History of Berliner FC Dynamo (1989–2004)

The Peaceful Revolution (1989–1990) in the first matchday of the 1989-90 DDR-Oberliga on 12 August 1989 A FIFA resolution for a more consistent distinction between amateurs and contract players prompted a radical reform to professionalize East German top-flight football. East German football players had until then officially been amateurs. The reserve teams of the designated football clubs (FC) were also disbanded and their players were distributed between DDR-Liga teams. The place of BFC Dynamo II in the DDR-Liga was taken over by BSG Bergmann-Borsig. As winners of the 1988–89 FDGB-Pokal, BFC Dynamo qualified for the 1989-90 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. The team defeated Valur in the first round, and was drawn against AS Monaco in the second round. AS Monaco was coached by Arsène Wenger at the time. The first leg ended 0–0 at the Stade Louis II on 17 October 1989. Defender Marco Köller was injured in the match against F.C. Hansa Rostock on the eighth matchday on 21 October 1989 and then chose to defect to West Germany with his girlfriend. The return leg against AS Monaco was played at the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark on 1 November 1989. The match ended 2-2 and BFC Dynamo was eliminated on the away goal rule. Coach Helmut Jäschke decided to place young goalkeeper Oskar Kosche in the upcoming match against HFC Chemie in the 1989-90 FDGB-Pokal on 4 November 1989. The teams's long-time goalkeeper Bodo Rudwaleit then suddenly announced his immediate retirement from football. At the time, the East German regime faltered under pressure from events in neighbouring countries, with thousands of East Germans leaving or applying to leave the country, and political mass demonstrations being held. Erich Honecker was forced to resign on 18 October 1989 and parts of the Berlin Wall were opened on 9 November 1989. People in East Berlin could now travel freely to West Berlin. The Stasi was transformed into the Office for National Security () (AfNS) on 17 November 1989. The transformation also ended the tenure of Erich Mielke as Minister of State Security. Mielke would soon be dismissed as the First Chairman of SV Dynamo as well. The match between FC Energie Cottbus and BFC Dynamo at the Stadion der Freundschaft in Cottbus on the fourth matchday on 9 September 1989 may have been the last match of BFC Dynamo that Mielke attended as minister. Mielke had attended the match together with Egon Krenz and their entourage. BFC Dynamo invited journalists to visit its training facility in Uckley in the Zernsdorf district of Königs Wusterhausen in Bezirk Potsdam. The facility had previously been completely sealed off from the public and treated as a military facility. The training facility had now been transferred to the legal ownership of the AfNS and would eventually be opened for public use. Bayer Leverkusen manager Reiner Calmund saw the opportunity to recruit top players in East Germany as soon as the Berlin Wall opened. In connection with the match between East Germany and Austria in Vienna during the qualifiers for the 1990 FIFA World Cup on 15 November 1989, Calmund managed to obtain the contact details of Andreas Thom. He immediately contacted Thom in East Berlin and eventually convinced him to join Bayer Leverkusen. The transfer was officially announced on 12 December 1989, making Thom the first player in the Oberliga to be transferred to the Bundesliga after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Club President Herbert Krafft announced that a larger sum would also be made available to the Ministry of Health, to be used to promote the sport to the next generation. The team finished the first half of the season in fourth place. BFC Dynamo was then eliminated in the quarter-finals of the 1989-90 FDGB-Pokal after losing 0–2 to FC Vorwärts Frankfurt at the Stadion der Freundschaft on 9 December 1989. The dismantling of the championship team of the 1980s was now underway. Bodo Rudwaleit had reversed his decision to retire from football, wishing instead to be transferred to BSG Stahl Eisenhüttenstadt. Striker Rainer Ernst began negotiations with Borussia Dortmund and received an offer. Borussia Dortmund requested a transfer for Ernst, but further negotiations were eventually stopped by Club Chairman Krafft, who refused Ernst permission to leave. Ernst claims that this comment ruined his planned move to Borussia Dortmund during the winter break. However, publicly, Krafft claimed that Ernst was not in good enough shape for a transfer, saying: "BFC has a name to protect abroad. Only when Rainer Ernst's athletic performance is sufficient can transfer negotiations begin." BFC Dynamo was also contacted by MSV Duisburg, who wanted to get Marco Köller out of his contract with BFC Dynamo. Long-time forward and midfielder Bernd Schulz was in turn transferred to BSG Bergmann-Borsig. The AfNS was completely dissolved on 13 January 1990 after further attempts at reorganization. Legendary Hamburger SV striker Uwe Seeler was guest of honour at the tournament. The new leader of SV Dynamo Harry Tesch announced that the East German Ministry of the Interior was only prepared to support the club financially until the end of the 1989–90 season. Club chairman Krafft had already sent letters to various combines to secure new sponsors for the team. The name change was made after a meeting between players, coaches, parents, and supporters. Club chairman Krafft was dismissed at the same time. Frank Rohde signed with Hamburger SV, which had been looking for a replacement for the injured Dietmar Jakobs. Doll received many offers and initially began negotiations with Borussia Dortmund. However, Seeler was a fan of Doll. Frank Rohde told his contacts at Hamburger SV that Doll was interested, and soon Doll also signed with Hamburger SV. After a 6–1 loss against SG Dynamo Dresden away on the 22nd matchday on 28 April 1990, FC Berlin was once again on fourth place in the league. Only 1,400 spectators came to the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark for the next home match, against 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig on 24th matchday, 8 May 1990. The team lost the match 1–3. FC Berlin eventually finished the 1989–90 Oberliga in fourth place and failed for the first time in a long time to qualify for a UEFA competition. The average attendance fell sharply in 1990. From 7,271 in the autumn of 1989 it fell to only 3,383 in the spring of 1990. The team lost Doll and Rohde to Hamburger SV and Rainer Ernst to 1. FC Kaiserslautern after the season. Failed promotion (1990–1992) The club elected a new presidium at the end of May 1990. Lawyer Dr. Klaus Janz was elected club president. Other members of the new presidium were Dr. Wolfgang Hösrich, Wolfgang Reusse and managing director () Jürgen Bogs. The club was eventually legally reformed as the registered association (, e. V.) FC Berlin e.V. on 28 May 1990. The team was joined by midfielder Dirk Rehbein from SC Fortuna Köln during the summer of 1990. Rehbein was the first player from West Germany to join the team. FC Berlin participated in the 1990 Intertoto Cup between 30 June 1990 and 17 July 1990 and was placed in the same group as FC Bayer 05 Uerdingen, NK Olimpija Ljubljana, and Grasshopper Club Zürich. The home matches were played at the Stadion im Sportforum. Heiko Bonan, Burkhard Reich, Waldemar Ksienzyk, Thorsten Boer, Eike Küttner, Jörg Fügner, Jörn Lenz, Hendrik Herzog, Dirk Rehbein and Christian Backs were among the key players. Dr. Dieter Fuchs became the new managing director of the club. Dr. Fuchs had a long background in BFC Dynamo and had also been a manager at the DFV. However, the fact that Dr. Fuchs took over a function at FC Berlin was considered somewhat surprising. The club sought to distance itself from its East German past. Despite this, it was bringing back Dr. Fuchs. FC Berlin met Union Berlin in the second round of the 1990-91 FDGB-Pokal at Stadion an der Alten Försterei on 23 September 1990. The score was 1–1 at full-time. FC Berlin eventually lost 1–2 after a late goal by former BFC Dynamo player Olaf Seier in extra-time and was eliminated from the competition. FC Berlin then finally captured its first win of the league season, against 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig at the Stadion im Sportforum, on the sixth matchday, 28 September 1990. Club President Dr. Klaus Janz resigned, and Dr. Wolfgang Hösrich became the new president on 15 October 1990. Dr. Hösrich had a background as a club doctor for SC Dynamo Berlin and BFC Dynamo. A wave of hooliganism swept across East Germany in 1990. A total of 230,000 young people in East Germany had been dismissed from their apprenticeships. One of the largest hooligan scenes in Germany was formed around FC Berlin. Riots then continued in central Leipzig with great devastation. The friendly match between East Germany and West Germany that was planned to be held on the Zentralstadion in Leipzig on 21 November 1990 was cancelled following the events. Riots would also break out in connection with the match between F.C. Hansa Rostock and FC Berlin on the 17th matchday, 16 March 1991. A group of 500–600 supporters of FC Berlin travelled on a special train to Rostock for the match. 21 people were injured in clashes, including nine police officers. The hooligans of FC Berlin came to shape the entire 1990–91 season. FC Berlin was in second place before the sixth and final round of the play-offs. The team was just one point behind leading BSV Stahl Brandenburg. It managed to win 3–5 away against Magdeburg in the final round. Tómas Ingi Tómasson scored two goals in the match. However, BSV Stahl Brandenburg won 2–0 away against Union Berlin. FC Berlin thus finished in second place and had just narrowly missed promotion to the 2. Bundesliga. Brestrich had been brought up in the youth department of BFC Dynamo. He had made several appearances for BFC Dynamo in the DDR-Oberliga between 1985 and 1988. Also Belka had background in the youth department of BFC Dynamo and had made appearances for the club in the DDR-Oberliga. Midfielder Mario Tolkmitt also returned to the club from PFV Bergmann-Borsig. Jesse had already made a few appearances with the first team during the previous season. Andreas Nofz became the new first-choice goalkeeper during the season. FC Berlin met Tennis Borussia Berlin in the NOFV-Oberliga Nord on 20 September 1991. At the time, the goalkeeper of Tennis Borussia Berlin was Bodo Rudwaleit. FC Berlin defeated Tennis Borussia Berlin 1–0 on a goal by Ralf Rambow. FC Berlin was a top-team in the 1991–92 NOFV-Oberliga Nord. The team stood at second place in the league after the 14th matchday. FC Berlin was then set to play Greifswalder SC 1926 on the 15th matchday, 3 November 1991. Greifswalder SC 1926 was still undefeated in the league. FC Berlin won the match 1-0 and captured the first place in the league. FC Berlin once again qualified for the play-offs for the 2. Bundesliga. The team would meet Union Berlin from NOFV-Oberliga Mitte, FSV Zwickau from NOFV-Oberliga Süd, and VfL Wolfsburg from Oberliga Nord. FC Berlin lost 0–2 to VfL Wolfsburg in front of 2,495 spectators at Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Stadion in the opening round on 24 May 1992. The bad start continued with a 2–0 loss away against FSV Zwickau in the second round. FC Berlin then defeated Union Berlin 3–0 at home in the third round. Olaf Backasch scored the first two goals for FC Berlin in the match. The team also defeated Union Berlin 4–0 away in the fifth round. However, it would lose its remaining matches, against VfL Wolfsburg and FSV Zwickau. FC Berlin finished the play-offs in third place and for the second season in a row missed promotion to 2. Bundesliga. Volkswagen-backed VfL Wolfsburg won the play-offs, which meant that no team from former East Germany was able to advance. The team lost 11 players after the 1991–92 season. Mario Tolkmitt left for Bayer Leverkusen; Christian Backs and Andreas Belka left for Reinickendorfer Füchse; Michael Henning for 1. FC Saarbrücken; Jörn Lenz, Olaf Backasch, and Jörg Buder for Tennis Borussia Berlin; Jörg Fügner for SpVgg Bayreuth; Andreas Nofz for VfL Oldenburg; Leif Poßling for Hertha Zehlendorf; and Oskar Kosche for FC Sachsen Leipzig. Amateur football (1992–1994) The early 1990s was a very difficult time for the club. Attendance had dropped drastically since the 1989–90 season. FC Berlin returned to the Stadion im Sportforum at the beginning of the 1992–93 season. FC Berlin stabilized around fifth place in the league towards the end of the first half of the season. Several league matches were postponed at the beginning of 1993. After a very long winter break, FC Berlin met BSV Stahl Brandenburg, now named only BSV Brandenburg, on the 24th matchday, 6 March 1993. The match ended in a 1–1 draw, with one goal by Mike Jesse. FC Berlin played a return match against Tennis Borussia Berlin at the Stadion im Sportforum on the 26th matchday on 20 March 1993. This edition of Tennis Borussia Berlin included several former BFC Dynamo and FC Berlin players: Bodo Rudwaleit, Jörn Lenz, Jörg Buder, Olaf Backasch and Olaf Hirsch. Four days later, the team was set to play Eisenhüttenstädter FC Stahl at home. FC Berlin won the match 2–1, after a winning goal by Mikhail Pronichev in the 47th match minute. This was then followed up with a 5–0 win away against FV Motor Eberswalde, in the replay of the match from the 23rd matchday, on 5 May 1993. The team's average attendance for all home matches during the season, including the matches in the Berlin Cup, was only 221 spectators. Bogs said: "There have been repeated attacks against me for a long time from parts of the board of directors and also from the youth department." Angrily, Bogs eventually resigned at the beginning of the 1993–94 season. He would later become coach of league competitor 1. FC Schwedt instead. He had a background as a youth coach at BFC Dynamo and had most recently served as U19-coach. The team defeated 1. FSV Schwerin 7–0 away on the last matchday, 15 May 1994. Jens Henschel and Stefan Oesker each scored two goals in the match. FC Berlin finished the 1993–94 NOFV-Oberliga Nord in fourth place and qualified for the re-instated Regionalliga, which would now form the new third tier in the German football league system. Mike Jesse left for BSV Brandenburg and Jörn Lenz and Jens Henschel returned to Tennis Borussia Berlin after the season. ==Regionalliga and first Berlin Cup victory (1994–1999)==

Regionalliga Nordost (1994–1998) Eberhard Landmann was elected new president on 20 May 1994 by the seven-member FC Berlin board of directors (). Landmann was seen as a man of the youth department, whose members had intervened for a long time against managing director Dr. Dieter Fuchs and former coach Jürgens Bogs. Dr. Fuchs and Bogs were seen as stumbling blocks when searching for new sponsors. FC Berlin recruited defender Mario Kallnik from the reserve team of Stuttgart and Michael Steffen from BSV Brandenburg for the season. Kallnik had played for the BFC Dynamo youth teams before he joined the reserve team of VfB Stuttgart in 1992. Both Mikhail Pronichev and Stefan Oesker were out due to injuries and rehabilitation at the beginning of the season. The team struggled in the league and stood at 14th place after the first half of the season. Klaus Bittroff was elected new club president on 10 February 1995 with the votes 77–11. Volkmar Wanski was elected new vice-president. The match ended 1-1, with one goal by Michal Steffen for FC Berlin. FC Berlin eventually finished the 1994–95 Regionalliga Nordost in 11th place and retained its place in the league, with FC Carl Zeiss Jena becoming the first champion of the Regionalliga Nordost. FC Berlin had managed to win only nine out of 34 matches during the league season. Jens-Uwe Zöphel left the team for FC Energie Cottbus, Rayk Schröder for Union Berlin, Ronny Nikol for 1. FC Nürnberg, Marcell Fensch for 1. FC Köln, and Stefan Oesker for VfB Lichterfelde after the season. The goal of FC Berlin for the 1995–96 Regionalliga Nordost season was a solid middle position. The club recruited attacking midfielder Niels Macken from Tennis Borussia Berlin for the 1995–96 season. The team was also joined by young goalkeeper Daniel Bartel, young midfielder Daniel Petrowsky and young midfielder Sven Ohly from the youth department. Bartel became the new first-choice goalkeeper at the beginning of the season. The highlights of the season were the new duels with the old rival 1. FC Dynamo Dresden. Wanski had once upon a time taken his son to BFC Dynamo, when his son was six years old. He wanted him to become a decent football player. That was one year before Die Wende. FC Berlin lost 0–2 at home to FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt at the Stadion im Sportforum on the 12th matchday, 15 October 1995. Coach Helmut Koch was dismissed two days later. FC Berlin had captured only eight points during the first 12 matches in the league and was now in the relegation zone. He had a long history with the club as both player and coach. FC Berlin was set to play against arch-rival Union Berlin on the 13th matchday, 21 October 1995. The team was led by managing director Dr. Dieter Fuchs in the match, as Voigt had not yet arrived. FC Berlin lost the derby 1–3 in front in front of 2,170 spectators at the Stadion im Sportforum. FC Berlin lost 2–4 away to Bischofswerdaer FV 08 in the first match under Voigt on the 14th matchday, on 4 November 19958. Experienced defender Mario Maek also returned to the club at the same tame. He was recruited, together with fellow midfielder Roman Müller, from SC Union 06 Berlin. Both made their first match against FC Hertha 03 Berlin-Zehlendorf at the Stadion im Sportforum on the 15th matchday, 11 November 1995. The team then defeated FC Erzgebirge Aue 2–3 away on the 23rd matchday, 2 March 1996. FC Berlin was then set to play a return match against 1. FC Dynamo Dresden on the 25nd matchday. The match was played in front of 7,340 spectators at the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion on 16 March 1996. FC Berlin lost the match 0–1, on a late goal by Jörg Schmidt. FC Berlin now found itself in the relegation zone. However, a number of matches had been postponed and remained to be played. FC Berlin then lost 0–2 to Tennis Borussia Berlin on the 27th matchday on 5 April 1996. Another central player was Mario Kallnik. However, then followed a sharp decline. The team found itself on 14th place in the league after a 0–3 loss to Reinickendorfer Füchse on the fifth matchday, 31 August 1996. Former FC Berlin player Thorsten Boer scored two goals for Union Berlin in the match. The team was joined by Polish forward Marek Seruga during the autumn of 1996. Seruga made his first appearance in the match against FC Energie Cottbus on the 10th matchday, 6 October 1996. Dr. Fuchs had been the last functionary of the old era. President Wanski would make financial contributions to the club every year. The match against Spandauer SV on the 19th matchday was postponed. The next match in the league was thus against top-team FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt on th 20th matchday. FC Berlin managed a 1–1 draw on front of 1,976 spectators at the Stadion im Sportforum. The team had now managed two draws against league favourites. President Wanski became the shirt sponsor with his own company Regio Bautenschutz GmbH during 1996–97 season. The shirts had not had a sponsor in almost seven years. FC Berlin was forced to reduce its budget for the 1997–98 season from 1.2 million to 900,000 Deutsche Mark. Timo Lesch, Bend Jopek, Ayhan Gezen and Sebastian Müller scored one goal each. Experienced defender Jörn Lenz once again returned to the club during the winter break. and would be a key player for several seasons to come. Henry Häusler was then announced as new coach for the 1998–99 season on 1 April 1998. The results improved during the first matches under coach Rentzsch. FC Berlin then met 1. FC Dynamo Dresden at home on the 31rd matchday, 18 April 1998. 1. FC Dynamo Dresden was now coached by Voigt. FC Berlin set the tone until the 26th minute. FC Berlin striker Sebastian Müller was then badly injured after an intervention by former FC Berlin defender Jens Reckmann. Müller suffered roken tibia and fibula, broken ankle and torn ligaments. FC Berlin did not recover from this shock and lost the match 0–2. The team came back with a 1–2 win away against SV Babelsberg 03 in the next league match. Club President Wanski contributed himself to the budget of 1.4 million Deutsche Mark, as the main sponsor, and through his construction company Regio Bautenschutz GmbH, which served as shirt sponsor. Three players, Martino Gatti, Bernd Jopek and Davor Krznarić, were also employed as employees in one of Wanski's companies. President Wanski declared that at least a sixth place in the league was the target for the season. FC Berlin recruited midfielder Martino Gatti from FC Homburg and defender Thomas Petzold from 1. FC Union for the season. Then followed a number of matches with mixed results, including two more losses. After the first half of the season, FC Berlin stood at ninth place in the league. Then followed two losses to 1. VFC Plauen and Chemnitzer FC on the next two matchdays. Because of his critical comments made in public, Häusler was eventually dismissed on 29 April 1999. The club also reclaimed its East German crest, but this would eventually prove problematic, as the rights to crest were now registered with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office at fan merchandise dealer Peter Klaus-Dieter "Pepe" Mager. BFC Dynamo won the derby 2–0 with two goals by Marcel Solomo, in front of 2,543 spectators at the Stadion an der Alten Försterei. Supporters of BFC Dynamo invaded the pitch after the final whistle to celebrate the title. Some supporters also attacked players of Berlin Türkspor 1965. Club President Wanski immediately apologized for the behavior at the press conference after the match. The Turkish association in Berlin-Brandenburg (TBB) demanded that BFC Dynamo be excluded from the coming DFB-Pokal and that the chairman of the Berlin Football Association (BFV) Otto Höhne resign. However, Höhne announced that the victory for BFC Dynamo could not be questioned. BFC Dynamo and Berlin Türkspor 1965 then agreed to meet in a friendly match in the coming season and to organize a joint meal for players. Former FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt-player and coach Klaus Goldbach took over as new coach before the last matchday of the league season. BFC Dynamo defeated FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt 3–1 on the last matchday and finished the 1998–99 Regionalliga Nordost in eighth place. Davor Krznarić and Sven Ohly left for SV Babelsberg 03, Ayhan Gezen for FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt, Timo Lesch for 1. FC Magdeburg and Bernd Jopek for FSV Fortuna Pankow after the season. ==Relegation, new sponsor and crash (1999–2001)==

Crossroads, relegation and new sponsor (1999–2000) The 1999–2000 regionalliga Nordost would be decisive, The six best teams in the 1999–2000 Regionalliga Nordost would be allowed to continue in the two remaining Regionalliga divisions, and the winner would have the opportunity to participate in play-offs for the 2. Bundesliga. During his tenure as club president, Wanski had also managed to get a politician like social democratic SPD City Councilor for Finance Matthias Stawinoga on board. Marcel Riediger is the son of Hans-Jürgen Riediger and had played in BFC Dynamo since the age of eight. BFC Dynamo then defeated 1. FC Dynamo Dresden 1–0 at home on the sixth matchday on 7 September 1999, with one goal by Boer. However, then followed matches mostly without a win. BFC Dynamo was defeated 5–3 away by lower-table side FSV Lok Altmark Stendal on the ninth matchday. The defeat was the start of a sharp decline in the league. At the moment, the two clubs seemed world apart. 1. FC Union Berlin led the league undefeated, while BFC Dynamo had lost the last three matches. 1. FC Union Berlin had also been joined by München-based German film entrepreneur Michael Kölmel (), and no longer had any financial worries. BFC Dynamo lost 0–3 in front of 4,220 spectators at the Stadion im Sportforum. The club would have debts of around 500,000 Deutsche Mark during the season. Brestrich had allegedly staged a secret player vote on coach Goldbach, which was 50-50. Brestrich had played in a total of 301 matches for BFC Dynamo during his career, including 282 matches between 1991 and 1999. Göhler, who was the successor to managing director Dr. Volker Steinke, had been away from the club since September, due to health issues. He had been heavily criticised by President Wanski for his failure to win new sponsors and alleged lack of economic concept. Newcomer Kozlov was allegedly involved in every dangerous situation in the match, and would later prove to be an effective goalscorer at BFC Dynamo. BFC Dynamo lost 0–3 away by VfB Leipzig on the 16th matchday on 4 December 1999. Norbert Paepke became the assistant coach to Bogs. In order raise money for the empty coffers of the youth department, BFC Dynamo planned in early 2000 to organize an auction of old trophies and memorabilia from its heyday. The auction included trophies from the ten East German champions won by BFC Dynamo between 1979 and 1988, which had the National emblem of East Germany on the front, with the hammer and the compass, and a brass plate on the back, with the inscription "Awarded by the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the SED and Chairman of the State Council of the GDR." Coach Bogs had even had one of the old championship trophies in his coaching room. Club president Wanski counted a total of around 30 trophies in various rooms of the Sportforum Hohenschönhausen, to be auctioned off. Hans Reker became new sporting director on 1 January 2000. Reker and the new marketing officer Günter Haake were no strangers to the Sportforum Hohenschönhausen. The duo had a background at Eisbären Berlin. Haake had previously served as managing director and Reker as marketing director at Eisbären Berlin. The duo were not kept when American sporting entertainment presenter Anschutz Entertainment Group took over Eisbären Berlin in August 1999. The new sponsor was signed through the efforts of sporting director Reker. However, the difficulties in advancing in the league continued. The team eventually finished the 1999–2000 Regionalliga Nordost in 17th place and was relegated to NOFV-Oberliga Nord. For the first time in its history, BFC Dynamo was now a fourth tier team. The reason for the resignation of President Wanski was allegedly that the sponsor Lipro AG demanded greater influence in club decision making. The sponsor was closely associated with sporting director Hans Reker. Reker was appointed acting president by the Economic Council and was now temporarily in full control of the club. \ BFC Dynamo had started the league season with mixed results. The team defeated Eisenhüttenstädter FC Stahl 3–0 at home on the ninth matchday, 14 October 2000. The match was a turning point. On the following four matchdays, the team defeated FC Anker Wismar 4–0 away, SV Schwarz-Rot Neustadt 3–0 at home, FV Motor Eberswalde 4–0 away, and Türkiyemspor Berlin 3–0 at home. The legal dispute with Peter Mager over the rights to the club's East German crest was not yet resolved. Club Vice President René Lau announced that the club considered itself the sole owner of the crest. BFC Dynamo initiated legal proceedings against Mager on 20 November 2000 to regain the rights to its former crest. The team was joined by Cameroonian midfielder Aka Adek Mba from Odra Opole at the end of the autumn. Mba made his first appearance and also scored his first goal for BFC Dynamo in the match away to SD Croatia Berlin on the 14th matchday, 19 November 2000. Bodo Rudwaleit also returned to the club as goalkeeping coach. He joined the coaching staff of Jürgen Bogs. The other two members of the coaching staff were Mario Maek and assistant coach Norbert Paepke. Riots broke out among supporters of BFC Dynamo after the match. Police deployed water cannons against supporters on Eberswalder Straße and Schönhauser Allee. Club President Halsch expressed sadness that the riots destroyed reconstruction work in the club and announced that there would be many stadium bans. BFC Dynamo lost only three matches during the league season and finished the 2000–01 NOFV-Oberliga Nord in first place. Denis Kozlov scored a total of 29 goals for BFC Dynamo during the league season and became the league top-goalscorer. The club was also behind with insurance payments. A similar requirement was also placed on Magdeburg. Magdeburg defender Marcel Rozgonyi received a red card in the 18th minute. Denis Kozlov and Dănuț Oprea then came close to making it 1–0 for BFC Dynamo in the 27th minute. Kozlov had another chance in the 35th minute, but Magdeburg goalkeeper Mirosław Dreszer got the ball. The score was 0–0 at half-time. Adolphus Ofodile had a chance to make it 1–0 for Magdeburg 15 minutes into the second half. Dănuț Oprea then received a red card in the 72nd minute and Mageburg now began to take over the match. Armando Zani had an opportunity to make it 1–0 in the 82nd minute, but Nico Tomaschewski blocked the shot. The match eventually ended at 0–0. The second match was played at the Ernst-Grube-Stadion in Magdeburg on 9 June 2001. About 2,000 supporters of BFC Dynamo had travelled to see the match. Mageburg took the lead twice in the first half, but Silvian Cristescu and Denis Kozlov were able to equalize. Hans Reker had played down the late salaries as a "misunderstanding". When the players had tried to cash the checks they had been issued by Reker, they found out that the account was empty. BFC Dynamo was dependent on main sponsor Lipro AG. However, Lipro AG was also now in financial trouble. It was now unclear how the planned budget for next season of 3.5 million Deutsche Mark would be financed. Sporting director Reker tried to calm things down, saying there was no reason to worry and that Lipro AG was just about to emerge from a financial slump. Marcel Riediger left for FC Erzgebirge Aue, Hans Reker claimed he had obtained 39 new sponsors for the next season. AOK demanded 126,000 Deutsche Mark in overdue insurance payments. Halsch claimed she only knew of an advertising contract with Lipro AG. Others documents had allegedly not been shown to her. The club's total debts were now estimated to be 4 million Deutsche Mark. ==Insolvency (2001–2004)==

The financial crisis (2001) BFC Dynamo did not have the 126,000 Deutsche Mark that AOK demanded. Jürgen Bogs and the team went to training camp in Karlovy Vary on 8 July 2001. Silvian Cristescu and Aka Adeck Mba were not in attendance. The club management now decided to postpone the ongoing dispute with Pepe Mager over the rights to the East German crest. Vice President Günter Haake admitted that the budget for the coming season was only partially covered, but claimed that a new sponsorship contract with Lipro AG was ready to be signed. Kallnik had played in a total of 242 matches for BFC Dynamo since the 1994–95 season. The professional team could be outsourced to the spin-off company. In early August 2001, sporting director Reker traveled to Moscow to discuss a partnership with FC Dynamo Moscow. The club had support from the former state secretary of the Russian Embassy in its contacts with FC Dynamo Moscow. Vice President Günter Haake was a functionary in EHC Dynamo Berlin during the German reunification and had had good contacts in Russia since the East German era. Former goalkeeper and ten-time East German champion Bodo Rudwaleit agreed to help the team as the reserve goalkeeper, behind Nico Tomaschewski, in the match against VfB Lichterfelde in NOFV-Oberliga Nord on 15 August 2001. Rudwaleit was 44 years old at the time. The new reserve goalkeeper Lubomir Padalik had not yet received permission to play. A preliminary insolvency administrator was appointed for the club. The assignment went to the Berlin law firm Wolfgang Schröder. All expenses would now need to be approved by the administrator. Reker stated that Lipro AG signed a contract for the current season and was still the club's sponsor. He pointed out that Lipro AG had taken over most of the club's old debts and that it was thanks to Lipro AG that the club had been able to avoid a crisis last season. BFC Dynamo defeated Eisenhüttenstädter FC Stahl 4–0 away, with two goals by Tomasz Suwary, on the 14th matchday, 29 August 2001. No sign was forthcoming from FC Dynamo Moscow. An agreement was reached with the employment office and a bank through the preliminary insolvency administrator. The squad had been reduced to just 17 players, with several injuries, before the match against MSV Neuruppin on 17 September 2001. Insolvency proceedings were opened against main sponsor Lipro AG on 5 October 2001. Sporting director Reker became a scapegoat for the club's financial problems because he had put together a very expensive team for the previous season and had promised rescue for several months without results. In order to commence insolvency proceedings, BFC Dynamo would need approximately 30,000 Deutsche Mark by 31 October 2001. If the insolvency proceedings could not be opened due to lack of funds, the club risked bankruptcy and dissolution. BFC Dynamo would then have to restart in the Kreisliga under a new name. On 26 October 2001, supporters of BFC Dynamo organized a demonstration to save the club. Also former professional players such as Hans-Jürgen Riediger, Waldemar Ksienzyk, Rainer Troppa, and Heiko Brestrich, as well as many of the club's youth players, intended to participate. The demonstrators marched from the Sportforum Hohenschönhausen to the Rotes Rathaus, where it was received by former club president and SPD politician Karin Halsch. Insolvency (2001–2002) Discussions with new sponsors failed. which corresponded to approximately 3.57 million Euros. A group of sponsors around former club president Volkmar Wanski, called "Sponsor group Dynamo" (), eventually stepped forward and offered the 30,000 Deutsche Mark required to commence insolvency proceedings. The club competed with a rump team. Goalkeeper Thomaschewski even had to play libero. Young defender Robert Rudwaleit, who was the son of Bodo Rudwaleit and who had now also landed at BFC Dynamo, made his first appearance with the first team of BFC Dynamo in the match. The club was also plagued by hooliganism. FC Berlin also maintained a large youth department which at one point cost about 400,000 Deutsche Mark per year. Wanski estimated that the club's debts were 380,000 Deutsche Mark when he resigned in June 2000. The debts were then estimated at more than 6 million Deutsche Mark one season later. Wanski accused the old presidium of doing too little to prevent bankruptcy during the financial crisis and speculated that the old presidium might have preferred that the club was dissolved. The books would then be closed for good. Two board members, Sommer and Bernt, were controversial because of connection to the motorcycle club Hells Angels. Sommer had even been imprisoned in the Stasi prison in Hohenschönhausen for football riots. But when the hooligan scene drifted towards the political right in the late 1980s, his involvement lessened. A new presidium was intended to be elected at the extraordinary general meeting on 26 November 2001. and all contracts with professionals and employees were terminated. BFC Dynamo participated in the 24th edition of the annual indoor tournament for all Berlin clubs in the NOFV-Oberliga in the Sporthalle Charlottenburg 5–6 January 2002. BFC Dynamo drew 1,500 spectators during the tournament. The club was contacted by the Swiss businessman Albert Koller, who might be interested in assisting the club and had experience in insolvency proceedings, having helped FC Luzern and Young Boys Bern out of similar situations. Board members Sommer and Bernt were met with great resistance due to their membership in Hells Angels, They themselves admitted that they had achieved nothing. Members had collected signatures to elect a new presidium. Lucius then called a general meeting for 31 May 2002. Bernt acquired the rights to the former crest from Pepe Mager in June 2002. Sommer and Bernt also ran the sports pub Berliner Fußball-Café in Lichtenberg at the time, located at Scheffelstraße 6, on the corner between Scheffelstraße and Alfred-Jung-Straße. The sports pub was popular with some parts of the supporter scene. But the duo would no longer have much say in the club by 2003. However, Sommer had one child in the youth teams and would continue to sponsor the club for a few years, with personal financial contributions and through his various establishments. In 2006, BFC Dynamo ended sponsorship contracts with companies with alleged links to the Hells Angels. ==Restart, comeback and end of insolvency (2002–2004)==

Restart in the Verbandsliga (2002–2003) The supporter interest group IG BFC'er had been looking for a suitable new board member. Mike Peters was elected the new president of BFC Dynamo at the general meeting on 31 May 2002. Supporters also set up a donations account and collected at least 13,800 Euros themselves. The planned budget for the coming season amounted to about 120,000 Euros, of which 50,000 were for the first team. They would also build a new clubhouse next to the grandstand during the season. The new clubhouse was intended to be run independently by the supporters. The team was also joined by defender Robert Rudwaleit from the reserve team, midfielder Philipp Wanski from the reserve team of Hannover 96, defensive midfielder Uwe Lehmann from FSV Optik Rathenow, and midfielder Michael Dehnert from SV Germania Schöneiche. Robert Rudwaleit was the son of Bodo Rudwaleit and had made three appearances with the first team during the previous season. The average age of the young team was 21.7 years. BFC Dynamo defeated the reserve team of 1. FC Union Berlin 2–1 away on the third matchday, 28 August 2002. The team reached the third round of the 2002–03 Berlin Cup. BFC Dynamo was eventually eliminated after a 1–2 loss to FSV Fortuna Pankow 46 in the third round at the Stadion im Sportforum on 3 November 2002. Jens Reckmann returned from SG Eintracht Oranienburg for the second half of the 2002–03 season. Reckmann had begun playing football for BFC Dynamo at the age of six. As a 19-year-old, he was part of the team of FC Berlin, under Jürgen Bogs, which just missed promotion to the 2. Bundesliga, against VfL Wolfsburg, in 1992. The return match was attended by 1,178 spectators at the Stadion im Sportforum. Around 300 children from 45 daycare centers in Berlin would come to take part in the project during its first 12 months. BFC Dynamo finished the 2002–03 Verbandsliga Berlin season in third place. Aka Adeck Mba left for Türkiyemspor Berlin and Reckmann for MSV Neuruppin, after the season. Reckmann had played in a total of 246 matches for BFC Dynamo since the 1991–92 season. Kukulies had a long background in the youth department of BFC Dynamo. Bodo Rudwaleit resigned as an assistant coach on 28 September 2003. He was replaced by Sven Orbanke. Supporters of BFC Dynamo arranged the first edition of the fan tournament in memory of Mike Polley, in Sportforum Hohenschönhausen, autumn 2003. 28 teams participated in the tournament. BFC Dynamo was in fourth place in the table after the 11th matchday, nine points behind leading SV Tasmania Gropiusstadt 73. However, the goal for the season had been to gain promotion to NOFV-Oberliga Nord. Dirk Vollmar was dismissed and assistant coach Sven Orbanke took over as the new coach. Rajko Fijalek became the new assistant coach. President Peters tried to reach agreements with the last remaining preferential creditors, one of them being Mario Maek, who decided to waive his claim for unpaid salary, in support of the club. Maek was coach of SV Sparta Lichtenberg at the time. Club President Peters managed to reach an agreement with the last preferential creditor on 27 November 2003. BFC Dynamo hoped to be able to settle with the 192 creditors for 0.5 percent of their claims. BFC Dynamo was in third place in the league after the first half of the season. The team was nine points behind leading BFC Preussen and six points behind second-placed SV Tasmania Gropiusstadt 73. The team met SV Tasmania Gropiusstadt 73 on the 18th matchday, 24 January 2004. BFC Dynamo won the match 2–1, with a goal by Jörn Lenz and a goal by Robert Rudwaleit. The team would also win the following matches. BFC Dynamo defeated BFC Preussen 1–0 and reached the semi-finals. The team lost the semi-final against SV Yeşilyurt 1–2 in front of more than 2,000 spectators at the Stadion im Sportforum on 11 May 2004. The action drew criticism in Turkish media. SV Yeşilyurt responded with humour, SV Yesilyurt manager Gökmen Ilkyaz said "What a great donation!", while SV Yesilyurt coach Bülent Gündogdu said "Unfortunately we forgot the Turkish garlic sauce". BFC Dynamo was in first place in the league with six matches left to play. The team was now six points ahead of both SV Tasmania Gropiusstadt 73 and BFC Preussen. The insolvency proceedings now also looked to come to a positive conclusion. BFC Dynamo eventually finished the 2003–04 Verbandsliga Berlin in first place and won promotion to NOFV-Oberliga Nord. The team had won all 17 matches during the second half of the season, which was a new record for the Verbandsliga Berlin. Kukulies became the top goal scorer of the league with 32 goals. Suwary came second with 22 goals. The decision was finally confirmed by the Berlin Regional Court at the end of October 2004, after one complaint was dismissed. ==See also==