The Century Fan!
HSV supporter Oscar Algner will be celebrating his 100th birthday next Wednesday (March 29). The former Hamburg businessman celebrates this epoch-making event with around 40 family members in the nearby clubhouse of the Hamburg Polo Club.
The oldest and longest-serving member of HSV wanted nothing more and nothing less than a delicious fillet of beef with vegetables and the promotion of his heart club to the Bundesliga for the special cradle party. Spring flatter? These scenes scare all HSV fans
“I never thought that I would reach this biblical age. That’s insane. A real gift, says the sprightly retiree happily. The reports on TV about the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine make him less happy. Algner quickly comes up with memories from his youth.
Because: The young man from Hamburg was sent to the Eastern Front at the age of 17 on December 4, 1940, and was in Russian captivity for four more years after the end of the war: This unbelievable suffering that people are now suffering in the Ukraine hurts me hurts in my soul.
Algner, who has had the HSV membership number 350 since October 17, 1930, did not let go of his love for the club even during his military service. Instead of taking a short leave from home, the ardent supporter went to East Prussia in 1941 to watch the HSV preliminary round match for the German championship at VfB Königsberg.
Read Algner with a smile: “Hamburg won 2-1 back then and I was also able to briefly see my mother and sister, who had come with the team on the same train. An all-round beautiful day in the dark hours.
The absolute highlight is and remains the championship final in 1960 in Frankfurt’s Waldstadion. Back then, HSV won 3-2 against 1. FC Köln with goals from Uwe Seeler (2) and Gert Charly Dörfel: I still get goosebumps when I think back to this spectacular victory. That was just great.
Algner guards the issue of the BILD newspaper from the title win in 1960 (sales price: 10 pfennigs) like the apple of his eye.
As early as 1932, Algner played for the youngsters of HSV: “I was a centre-forward, I threw myself into the fray.” Up until a few years ago, the player from Flottbek hardly missed a game at the Volksparkstadion. Now he was following the rise efforts from the comfort of the TV chair.
And what is the secret of his old age? Algner, who worked as a businessman until ten years ago: It takes a lot of luck. Maybe because I didn’t use the car for many trips. I walked to work and took the S-Bahn to work until I was 90.
