Bürrig

What if I told you that right here, in Bürrig, lies a hidden piece of Leverkusen’s history, entwined with the rise of a football club? Bürrig, once a separate community, became part of Leverkusen on April 1, 1930. This merger, including Wiesdorf, Rheindorf, Schlebusch, Steinbüchel, and Bürrig, created a new city and fueled the growth of a sports club. The club, once Sp. Vg. Wiesdorf-Leverkusen 04, became simply Sp. Vg. Leverkusen 04, forever linking Bürrig and its sister communities to the club’s identity. The newly formed city’s football team found success on the pitch. In the 1930/31 season, they secured a 3-1 victory over VfB Langenfeld. This win, on March 22, 1931, sealed their championship title in the Cologne District League second division and propelled them to the first division. Just a few years later, in 1932, unemployed club members began transforming a three-hectare piece of land in Manfort, south of the city park, into a new sports ground. This land, provided by the paint companies I.G. Farbenindustrie AG, became a two-pitch facility known as Am Stadtpark. Opened on September 4, 1932, the Am Stadtpark ground hosted the team’s first home match against Jugend Kalk, a 3-1 victory. This venue served as the home ground for Leverkusen’s football players until 1958, a testament to the growth and ambition of a city and its team, rooted in the very foundations of Bürrig. The club’s name continued to evolve. In 1935, it became the ‘Works club of I.G. Farbenindustrie’, incorporating Bayer into its name and adopting the cross as its emblem. Later that year, the club adopted its distinctive claret shirts with a white Bayer cross on a black background. Although the exact date is unknown, it’s believed the Bayer cross was first worn in a match against Solingen in May 1936, a decisive game that resulted in promotion to the Lower Rhine District League. The rise continued. On May 17, 1936, Leverkusen secured a 2-1 victory over Solingen, marking their first entry into the second tier of German football. This success, however, was short-lived. Political pressures led to the club’s dissolution in 1938. It was renamed ‘Betriebssportgemeinschaft der I.G. Farbenindustrie AG’, only to return as SV Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the 1940s. So, as you stand here in Bürrig, remember that you are standing on a piece of Leverkusen’s sporting legacy. Bürrig’s integration into the city laid the groundwork for the rise of SV Bayer 04 Leverkusen. This district’s history echoes the triumphs and challenges of a football club that continues to inspire.