St Pauli’s Boys in Brown: Hamburg’s Club of the People

In a small but infamously lively quarter of the iconic city of Hamburg, FC St Pauli has been making waves recently, as they continue to push for promotion into the Bundesliga for the first time in a decade.

Officially founded in 1910, the club have a growing fanbase all around the UK, from Brighton to Glasgow. But the team has been stirring things up for a much longer amount of time, and far beyond the world of football.

The Boys in Brown may be a small club, but they’re known around the world for their progressive attitudes and activism for communities like the LGBTQ+, BLM, homelessness and more.

Pauli’s merchandise and kits are one of their more obvious efforts toward creating a brand and image that is sustainable and inclusive.

In 2020, the club decided to end their five-year contract with Under Armour and have since produced their kits and merch in-house to be more ecological and sustainable.

Pushing the ethos behind their DIIY brand (“Do it, Improve Yourself”), the club is all about “not just moaning, but doing it better yourself”.

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And indeed, Pauli has been doing far more than superficial “intactivism”. Their support for the GoBanyo “Duschbus” (Shower Bus) has helped to provide rough sleepers in the streets of Hamburg with safe opportunities to wash, helping them Regain confidence and dignity and, hopefully, improve their situation.

You can’t go to the St Pauli stadium without seeing exactly what they’re all about. Seriously. They’ve painted hearts and “KEIN MENSCH IST ILLEGAL” (no person is illegal) onto the stands.

This really is just the tip of the iceberg of what Pauli has done for marginalised communities, in their hometown and around the world. So, if you’re looking to see how it’s done, join Pauli and you’ll never walk alone.

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