Bundesliga club-by-club historical guide: Blau-Weiß 90 Berlin
Blau-Weiß 90 Berlin once played in the top flight with Hertha two divisions down, while Karl-Heinz Riedle called them home.
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Blau-Weiß 90 Berlin
Years in Bundesliga: 1 (1986/87)
Most appearances: Karl-Heinz Riedle (34)
Most goals: Karl-Heinz Riedle (10)
Youngest player: Peter Saternus (19 years, nine months, 15 days)
Blau-Weiß were a middling team in Berlin from the district of Mariendorf before and after the Bundesliga’s creation, even playing in the fourth tier in 1978. Things changed in 1983 when businessman Konrad Kropatschek got involved. He wanted to buy players for the club, who would then be sold for a profit, with the funds going straight back to him. The club agreed to this despite Kropatschek previously being found guilty of loan fraud in 1976.
Nevertheless, it worked and the club achieved back-to-back promotions to the second tier by 1984. In 1985/86, they played alongside Hertha and Tennis Borussia in Bundesliga 2, marking the only time in the division’s history that there have been three clubs from one city competing in the same season. It was also the year they turned Berlin football on its head as they went up to the Bundesliga and both Hertha and TeBe were relegated to the Oberliga.
Blau-Weiß would get their first Bundesliga victory on Matchday 3 against Borussia Mönchengladbach but then go 21 games without a win. Despite 10 goals from summer signing Karl-Heinz Riedle, they’d win only three of their 34 games and finish bottom. After being refused a licence to continue in Bundesliga 2 for the 1992/93 season, the club went into liquidation in June 1992. A new club was formed (SV Blau Weiss Berlin), which was not the legal successor to the original club but was eventually able to take on the name Blau-Weiß in 2015. They can also lay claim to having produced a US international, with John Brooks having spent a few years in the youth teams.
