Film Screening 'rbb Story: Between Eisern Union and Politics'

Oliver Ruhnert, long-time successful manager of 1. FC Union Berlin, is taking a bold step: moving from the sidelines into politics. As a candidate for the Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), he aims to secure a seat in the Bundestag – but both his party and his football club are beginning to falter. While BSW is losing ground in the polls, Union is slipping down the league table. And in the midst of an intense election campaign, Ruhnert is struck by a personal tragedy.

Authors David Donschen, Nico Schmolke, and Philipp Katzer accompanied Oliver Ruhnert over the course of six months – during training sessions, at the stadium, in political discussions, on the campaign trail, and through moments of upheaval. The result is a compelling portrait of one of the most unconventional figures in German professional football – and of a man caught between the worlds of sport, politics, and personal reinvention.

Following the exclusive screening two days before its broadcast on rbb, the authors will join producer Manuel Möglich for a discussion about the journalistic challenges behind the story – and about the tension between sports and political reporting.

The event takes place in German.