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The history of the Kampfbahn Glückauf is tightly interwoven
with that of FC Schalke 04. The Glückaufkampfbahn, as it is more
commonly known, is the club’s original home and has been the
scene of ecstatic victories as well as dramatic defeats. It was
here, in the working class surrounds of the former mining town
of Gelsenkirchen – next door to the club’s local pubs and the
homes and workplaces of many of its supporters and players, that
the unwavering spirit of unity that became the legend of
"Schalke", was born.
When a pair of local Schalke youths first founded the football
club in 1904 under the name of Westfalia Schalke, games were
still being played on rutted, uneven meadows on the city’s
outskirts. The situation remained so until the WW1 years when
the Consolidation colliery leased the club a sports ground in
Grenzstrasse.
Following the club’s promotion to the Emscher-Kreisliga (amateur
league) in 1921, the ground had to be extended to accommodate
5,000 spectators in accordance with league standards. The club’s
name was changed in 1924 to FC Schalke 04. Spectator numbers
rose alongside the club’s success, namely promotion to the
Ruhrgau League and their first time as runners-up in the west
German football championships. The decision to build their own
stadium was made in 1927. Financial and technical problems were
overcome with the help of the Mannesmann pipes factory and the
Consolidation colliery. The Kampfbahn Glückauf was opened during
a sports week (25 August- 2 September 1928) after a 12 month
building period. The new stadium had standing space for 35,000
spectators on earth banks and seating for 1200.
The use of Glückauf in the stadium’s name testified how
deeply-rooted the stadium was in the local miners’ world. Ernst
Kuzorra, Fritz Szepan and the rest of the Knappen [Knappen:
an old German word for miner adopted as a nickname for the
Schalke players] with their
legendary Schalker Kreisel (a passing game using direct, short
passes) had found their home.
In 1931, 70,000 spectators stormed the stadium to see Schalke 04
beat Fortuna Düsseldorf 1:0. It was their first game following a
ban imposed for overpaying lump sums to the players who were
still at that time, amateurs.
In the years to follow, FC Schalke 04 were German champions six
times, in 1934, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1940 and 1942 and cup winners
once. A main stand with 2,700 seats was added in 1936 which, at
114 metres, was the biggest club-owned stand in Germany.
The stadium suffered major bomb damage during WWII. The players
helped with the rebuilding and by 1946 it was ready to be used
again for matches. Stand extensions, reconstruction of the gates
and surrounding areas and the putting in place of emergency
exits were all carried out in the 1950s. FC Schalke 04 were
German champions again in 1958. The advent of the Bundesliga in
1963 meant that further improvements were necessary and in 1969
the stadium was equipped with a steel construction stand for
1,800 spectators.
 The City of Gelsenkirchen built the new Park Stadium for the
1974 World Cup and so it was that on 21 July 1973, FC Schalke 04
played their farewell game in the Kampfbahn Glückauf.
Since then, the Glückaufkapfbahn has lain dormant. Amateur clubs
and up-and-coming stars play their games here, the grass grows –
as do the memories and dreams of bygone victories. In 1986 the
stands were declared listed buildings.
But now this legendary site is coming back to life with the 2006
FIFA World Cup™ Fan Fest.
A detailed history of the
"Kampfbahn Glückauf" including additional pictures is
available on the German text pages.
Text: Michael Moos
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