Werkself

Lore & Background

On 27 November 1903, Wilhelm Hauschild wrote a letter – signed by 180 of his fellow workers – to his employer, the Friedrich Bayer and Co., seeking the company's support in starting a sports club. The company agreed to support the initiative, and on 1 July 1904 Turn- und Spielverein Bayer 04 Leverkusen was founded as a works team. On 31 May 1907, a separate football department was formed within the club. In the culture of sports in Germany at the time, there was significant animosity between gymnasts and other types of athletes. Eventually this contributed to a split within the club: on 8 June 1928, the footballers formed a separate association – Sportvereinigung Bayer 04 Leverkusen – that also included the handball and fistball players, athletics, and boxing, while the gymnasts carried on as TuS Bayer 04 Leverkusen. SV Bayer 04 Leverkusen took with them the club's traditional colours of red and black, with the gymnasts adopting blue and yellow after a while. Until 1930, Wiesdorf was the hometown of Bayer 04, and Leverkusen was merely the district where the factories and workers' housing were located. In 1930, Wiesdorf and the neighboring municipalities merged to form a new town. They named it Leverkusen because of the factory's importance, among other things, for the community's growth. Thus, the club now bore the name of its city. Through this period, and into the 1930s, SV Bayer 04 Leverkusen played third and fourth division football. In 1936, they earned promotion to the second highest class of play of the period. That was also the year that the club wore the 'Bayer' cross, still visible on their kits, for the first time. They made their first appearance in upper league play in 1951, in the Oberliga West and played there until 1956, after which they were relegated. SV Bayer 04 Leverkusen would not return to the upper leagues until 1962, just one season before the formation of Germany's new professional league, the Bundesliga. The next year saw the club in the Regionalliga West, tier II. After not having been among the top teams in the second-tier Regionalliga SV Bayer 04 Leverkusen made something of a breakthrough in 1968 by sensationally winning the division title (with only 15 men in the squad), but was unable to advance to the playoff round to the first division. The club was relegated again in 1973, but made a quick return to what was now called the

In Their Own Story

The rain slicks the grass of the BayArena as the floodlights cut through the misty Leverkusen evening. In the stands, a sea of red and black sways in unison, the chant 'Werkself' rising like a physical wave from the Ultras section. It is not just a name called out; it is a declaration of belonging. An old fan, wearing a faded jersey from the 1990s, grips his scarf tight as the team lines up. He remembers the days when players walked to work in white coats before donning their kits. Today, the factory whistle may have changed its tune, but the spirit remains: this is not just a club, it is the heartbeat of the city's industrial soul.

Reader's Guide

Bayer Leverkusen were promoted to the Bundesliga in 1979 and won their maiden top-flight honor, the UEFA Cup, in 1988. The club won its first domestic honour, the DFB Pokal, in 1993. The club finished runners-up across three competitions in 2002, including the UEFA Champions League. After over 30 years without silverware, the club won their first Bundesliga title and their second DFB Pokal in 2024, becoming the first German team to win the league or domestic double unbeaten, while setting the European record for consecutive unbeaten competitive games (51).

Did You Know?

• The club was founded on 1 July 1904 as Turn- und Spielverein Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a works team for the Friedrich Bayer and Co. paint factory.
• The football department was formed separately on 31 May 1907.
• The nickname 'Werkself' is not mentioned in the source article; its origin and timeline are unclear from the source.
• Bayer Leverkusen's main colours are red and black, though the club played in red and white for ten years after the 1984 reunion of the two club halves.

Origins and Corporate Identity

Founded in July 1904 by employees of the Friedrich Bayer and Co. paint factory, the club began as a works team supported directly by its employer. Initially part of a broader gymnastics association known as Turn- und Spielverein Bayer 04 Leverkusen, internal friction between gymnasts and other athletes led to a significant split in 1928. The footballers formed their own association, Sportvereinigung Bayer 04 Leverkusen, taking the traditional red and black colors with them, while the remaining gymnasts adopted blue and yellow. For decades, the team played under various regional names until the merger of local municipalities created the city of Leverkusen in 1930, officially aligning the club's name with its hometown. The football department remained a section of the larger sports club, TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, which included athletics and basketball, until it was legally separated into an independent entity in 1999. Throughout this evolution, the iconic 'Bayer' cross has remained a staple on their kits since first appearing in 1936.

Rise to Prominence and Early Honors

The club's journey to the top flight was a gradual ascent through Germany's regional leagues. After playing in lower divisions for much of the mid-20th century, Leverkusen achieved a breakthrough by winning the Regionalliga West title in 1968 with a remarkably small squad of just fifteen players. Although they missed promotion initially, their persistence paid off when they secured a spot in the newly formed Bundesliga starting in the 1979–80 season. By the mid-1980s, the team had stabilized in the upper half of the table and achieved reunification with its gymnastics counterpart in 1984, though the football department retained its black and red identity despite a brief period playing in red and white. Their first major trophy arrived in 1988 when they claimed the UEFA Cup, overcoming a three-goal deficit against Espanyol to win on penalties. This success was followed by their maiden domestic title, the DFB Pokal, in 1993, cementing their status as a competitive force under the leadership of executive Reiner Calmund.

The Near-Miss Era and Strategic Shifts

Following their early successes, the club entered a period defined by high-profile signings and heartbreak. Executive Reiner Calmund aggressively expanded the squad's talent pool, signing East German stars Ulf Kirsten and Andreas Thom after reunification, alongside Brazilian internationals like Jorginho and Paulo Sérgio. Despite missing out on Matthias Sammer due to political intervention, the team attracted legends such as Bernd Schuster and Rudi Völler. Under coach Christoph Daum, Leverkusen consistently challenged for top honors, adding global talents like Lúcio, Emerson, Zé Roberto, and Michael Ballack to their roster. However, this era is most infamously remembered for 2002, when the team finished as runners-up in three major competitions: the Bundesliga, DFB Pokal, and UEFA Champions League. This 'never-say-die' period ended abruptly with Daum's dismissal following a cocaine scandal, leaving the club without silverware for over three decades despite their consistent competitiveness.

The Unbeaten Double and Modern Legacy

After more than thirty years of trophy droughts, Bayer Leverkusen achieved an unprecedented milestone in 2024 by winning both the Bundesliga title and the DFB Pokal. This victory marked their first-ever league championship and second domestic cup, making them the first German team to secure a domestic double without suffering a single defeat. Their historic run included setting a new European record for consecutive unbeaten competitive matches, reaching an impressive 51 games. Playing at the BayArena in North Rhine-Westphalia, the club has maintained its red and black identity while fostering deep rivalries with 1. FC Köln and enduring friendships with supporters of Kickers Offenbach. This modern triumph not only ended a long period of near-misses but also redefined the club's legacy as a powerhouse capable of sustained excellence across all competitions.