The exhibition “Super Jews. Jewish identity in the football stadium” at the Jewish Museum of the Landesmuseum Schleswig-Holstein offers an exciting and thought-provoking look at the significance of Jewish history and identity in the football environment. Football is much more than goals and tables — it shapes communities, revitalises passion and becomes an expression of personal and national belonging. However, it is not only values and stories that are created in the stadiums, but also boundaries between belonging and marginalisation. The exhibition shows how Jewish references are taken up by clubs and fan communities: Sometimes out of admiration, sometimes for self-assertion, sometimes contradictory and provocative. Examples such as the “Superjoden” of Ajax Amsterdam or the “Yid Army” of Tottenham Hotspur illustrate how Jewish terms and symbols become part of fan identity.
The regional perspective is particularly exciting: the Rendsburg part of the exhibition focuses on the clubs Holstein Kiel, Hamburger SV, Werder Bremen and FC St. Pauli. Many people in the north grew up with these clubs, but little is known about their Jewish history and their role during the National Socialist era. The exhibition shows how these clubs are taking responsibility today, positioning themselves in relation to their past and campaigning for openness and diversity. This creates a lively dialogue between local narratives and international developments — “Superjuden” invites visitors to rediscover football as a mirror of social dynamics and as a place of remembrance and responsibility. Football thus becomes a game with history and a stage for cultural identity.
