For the past 13 years, he has undoubtedly been the face of SV Darmstadt 98. Rüdiger Fritsch is no longer running for the position of president of the Lilien. The results of his tenure can be divided into three distinct areas: the sporting, the financial, and the structural. All three areas can no longer be compared to the state of the club in 2012, when Fritsch took over as successor to Hans Kessler.
Jean-Paul Boëtius and Isac Lidberg embarked on international duty, while the Lilies prepared in Darmstadt for their upcoming match against Magdeburg next Sunday (October 19th, 1:30pm). In addition, four young Lilies from the youth academy gained valuable experience with their junior national teams. You can read about this and much more in our "Lilien Across the Board" section.
At the SV Darmstadt 98 general meeting on October 21st, 2025, Wolfgang Arnold will step down from the executive committee after many years. Wolfgang was born on October 3rd, 1950, in Darmstadt and grew up in the Martinsviertel, making him a true Heiner. After a varied school career, he graduated from the evening gymnasium in Darmstadt in 1973 and then studied business education in Mainz and Frankfurt. He then worked for several years for a furniture removal company—a period that would shape his future professional life, during which he rose to managing director. From 1990 onwards, he wanted to pass on his extensive practical knowledge to young people. He therefore became a teacher of forwarding and logistics at the Martin Behaim School at the North Vocational School Centre in Darmstadt, where he remained until his retirement in 2017.
For many years, fans of 1. FC Magdeburg dreamed of a return to professional football. The club from eastern Germany, which won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1974, was often referred to in Magdeburg as a "sleeping giant." Long trapped in the country's lower leagues, FCM was at one point financially on the brink. But the "sleeping giant" was revived.
For the SV Darmstadt 98 U21 team, their home game against Hünfelder SV in the LOTTO Hessenliga last Saturday (October 11th) turned out to be a bitter afternoon. The young Lilies suffered a resounding 5-0 defeat and learned that the Hessenliga requires not only quality play, but also robustness and toughness in duels.
When the floodlights come on at the Bölle, a special atmosphere is guaranteed. On Saturday (November 22nd, 8:30pm), the Lilies will play their second Saturday night game of the season against SpVgg Greuther Fürth. Member presales for the floodlit home game against the Kleeblatt starts next Wednesday (October 15th). Tickets are available from 12pm both online and at the Bölle.
Our premium partner ENTEGA is once again providing unique stadium experiences this season. You can win two VIP fan seats in the main stand for every home game and also receive access to the ENTEGA VIP Lounge. The application deadline for the match against 1. FC Magdeburg ends on Thursday (October 16th) at 12pm.
The statutory deadline for members to submit motions for the 2025 General Meeting expired on October 11th. Motions for the following resolutions have been submitted by various members and are available below.
Freddy Heß joined SV Darmstadt 98 at Böllenfalltor in 1987 from Südwest Ludwigshafen and stayed in the second division for six years, making 231 appearances for the Lilies. It's easy to imagine that he barely missed a game. He scored ten goals during that time and distinguished himself as an uncompromising defender. In the summer of 1995, he moved to SV Edenkoben and in 2000 to SC Hauenstein, where he ended his playing career. How does Heß look back on his time in Darmstadt? How did he end up at the Lilies? And what is he doing today? The former Lilies defender reveals all in an interview for our "What's He Actually Doing?" section.
Fabian Nürnberger sustained an injury to the lateral meniscus in his left knee during the Lilies' away game in Kiel (October 4th). This was the result of examinations at the beginning of the week. The 26-year-old underwent successful surgery on Wednesday (October 8th). Nürnberger will therefore be unavailable for the Lilies in the coming weeks.