 / Following a tie-break match win over SC Germania Hamburg (3-1), Altonaer FC 1893 clinches its fourth HAFB A-Klasse title. As such, the club is invited to take part in the first-ever pan-German title play-offs. Eliminating Magdeburger FC Viktoria 8-1 in R1, AFC is knocked out in the semis away at VfB Leipzig (6-3). Subsequently, the final is played on the Exerzierweide, an encounter between VfB Leipzig and DFC Prag (7-2) – DFC Prag being a Jewish club from Prague taking part in the German league.
1905 / Moving away from the Exerzierweide, Altonaer FC 1893 settles on the middle section of the Trabrennbahn Bahrenfeld, a harness racing track, which had been laid out in 1867. As at ‘Exer’, the location offers the possibility of staging several matches simultaneously.
1908 / Altonaer FC 1893 leases a plot of land in Ottensen, at modern-day Griegstrasse, where a purpose-built pitch is laid-out, known locally simply as the AFC-Kampfbahn. The inaugural match at the new ground, taking place on August 30th, 1908, sees AFC pulverising Lübecker BC (7-1). Also in 1908, AFC star striker Adolf Jäger makes his debut in the German national team. Jäger, who had joined AFC from local rivals FC Union 03 Altona the previous year, goes on to defend the colours of Altona for an impressive twenty seasons (1907-27), while also winning a total of 18 caps for his country between 1908 and 1924, in the course of which he scores 11 goals.
1909 / Altonaer FC 1893 wins the Greater Hamburg League following a tie-break match against SC Victoria 1895 Hamburg (3-0). Subsequently, the club goes on to clinch the North-German title following successive wins over Bremer SC 91 (1-6) and Eintracht Braunschweig (6-3). Following that, the club qualifies for the pan-German title play-offs, in which it knocks out TuFC Tasmania Rixdorf in the quarterfinals (4-2), only to be eliminated in the semis by Berliner TuFC Viktoria 89 (7-0).
1910 / Conquering the Greater Hamburg League title for the second year running, Altonaer FC 1893 qualifies for the North-German title play-offs, in which it bows out in the semis against Holstein Kiel (5-1). That same year, AFC striker Karl Hanssen makes his debut for the German national team in a 1-2 home defeat in Cleves at the hands of the Netherlands. Hanssen would win two more caps (1910-11) before meeting his fate while performing his military service in World War I at the age of 29 (1916).
1911 / Conquering the Greater Hamburg League title for the third year running, Altonaer FC 1893 goes on to suffer elimination in the quarterfinals of the North-German title play-offs against Holstein Kiel (0-2).
1912 / Conquering the Greater Hamburg League title for the fourth year running, Altonaer FC 1893 qualifies for the North-German title play-offs, in which the club eases past Rostocker FC in the quarterfinals (1-11) before being eliminated in the semis by Eintracht Braunschweig (3-1).
1914 / Conquering the North-German League title, Altonaer FC 1893 goes on to qualify for the pan-German title play-offs, in which the club is knocked out in the quarterfinals by Duisburger SpV (4-1 A.E.T.).
1917 / Conquering the Greater Hamburg League title, Altonaer FC 1893 qualifies for the North-German title play-offs, in which the club knocks out Bremer SC 1891 in the quarterfinals (2-4 A.E.T.), going on to suffer elimination at the hands of Borussia Harburg in the semis (1-2).
1919 / Altonaer FC 1893 concludes a merger with another local sports club, Altonaer Turnerschaft 1880, resulting in the foundation of Verein für Leibesübungen (VfL) Altona.
1921 / Having leased the location for the past thirteen years, VfL Altona now purchases the grounds of its pitch in Altona-Ottensen. Following a renovation, the stadium is reinaugurated with a derby match against Hamburger SV on October 30th, 2021, in front of a crowd of 16,000.
1923 / As VfL Altona is disentangled after an existence of four years as a merger club, Altonaer Turnerschaft 1880 goes its separate way, with the football branch taking on the new name Altonaer FC 93 VfL.
1925 / Champions in the Elbe regional branch of the North-German league, 8 points ahead of closest followers FC Union 03 Altona, Altonaer FC 93 VfL goes on to conquer the Greater Hamburg title following a 3-2 win over Hamburger SV, winners of the Alsterkreis regional branch. Subsequently, the club finishes in second place in the North-German title play-offs behind the same club, HSV, following a tie-break match (2-1). Following that, AFC is invited to take part in the pan-German title play-offs, in which the club knocks out FC Titania Stettin in R1 (2-4), only to be knocked out in the quarterfinals by Duisburger SpV (0-2, tie played at Sportplatz Hoheluft).
1926 / Champions in the Elbe regional branch of the North-German league, 2 points ahead of local rivals FC Union 03 Altona, Altonaer FC 93 VfL goes on to suffer defeat in the Greater Hamburg final against HSV (5-4). Qualifying for the North-German title play-offs, AFC knocks out VfR Harburg in the qualification round (3-4), but finishes in fifth and last place in the subsequent group stage.
1927 / Champions in the Elbe regional branch of the North-German league, following a tie-break match against local rivals FC Union 03 Altona (3-1), Altonaer FC 93 VfL goes on to suffer defeat in the Greater Hamburg final against HSV for the second year running (3-1). In the North-German title play-offs, AFC bows out in the qualification round against FVgg Kilia Kiel (4-2).
1928 / Altona goalkeeper Hans Wentorf is called up for the German squad taking part in the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. Gathering a total of two caps, Wentorf, who defended the AFC goal for thirteen years (1922-35), would live until the age of 77, passing away in 1976.
1930 / Finishing in fifth place in the Greater-Hamburg Oberliga, Altonaer FC 93 VfL qualifies for the North-German title play-offs, in which the club knocks out Borussia Gaarden in R1 (2-4), suffering defeat at the hands of Hannover 96 in the quarterfinals (2-3 A.E.T.).
1931 / Finishing in third place in the Greater-Hamburg Oberliga, Altonaer FC 93 VfL qualifies for the North-German title play-offs, in which the club knocks out SV Werder Bremen in R1 (3-2 A.E.T.), bowing out in the quarterfinals against SV Arminia Hannover (3-1).
1932 / Champions in the Greater-Hamburg Oberliga following a tie-break win over Hamburger SV (1-2 A.E.T.), Altonaer FC 93 VfL qualifies for the North-German title play-offs, in which the club wins the group stage ahead of VfB Komet Bremen, Eintracht Braunschweig, and SV Polizei Lübeck. In the final round, however, the club has to settle for third place behind eternal rivals HSV and Holstein Kiel, with only SV Arminia Hannover finishing behind them.
1933 / Champions in the Greater-Hamburg Oberliga following yet another tie-break win over HSV (1-2 A.E.T.), Altonaer FC 93 VfL qualifies for the North-German title play-offs, in which the club finishes in joint first place with Eimsbütteler TV, ahead of VfB Peine and SV Werder Bremen. However, in the tie-break match organised to determine the title winners, Eimsbüttel defeats AFC handsomely (4-1). From the 1933-34 season, AFC takes part in the so-called Gauliga Nordmark, with the club’s performances gradually dwindling in the course of the decade.
1938 / Altonaer FC 93 VfL concludes a merger with Borussia Bahrenfeld, resulting in the foundation of Altonaer FC 93 Borussia.
1940 / Altonaer FC 93 Borussia finishes as runners-up in Group 1 of the Bereichsliga Nordmark, 3 points behind champions Eimsbütteler TV.
1944 / As Adolf Jäger dies in combat in the final stage of World War II at the age of 55, the AFC-Kampfbahn is renamed in his honour, becoming the Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn.
1945 / Altonaer FC 93 Borussia finishes as runners-up in the last edition of the Gauklasse Hamburg, 9 points behind runaway champions Hamburger SV.
1947 / In a reorganisation of the post-war West German league system, Altonaer FC 93 Borussia, which had finishes in sixth place in the Hamburg City League, a provisional league championship, is placed in the so-called Verbandsliga Hamburg-Elbestaffel, the second tier of the league pyramid, below the Oberliga Nord. It marks the first time in club history that AFC is not represented at the highest level of German football.
1948 / Runaway champions in the Verbandsliga Hamburg-Elbestaffel, 12 points ahead of closest followers VfL Stade, Altonaer FC 93 Borussia fails to break down the door to the Oberliga, finishing in fifth place in the promotion play-offs, with six clubs taking place.
1950 / Champions in the Verbandsliga Hamburg-Elbestaffel, 7 points ahead of runners-up SC Victoria Hamburg, Altonaer FC 93 Borussia goes on to finish in second place in the promotion play-offs, 1 point behind Eintracht Osnabrück, thus acceding to the Oberliga Nord along with the aforementioned club and third-placed Itzehoer SV.
1951 / Finishing in third-last place in Oberliga Nord, Altonaer FC 93 Borussia drops back into the second tier of German football along with VfB Oldenburg and bottom club Itzehoer SV. For the 1951-52 season, the club is placed in what has meanwhile been renamed the Amateurliga Hamburg.
1952 / Runners-up in Amateurliga Hamburg, 2 points behind champions Harburger TB 1865, Altonaer FC 93 Borussia qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club finishes in third place, sufficient for an immediate return to the top flight of German football, along with the clubs in first and second place, VfB Lübeck and Harburger TB 1865.
1953 / The AFC home game against derby rivals Hamburger SV (1-4) draws a record crowd of 27,000 to the Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn. On average, Oberliga league matches at Griegstrasse in the 1950s are attended by some 10,000 to 11,000 spectators.
1954 / In its best post-war season, Altonaer FC 93 Borussia finishes in third place in Oberliga Nord behind Hannover 96 and FC St. Pauli.
1955 / Coached by Klaus-Peter Kirchrath, Altonaer FC 93 Borussia has a great run in the DFB Pokal, West Germany’s main cup competition; with successive wins over 1. FC Saarbrücken (3-2), Eintracht Frankfurt (2-1), and Alemannia Aachen (2-0), the club qualifies for the semifinals. Following a draw against Karlsruher SC on the neutral soil of Cologne’s Müngersdorfer Stadion (3-3 A.E.T.), a replay is held at Gelsenkirchen’s Glückauf-Kampfbahn, resulting in a 3-0 defeat. KSC would go on to conquer the DFB Pokal.
1958 / In a repeat of the club’s performance in the 1953-54 season, Altonaer FC 93 Borussia finishes in third place in Oberliga Nord, this time behind Hamburger SV and Eintracht Braunschweig. That same year, a new, covered main stand is inaugurated at the Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn, which runs nearly the full western touchline – apart from a short bit in the northwestern corner, which has an open terrace, referred to in jest as the ‘Meckerecke’ (in English: Moaning Corner) by fans.
1963 / Finishing in second-last place in Oberliga Nord, with only VfB Lübeck finishing behind them, Altonaer FC 93 Borussia manages to avoid relegation into the local level in a play-off, instead being retrograded into the newly created Regionalliga Nord, as the 1963-64 season sees the introduction of the first-ever pan-German league championship, the so-called Bundesliga.
1964 / Coached by Kurt Krause, Altonaer FC 93 Borussia reaches the semifinals of the DFB Pokal for the second and last time in club history, following successive wins over Borussia Mönchengladbach (2-1), Duisburger SV (2-1), and Karlsruher SC (2-1). In the semis, the club is knocked out by eventual winners TSV 1860 München (1-4 A.E.T.).
1965 / Finishing in third place in Regionalliga Nord, only 1 point behind runners-up and derby rivals FC St. Pauli, Altonaer FC 93 Borussia misses out on the Bundesliga promotion play-offs by a whisker.
1968 / Finishing in second-last place in Regionalliga Nord, Altonaer FC 93 Borussia descends into the third tier of German football for the first time in club history, along with bottom club TuS Haste 01. For the new season, AFC finds itself in the Landesliga Hamburg.
1971 / As club performances continue to deteriorate, Altonaer FC 93 Borussia finishes bottom of the table in Landesliga Hamburg, thus suffering relegation into the fourth tier of Germany’s league pyramid, along with the club in second-last place Holsatia Elmshorn. For the 1971-72 season, AFC is placed in the Amateurliga Hamburg-Hansa.
1972 / Champions in the Amateurliga Hamburg-Hansa, Altonaer FC 93 Borussia manages an immediate return to the Landesliga Hamburg – the third tier of the West German league ladder, but the fourth from 1974 on due to the introduction of the 2. Bundesliga.
1975 / Runners-up in Landesliga Hamburg, with an equal number of points as well as an equal goal difference as VfL Pinneberg, but with fewer goals scored (67 vs. 57), Altonaer FC 93 Borussia qualifies for the promotion play-offs, but the club misses out on a ticket for the Oberliga Nord following a fourth and last place in the play-off group.
1976 / Runners-up in Landesliga Hamburg for the second year running, 1 point behind champions ASV Bergedorf 85, Altonaer FC 93 Borussia qualifies for the promotion play-offs, but the club finishes in fourth and last place for the second year running.
1977 / Runners-up in Landesliga Hamburg for the third year in a row, 6 points behind champions VfL Pinneberg, Altonaer FC 93 Borussia qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club finishes in second place, 1 point behind VfB Lübeck, not enough for an Oberliga ticket.
1979 / Altonaer FC 93 Borussia changes its name to become Altonaer Fussball-Club (FC) von 1893, i.e. the same name the club had borne between 1894 and 1919.
1981 / Having being unable to capitalise on good results in the Landesliga Hamburg in the 1970s, Altona FC 1893 now finishes bottom of the table in the renamed Verbandsliga Hamburg, thus descending into the fifth tier of the league ladder for the first time in club history, along with Bramfelder SV and SV Vorwärts Billstedt. For the 1981-82 season, the club is placed in the Landesliga Hamburg-Hammonia.
1983 / Champions in the Landesliga Hamburg-Hammonia, Altonaer FC 1893 manages a return to the fourth-tier Verbandsliga Hamburg after an absence of two years.
1984 / Runners-up in Verbandsliga Hamburg, 2 points behind champions Hummelsbütteler SV, Altonaer FC 1893 qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club finishes in first place ahead of SV Atlas Delmenhorst on goal difference – thus achieving back-to-back promotions and acceding to the Oberliga Nord, marking a return to the third tier of the football pyramid after ten seasons.
1986 / In the club’s best performance since the 1960s, Altonaer FC 1893 finishes in fourth place in the Oberliga Nord, with only FC St. Pauli, VfB Oldenburg, and SV Meppen picking up more points – and only narrowly missing out on qualification for the promotion play-offs. The successful coach is former HSV and Hannover 96 player Willi Reimann.
1990 / The Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn is briefly considered as the home venue for the Faroe Islands first-ever European Championship qualification campaign. In the end, however, the Faroese Football Association settles for the Landskrona Idrottsplats in Landskrona (Sweden) instead, which would see the islanders book a sensational 1-0 win over Austria.
1993 / Finishing in fourteenth place in the Oberliga Nord, Altonaer FC 1893 drops back into the fourth division of German football, along with TuS Lingen, SVG Göttingen 07, Eintracht Nordhorn, and bottom club TSV Havelse. For the 1993-94 season, AFC finds itself in the Verbandsliga Hamburg.
1994 / Finishing in seventh place in the Verbandsliga Hamburg, Altonaer FC 1893 is placed in the newly created Oberliga Sleswick-Holsatia/Hamburg, introduced simultaneously with the Regionalliga as the third tier of the football pyramid.
1996 / Champions in the Oberliga Sleswick-Holsatia/Hamburg, 2 points ahead of runners-up TSV Pansdorf, Altonaer FC 1893 wins promotion to the Regionalliga Nord, marking a return of the club to the third tier of the football pyramid.
1997 / Finishing in fifteenth place in Regionalliga Nord, Altonaer FC 1893 drops back into the Oberliga level along with SC Concordia Hamburg, FC St. Pauli Amateurs, Lüneburger SK, and bottom club SV Lurup. However, due to financial problems, the club prefers to make a restart one step further down the ladder, in at Verbandsliga Hamburg, the fifth tier of the league pyramid. Also in 1997, 18-year-old Christian Rahn, who had spent the first ten years of his youth academy years at AFC, makes his professional league debut at FC St. Pauli. The defensive midfielder goes on to have spells at Hamburger SV, 1. FC Köln, FC Hansa Rostock, SpVgg Greuther Fürth, and SV Jahn Regenburg, eventually closing off his career at FC St. Pauli Reserves in 2015. Rahn also won 5 caps for Germany (2004-05).
2001 / Finishing in third place in Verbandsliga Hamburg, Altonaer FC 1893 qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club suffers defeat in the final against FC Kilia Kiel 1902 following a penalty shoot-out. Also in 2001, the wooden benches of the main stand of the Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn are removed, being replaced by 1,400 seats from HSV’s old Volksparkstadion. This brings total capacity of the ‘AJK’ down to 8,000.
2002 / Runners-up in the Verbandsliga Hamburg, 3 points behind Meiendorfer SV, Altonaer FC 1893 goes on to defeat TSB Flensburg on aggregate in the promotion play-off, thus managing promotion to the Oberliga Sleswick-Holsatia/Hamburg.
2004 / Runners-up in the Oberliga Sleswick-Holsatia/Hamburg, 3 points behind champions Holstein Kiel Reserves, Altonaer FC 1893 is placed in the newly created Oberliga Nord, a merger of the Sleswick-Holsatia/Hamburg and Bremen/Lower Saxony branches.
2007 / In a vote among AFC’s membership, about 75% votes in favour of a sale of the grounds of the Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn to a property developer, entangling a future move to a projected new stadium further away from the city-centre. Also in 2007, former Altona youth academy player, Cameroonian striker Eric Choupo-Moting, makes his professional league debut at the age of 18 with Hamburger SV. Choupo-Moting goes on to have spells with 1. FC Nürnberg, 1. FSV Mainz, FC Schalke 04, Stoke City FC, Paris Saint-Germain, FC Bayern München, and New York Red Bulls. Moreover, he represented his country in the 2010, 2014, and 2022 editions of the World Cup.
2008 / Runners-up in Oberliga Nord, 4 points behind champions Holstein Kiel, Altonaer FC 1893 qualifies for the Regionalliga Nord, the new fourth tier of the German league pyramid following the introduction of the 3. Bundesliga, that same summer. Due to the dilapidate Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn not meeting the Regionalliga requirements, the club plays its home games in the 2008-09 season in Stadion Hoheluft, groundsharing with SC Victoria Hamburg. Meanwhile, the ‘AJK’ remains in use for lower team football.
2009 / Finishing in third-last place in Regionalliga Nord, Altonaer FC 1893 drops back into the fifth-tier Oberliga after just one season, along with FC Sachsen Leipzig and bottom side Energie Cottbus Reserves. After a gap of one season, first team football returns to the Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn.
2011 / AFC is joined by American football team HSV Hamburg Blue Devils at the Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn, with the groundshare lasting for two years, until 2013.
2013 / Runners-up in Oberliga Hamburg, 9 points behind runaway champions FC Elmshorn, Altonaer FC 1893 is deprived of the opportunity to compete in the promotion play-offs due to not having obtained a Regionalliga licence. That same year, former Altona youth academy defender Jonathan Tah makes his professional league debut at the age of 17 with Hamburger SV. Tah goes on to have spells with Fortuna Düsseldorf, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, FC Bayern München – going on to make his debut for the German national side in 2016.
2015 / For the first time, a site for the projected new AFC stadium is designated, a piece of wasteland at Memellandallee.
2016 / Finishing in sixth place in Oberliga Hamburg, Altonaer FC 1893 qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club misses out narrowly on a return to Regionalliga, finishing 1 point behind SV Eichede and 1. FC Germania Egestorf.
2017 / Finishing in third place in Oberliga Hamburg behind Tus Dassendorf and TSV Buchholz 08, both of which did not obtain a Regionalliga licence, Altonaer FC 1893 takes the place of these clubs in the promotion play-offs. Going on to finish in joint first place with Eutin SV 08 in those play-offs, AFC manages a return to Regionalliga Nord after eight seasons, at the expense of Bremer SV and Eintracht Nordhorn.
2018 / Finishing bottom of the table in Regionalliga Nord, Altonaer FC 1893 drops back into the Oberliga level after just one season, along with Eintracht Braunschweig II, VfV 06 Hildesheim, and Eutin SV 08.
2019 / Champions in Oberliga Hamburg, 2 points ahead of closest rivals FC Teutonia 05 Ottensen, Altonaer FC 1893 goes on to win the promotion play-offs, ahead of Heider SV and Bremer SV. As such, the club joins Heider SV in Regionalliga Nord for the 2019-20 season.
2022 / Finishing in third-last place in the Regionalliga Nord relegation play-offs, Altonaer FC 1893 drops back into the Oberliga level along with Lüneburger SK Hansa, HSC Hannover, FC Oberneuland, and bottom club Heider SV.
2024 / Champions in Oberliga Hamburg, 5 points ahead of runners-up TuS Dassendorf, Altonaer FC 1893 qualifies for the promotion play-offs. However, finishing in third and last place behind SV Werder Bremen Reserves and SV Todesfelde, the club fails to reclaim its place in the Regionalliga.
2025 / Champions in Oberliga Hamburg for the second year running, with an equal number of points as TuS Dassendorf, but with a marginally better goal difference (+69 vs. +66), Altonaer FC 1893 qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club finishes in second place, behind FSV Schöningen 2011, but ahead of Heider SV and SV Hemelingen – sufficient for a Regionalliga ticket.
2030 (projected) / The deal which saw the sale of the grounds of the Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn at Griegstrasse stipulates the club having vacated the ground by 2030 at its latest.