The Lilien family had to cope with two farewells at the general meeting on Tuesday evening (October 21st): Rüdiger Fritsch and Wolfgang Arnold bid an emotional farewell to their positions. Markus Pfitzner was also elected as the new president of SV Darmstadt 98. Furthermore, the hiking department is approaching a special anniversary, and of course, there will still be soccer games. You can read about these and other topics in our weekly column "Lilien Across the Board."
SV Darmstadt 98 has a new president: Markus Pfitzner was unanimously elected as Rüdiger Fritsch’s successor by the members present at the general meeting on Tuesday evening (October 21st). „We bring a great deal of complementary skills and will also look at issues from different perspectives, which I consider a great strength. We will work reliably, seriously, but also very ambitiously to further strengthen our economic path. We want a stable and independent SV 98!“ Pfitzner emphasised at the general meeting. He will pursue this path as part of a team. The SV 98 executive committee is completed by Volker Harr and Arnd Zinnhardt, as well as Anne Baumann and Roy Reinelt-Peter.
Rüdiger Fritsch, the long-time president of SV Darmstadt 98, has stepped down from his position after 13 years. He served on the Lilies‘ executive board for a total of 17 years. Under his leadership, the club experienced remarkable development. From dark times, he transformed the Lilies into an ambitious second-division club. He built a solid foundation – both financially and in terms of infrastructure – and prepared the sports club for the future. „It’s a collaborative effort,“ Fritsch emphasised in his farewell speech, in which he thanked fans and members, as well as long-time companions. Above all, he thanked his team consisting of Markus Pfitzner, Volker Harr, Anne Baumann, and Wolfgang Arnold. Addressing them, he said: „We have worked together, laughed, cried, and celebrated all these years. Thank you for unforgettable years – united to always give our best for our glorious club.“ Fritsch ended his speech emotionally with the words: “Goodbye and stay as you are, because one thing is certain: the SVD will never perish!”
In recognition of his outstanding services, Rüdiger Fritsch was named an honorary member of SV Darmstadt 98 with the approval of all members present. Honour where honour is due.
He joined the club in 1990 as a football father and coach of the youth team, and served on the executive board since 1996. What a long time! After a total of 29 years, Wolfgang Arnold said goodbye to the executive board of SV Darmstadt 98 at the general meeting. „At some point, you have to make room for younger talent and complete the generational change,“ he said some time ago. At the general meeting in the Böllenfalltorhalle, Arnold, who had been chairman of the amateur sports departments since 1996, stated: „It has always been important to me to make diversity and commitment visible. I would like to thank everyone who made this possible. Together we have achieved a lot. I am convinced that the sports departments and the fan and support department are in good hands and will continue to develop well.“
In recognition of his many years of outstanding service, Wolfgang Arnold was also named an honorary member of SV Darmstadt 98. After 29 years of service on the executive committee, he was also honored as honorary chairman of the board of the sports departments and the fan and development department. Wolfgang Arnold’s motto also applies: Honour where honour is due!
It’s a busy week for SV Darmstadt 98’s U21 team. This Wednesday evening (October 22), the Junglilien (Young Lilies) will host 1. Hanauer FC on the artificial turf pitch at SV 98’s youth academy in Darmstadt. After four consecutive defeats, the Darmstadt team is determined to get back on track. Will they succeed this Wednesday against the bottom team in the LOTTO Hessenliga?
First against the bottom team, then against the league leaders. A special highlight awaits the SV Darmstadt 98 U21 team next Saturday (October 25). Coach Daniel Petrowsky’s team will play their first home game at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor against the Eintracht Frankfurt U21. Kick-off is at 3:30pm. Tickets are available here and at the box office on Saturday.
The hiking department of SV Darmstadt 98 is approaching a very special anniversary. 999 hikes have already been completed. Now, next Sunday (October 26th), a magical milestone will be broken: the 1,000th hike is scheduled! This is remarkable, as each individual hike was at least ten kilometers long. To mark this special occasion, the hiking department, headed by Gerda Krüger, cordially invites all Lilies to join in the hike around Bad König and celebrate the 1,000th hike together.
The hiking department also recommends bringing backpack-sized food for your break, as well as sturdy footwear and hiking poles. Anyone who wants to drive directly to Bad König or doesn’t have a Hessen „Senior Citizen Ticket“ should contact the following person:
Beatrice Simon
Tel: +49 6151 54559
Mobile: +49 160 91866188
Nothing to count for the Lilies‘ fans. Last Wednesday evening (October 15th), the „second second team“ of SV Darmstadt 98 hosted the second team of SG Arheilgen at home. The Lilies fell behind in the sixth minute after an early goal from the visitors. Despite a committed effort, the Darmstadt team initially failed to create any dangerous scoring opportunities. In the 32nd minute, Arheilgen increased their lead to 2-0. Even after the break, the visitors continued to dominate the game and extended their lead to 3-0 in the 65th minute. Only then did Darmstadt show more resistance: Julian Schreiber created a brief glimmer of hope with the goal after 76 minutes to make it 3-1. But Arheilgen was not to be deterred, retaining control and scoring in the 84th minute to make it 4-1.
This leaves the „second second team“ in twelfth place in the Kreisliga B with eleven points. In the away game next Sunday (October 26th), the Lilies‘ fan base will be on the attack again to keep up with the midfield. Kick-off against SKV Hähnlein is at 3pm on the grass pitch in Alsbach-Hähnlein.
On Saturday (October 25th), Alexander Ryan celebrates his special day. The Head of Performance can look forward to his 37th birthday. We wish you all the best and a day filled with joy and wonderful moments, Alex!
On Sunday, the Lilies face a challenge in Baden: for the 8th matchday, SV Darmstadt 98 travel to take on Karlsruher SC. At the pre-match press conference, our head coach discussed the squad situation, the qualities of the opposition, and the team's motivation to get back to winning ways on the road.
On Sunday (October 18th), SV Darmstadt 98 will visit Karlsruher SC. KSC has a history that extends well beyond the confines of German football: the club from Baden once caused a stir on the European stage, writing a chapter that is still remembered today. But how did KSC manage to step into the international spotlight, and what made this success so special?
The next away match is coming up: this Sunday (October 18th, 1:30pm), the Lilien will visit Karlsruher SC for the 8th matchday of the 2. Bundesliga. As always, you can find all the essential information regarding travel and your visit to the stadium in the fan guidelines.
SV Darmstadt 98 invites all its members to come to the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor on November 1st, 2026, starting at 11:30am. Together, we aim to once again create the largest team photo in our club’s history—with the professional players in the front and the entire Lilies family behind them.
On Sunday (Oct 18th), SV Darmstadt 98 will visit Karlsruher SC. The side from Baden differs from the Lilies in several key respects. Furthermore, the match will see SV 98 cross paths with a former player once again. Find out here about other connections between the two clubs, as well as some particularly interesting statistics ahead of the encounter.
On Tuesday evening (October 13th), the SilberLilien took part in SV Darmstadt 98’s Stolperstein tour for the first time. Along the approximately six-kilometre route, the participants made several stops to learn more about the fates of Jewish club members who were persecuted and driven out during the Holocaust.
From new grassroots sports offerings and a look back at the club's history to birthdays and the latest updates from the media briefing—there is plenty to report from SV Darmstadt 98 again this week. In "Lilien Across the Board," we round up the news, insights, and stories from life at the club.
Tickets for the home match against 1. FC Heidenheim on November 22nd are available for purchase now.
SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team proved their mettle at home against KSV Hessen Kassel II in the Hessenliga on Sunday (Oct. 11th). After a convincing 90-minute performance, the Young Lilies secured another three points, finishing with a decisive 4–0 victory that lifts them to sixth place in the standings.
The Lilies overturned an early deficit to celebrate a 3–1 home victory against Energie Cottbus—a win that boosts confidence and confirms the progress being made. Read our analysis to find out why there is still work to be done and what positives SV 98 takes away from the match.
This season, too, Lilien fans will be doubly rewarded for every home goal scored by SV Darmstadt 98. In addition to the joy and excitement of the goals, the team's supporters will receive 98 litres of Krombacher Pils for every home goal scored by Darmstadt at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor.
After the international break, Darmstadt 98 returned to the Bölle with a home win! Against Energie Cottbus, SV Darmstadt 98 put on a spirited performance in front of their home crowd and rewarded themselves with three points after an intense match. We've compiled the post-match reactions for you here: