A year full of historical superlatives
100 years of Hohe Warte, 90 years of Mitropacup, 90 years of first championship title, 10 years of women's division New - Vienna is celebrating four highlights of its unique history.
Austria's oldest football club is celebrating an extraordinary anniversary year. Four anniversaries are just around the corner in 2021.
On June 19, the six-time Austrian champion celebrates 100 years of Hohe Warte.
The unique meeting ground in the 19th district of Vienna was opened in 1921 with a 2-1 victory over SC Hakoah. Its sporting, historical-cultural and social complexity has made the natural arena a place of worship over the decades.
Shortly before completion of the stadium, the Viennese press reported that something unique was being created. "In Döbling a work is quietly maturing towards its completion, which will carry the fame of its creators far beyond the borders of our country."
The home ground of Vienna has long been considered the largest stadium in continental Europe. On April 15, 1923, on the occasion of the game between Austria and Italy, 85,000 spectators streamed into the stadium. That was a record visit. Today the HoWa - that's how fans call their living room - is approved for 4568 spectators. With an additional permit, 7500 spectators are allowed into the unique natural arena.
In addition to Vienna, the Hohe Warte also housed the Austrian national team from 1921 to 1936. In the 1930s, the iconic Wunderteam was considered the world's best national team. Other sporting events such as boxing, running, speedway, land hockey, American football and rugby as well as cultural highlights such as Giuseppe Verdi's opera Aida or pop concerts by James Brown, Rod Stewart, INXS and Ostbahn-Kurti also found their temporary home in Döbling.
Another feast day rises on June 7th. On this day 90 years ago, the first football club in Austria celebrated the first of a total of six national titles. In 1931 Vienna played a terrific spring round and won the decisive game 4-1 against Austria. After 18 rounds the Blue and Yellows finished the championship with 29 points, two points ahead of Admira. After the half time break of the championship, Admira was still four points ahead. This means that the club, founded in 1894, was Austrian champions for the first time in its 37th year.
Vienna made sports history in 1931. It was the most successful year in the club's history. After the championship, Vienna also won the Mitropacup and thus celebrated the double. The Mitropa Cup was the most important club trophy in European football back then, comparable to the Champions League today. To this day, it is the most valuable trophy in its 126-year history. In addition, the club nestled on a hillside in the Heiligenstadt (Holy City) set a new record in the international prestige competition: for the first time, the winner remained undefeated in all games.
In the final, Vienna matched WAC. Both of the final opponents came from the same country. That was also a novelty. The importance of the competition was so great that the first of the two finals took place in Zurich. On November 8, 1931, Vienna won 3-2 in the legendary Hardturm Stadium. Four days later, the second leg in Vienna was also won 2: 1. This made Vienna number 1 in Central Europe.
The festive program is rounded off in July with the 10th anniversary of the newly established women's football department.
The section was actually launched in 1989. At the time, Vienna was the first Bundesliga club in Austria with a women's football section. In the founding year, Vienna rose to the top division under Christa Hainzl and established itself there over and over again. Until in 1997 the success story experienced an interruption and the team emigrated to Hellas Kagran.
In the summer of 2011 the women celebrated their comeback on the Hohe Warte. The reconstruction took place slowly but steadily and again under the direction of Hainzl. After the restart with initially an U11 and U15 team, three successful girls' teams and two women's teams have been established in the meantime. The first women's team was able to work its way up to the second highest league in Austria. Only the corona crisis and the cancellation of the championship prevented promotion to the first Bundesliga.
Since June 2020 Austria's record national player and goal scorer Nina Burger has been responsible for the women's section.
Kurt Svoboda, vice president: “2021 is a very special year for us. We have a glorious past that we are very proud of. We are therefore looking forward to these anniversaries. It is important to build on these successes again. That is our long-term goal. In the short term, we hope that Austria will get the corona pandemic under control and that the ball will soon be rolling again on the Hohe Warte. Because that would mean that we would toast together with the Vienna family. "
