1. FC Köln will mark Willi Ostermann’s 150th birthday with a special shirt, but the men’s team will not wear it for the Borussia Mönchengladbach derby.
Key takeaways
- The dark-red Adidas shirt is built around the score of Ostermann’s best-known song, “Heimweh nach Köln”.
- Köln’s women will debut the kit against HSV on 17 October at 12:00.
- The men’s side are scheduled to wear it against Schalke 04 on 24 October, kicking off at 15:30.
- Gold detailing includes the city crest, FC badge and partner marks.
- The release also recognises the 90th anniversary of Ostermann’s death and the Willi-Ostermann-Gesellschaft’s 60th year.
A shirt for a Cologne songwriter
The special edition was released on 1 October, Ostermann’s 150th birthday. It honours the Cologne composer, lyricist and singer, who died in August 1936.
Its central design feature is the musical notation for “Heimweh nach Köln”, Ostermann’s final and most famous song. The track is widely regarded as an unofficial anthem of the city.
The shirt combines dark red with gold, drawing on the colours of the traditional frock coat associated with the Willi-Ostermann-Gesellschaft. Ostermann’s embroidered signature, the society’s anniversary emblem and an Ostermann medal at the neck are also included.
Philipp Liesenfeld, Köln’s managing director for marketing and sales, described it as the first special kit of the club’s new Adidas period. He said the design continued Cologne’s tradition of local-themed shirts while paying tribute to one of the city’s leading writers of songs about home and identity.
Ralf Schlegelmilch, president of the Willi-Ostermann-Gesellschaft, said the project reflected the bond between the city, its cultural heritage and the spirit Ostermann still represents.
Women first, men against Schalke
René Wagner’s men will not use the shirt in the home derby with Borussia Mönchengladbach on 11 October, which begins at 15:30.
Köln’s women are set to be the first FC side in the new kit, wearing it for their Bundesliga meeting with HSV on 17 October at 12:00.
The men’s debut is planned for the following home fixture against Schalke 04, on 24 October at 15:30.
