The active scene at the Bielefelder Alm is centred in Block 1 of the Südtribüne. This is where the capos stand, the largest flags are positioned and most organised chants begin. Lokal Crew Ultras form the central group within that structure, but neither the group nor Block 1 should be confused with the entire Arminia fanbase.
The Südtribüne also includes traditional fan clubs, long-standing season-ticket holders and independent supporters with different ideas about how support should look. Lokal Crew organise much of the visual and vocal activity, yet the atmosphere depends on whether the surrounding blocks participate. That relationship between a compact organised core and a much larger terrace is one of the defining features of the Bielefeld scene.
Arminia’s stadium has officially carried the SchücoArena name for years, but supporters still refer to it simply as the Alm. The club has played there since 1926, and its compact structure keeps the stands close to the pitch. For the active scene, its importance comes from the generations of supporter culture that have developed, disappeared and rebuilt themselves there.
From Boys Bielefeld to Lokal Crew
The roots of Bielefeld’s modern ultras movement reach back to the mid-1990s. Boys Bielefeld, founded in 1995, belonged to the earliest ultra-oriented groups in the city and emerged when the Italian model of organised support was only beginning to influence German terraces. Large flags, choreographies and more continuous singing gradually became part of Arminia matchdays, although the word “ultra” was not immediately accepted by everyone involved.
Around 2001, Boys Bielefeld and other active supporters came together under the name Bielefelder Ultras. The aim was to create a shared structure capable of uniting the most active groups and strengthening the atmosphere on the Südtribüne. The project organised choreographies and attempted to establish a central fan block, but it was dissolved in 2004 after failing to create the unity its members had originally imagined.
The end of Bielefelder Ultras did not bring the end of ultra-oriented support. Boys Bielefeld and other groups remained present, while younger supporters continued developing their own ideas about terrace organisation. A decisive change followed the rebuilding of the Südtribüne in 2006, when Block 1 increasingly became the main gathering point for the active scene.
Lokal Crew was founded during the summer of 2006. It initially operated as a loose alliance bringing together existing fan clubs and independent active supporters, but gradually developed into a permanent ultras group with its own membership, symbols and internal organisation. The group reached twenty years of activity in 2026 and remains the most visible force within Arminia’s organised support.
The current Südtribüne did not begin with one group suddenly taking control. It developed through several attempts to organise the active support, including structures that no longer exist. Lokal Crew inherited parts of that earlier experience while creating its own identity around Block 1, independent publications, social projects and a permanent presence at home and away matches.
Block 1 and the Wider Südtribüne
Block 1 became the recognised centre of support after the 2006 stadium redevelopment. Its position allowed the most active supporters to stand together more compactly, with the capos, drums and main flags concentrated in one area. Lokal Crew gradually established its fence banners and material there, while supporters interested in more continuous participation moved towards the block.
The intention was not simply to create a closed section for members of one group. Lokal Crew repeatedly encouraged other Arminia supporters to join the central area, participate in chants and contribute to the visual appearance of the terrace. The group’s publications have also discussed the importance of standing compactly rather than spreading the active core too widely.
BlockEins developed as a broader structure around the ultras group. It gives supporters who are not members of Lokal Crew a way to contribute financially and become more involved in activities surrounding the scene. The distinction remains important: Lokal Crew are the principal ultras group, BlockEins connects a wider circle of active supporters, and the Südtribüne includes thousands of people with no formal connection to either.
Those differences are visible during matches. Some supporters favour continuous chanting led by the capos, while others prefer to react more closely to events on the pitch. Large flags can also restrict the view, particularly for people standing outside the central ultras area. Lokal Crew can provide direction, but it cannot force every part of the Südtribüne to follow the same approach.
The strongest atmospheres come when the organisation of Block 1 and the reactions of the wider terrace work together. A chant beginning with a relatively small core can spread through the surrounding blocks and eventually reach the seated stands. On weaker days, the sound remains concentrated around Block 1 and loses force before travelling across the Südtribüne.
Choreographies and Visual Culture
Blue, black and white define the visual identity of the Bielefeld scene. Large waving flags, scarves, two-pole banners and group material are present during most matches, while full choreographies are generally reserved for derbies, anniversaries and other important occasions. Designs frequently use the city name, club crest, the Alm and symbols associated with East Westphalia.
The production of these displays takes place away from public view. Fabric must be purchased and painted, flags prepared and individual materials arranged according to the stadium layout. A choreography lasting only a few minutes can require weeks of voluntary work.
Displays are financed independently through merchandise, donations and collections around the stadium. This allows Lokal Crew to choose its own themes and messages rather than operating as part of the club’s entertainment programme. Practical cooperation with Arminia may occasionally be necessary, but the content and preparation of ultras displays remain in the hands of the supporters.
One of the group’s largest wider initiatives came in 2012, when Lokal Crew organised the production and sale of 5,000 shirts with support from other fan clubs. The proceeds were made available for projects connected to Arminia, while the design and distribution were handled largely by supporters. The action demonstrated the organisational capacity of the scene beyond its normal work in Block 1.
Pyrotechnics have also appeared during derbies, away matches and selected visual displays. Their use remains prohibited and can lead to fines and stadium bans, but Lokal Crew has argued that the subject should be discussed rather than treated only through punishment. In 2011, the Bielefeld scene was involved in an attempt to develop a safety concept for the controlled use of twenty flares during a home match, but the proposal was rejected by the authorities.
That failed attempt became part of a wider German debate about legal and regulated pyrotechnics. Lokal Crew has continued to criticise blanket prohibition while also discussing the consequences of illegal use. The issue forms part of a broader argument over whether football authorities are willing to negotiate with organised supporters or regard repression as the only response.
pubLiC and the Scene’s Own Voice
Lokal Crew communicates through more than banners and online statements. Since 2009, the group has published the matchday information sheet pubLiC, distributed around Block 1 and the Südtribüne. It contains reports from previous fixtures, travel information, group announcements and commentary on developments affecting football supporters.
The publication offers a view of the scene written from inside the group. Match reports do not only describe the result but evaluate the performance of Block 1, the participation of the wider Südtribüne and the organisation of the away section. Weak support is criticised as openly as strong performances are praised.
pubLiC also documents the history of Lokal Crew. Earlier editions explain the formation of the group, changes inside Block 1, the creation of BlockEins and disagreements over the direction of support. The publication is subjective by design, but that makes it an important record of how the group understands its own development.
Fan-political subjects appear regularly, including stadium bans, policing, kick-off times, investors, standing areas and the treatment of away supporters. The fanzine allows Lokal Crew to communicate directly with the people standing around them without relying on club media or outside journalists.
Away Culture
Away travel is one of the foundations of Arminia’s active scene. The club’s frequent movement between divisions has taken its supporters to Bundesliga arenas, traditional second-tier grounds and smaller stadiums in the 3. Liga. The organised core continued travelling through each of those periods, including seasons when the opposition and destination attracted little wider attention.
Lokal Crew normally attempts to position the capos, flags and most active supporters together inside the guest section. Travelling in a compact group creates a clear centre for the chanting and prevents the scene’s material from being scattered around a large away end. Buses, trains and regional travel plans are announced through the group’s own channels.
Colour campaigns are also used to create a more unified appearance. Before important trips, the scene may ask all travelling supporters to wear the same colour or purchase a specially produced shirt. Ahead of the Münster derby in 2011, shirts were sold at cost price with the aim of filling the entire away section in blue rather than producing a display limited to Lokal Crew members.
The number of travelling supporters naturally varies according to the opponent, allocation and league position. Large cup matches and promotion fixtures can mobilise many thousands, while ordinary league trips attract a smaller but regular core. Within ultras culture, these less prominent journeys are often regarded as the clearest test of commitment because they offer no spectacle beyond the match itself.
Away sections are also where conflicts over supporter rights become most immediate. Personalised tickets, police controls, restricted materials and reduced allocations can disrupt the organisation of a guest block before the game begins. Lokal Crew has repeatedly treated these issues as part of fan politics rather than unavoidable administrative details.
The scene has also shown a willingness to withdraw its organised presence when it considers the conditions surrounding a fixture unacceptable. Such decisions can divide supporters who still want visible backing for the team, but the ultras regard a boycott or period of silence as a legitimate form of protest. In their view, normal support can sometimes make it easier for clubs and authorities to ignore restrictions imposed on travelling fans.
Friendship with Hamburger SV
The most widely accepted friendship within the Arminia fanbase is the relationship with Hamburger SV. Its origins predate Lokal Crew and involve several generations of supporters, traditional fan clubs and organised groups. The shared black, white and blue colours became an obvious symbol of the connection.
The chant “Schwarz, weiß, blau – Arminia und der HSV” remains its best-known expression. Joint parties, mutual visits and personal contacts developed over many years, particularly when the clubs played in the same division. Unlike relationships that exist only between small ultras circles, the HSV friendship became accepted across broad sections of both fanbases.
Lokal Crew has also maintained contacts within the Hamburg scene. Earlier editions of pubLiC document visits to Hamburg fan events and describe the connection as one recognised by younger groups and older supporters alike. It should not be assumed that every Arminia or HSV fan personally identifies with it, but the friendship has a broader foundation than most group-level relationships.
Friendly links also exist with parts of the Hannover 96 fanbase. These contacts are partly connected to Hannover’s own friendship with HSV and were once described through the idea of a “Nordallianz” involving Hamburg, Hannover and Bielefeld. The relationship is positive but should not be presented as being as established or important as the friendship with HSV.
Other contacts exist between individuals and particular groups, as in any large fan scene, but they should not automatically be elevated into official friendships. The relationship map is relatively clear: HSV is the principal broadly accepted friendship, while Hannover occupies a friendlier but less central position.
Preußen Münster: The Defining Rivalry
Preußen Münster is the opponent that carries the greatest historical weight for Arminia’s active scene. The rivalry stretches across several generations but became especially intense during the late 1980s and early 1990s, when both clubs competed in the Oberliga for a return to professional football. Matches brought large followings, confrontation and a struggle for status within Westphalian football.
For Lokal Crew and the younger generation around Block 1, the return of regular competitive fixtures during the early 2010s gave the rivalry renewed importance. Derby shirts, scarves, marches and choreographies were prepared specifically for Münster. Group publications referred to Preußen as the traditional enemy and treated the fixture differently from an ordinary regional match.
The distance between the cities is not especially small by derby standards, but geography is only part of the relationship. The rivalry was preserved through stories passed between generations and revived whenever the clubs returned to the same division. Long gaps without a meeting often increased anticipation rather than weakening it.
A match against Münster places particular pressure on the organisation of the Südtribüne. The visual display, participation of the surrounding blocks and performance of the away section are all judged more critically than usual. Defeat is not quickly forgotten, while victory provides material for songs and banners long after the final whistle.
Security measures regularly influence the fixture. Police operations, restricted routes and concerns over confrontation can shape the entire day. Long stadium bans connected to previous Münster fixtures have further strengthened hostility towards collective punishment and preventive sanctions within the Bielefeld scene.
Münster should therefore be described as Arminia’s defining rivalry, even though the clubs’ movement between divisions has prevented it from being played every season. No other opponent brings together history, regional identity and the self-image of the active scene in the same way.
Osnabrück, Bochum and Paderborn
VfL Osnabrück represents another important regional rivalry. The cities are close enough for regular contact between supporters, and matches are frequently treated as high-risk fixtures. Osnabrück has attracted strong away followings from Bielefeld, while incidents and terrace competition have added tension over different periods.
The relationship has not always been as clearly defined as the rivalry with Münster. Older fan histories sometimes describe a mixture of hostility, regional competition and individual personal contacts. In the modern scene, however, Osnabrück is generally treated as an opponent and remains one of the more significant away trips whenever the clubs meet.
VfL Bochum became an important rival during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Repeated meetings and conflicts between parts of the two fanbases gave the fixture a sharper character than geography alone would suggest. The rivalry remains recognised by many supporters, although it does not occupy the same position for the current generation as Münster.
SC Paderborn is a more recent regional opponent. Repeated meetings across different divisions have allowed local competition to grow, and the fixture is often promoted as an East Westphalian derby. However, many Arminia supporters do not place Paderborn on the same level as Münster or the older rivalries involving Osnabrück and Bochum.
That distinction matters because not every heated regional fixture becomes a defining rivalry. Paderborn may regard Arminia as its most important opponent, while the Bielefeld scene has a longer and more complicated hierarchy. Local tension does not automatically create equal emotional investment on both sides.
Fan Politics and the Fight over the Stands
Lokal Crew does not see its role as limited to coordinating songs and producing choreographies. The group has participated in nationwide campaigns concerning the 50+1 rule, kick-off times, standing areas, stadium bans and the treatment of away supporters. These positions are communicated through banners, public statements and pubLiC.
The defence of 50+1 is connected to the belief that football clubs should remain accountable to their members rather than controlled completely by external owners. Lokal Crew has used examples from other German clubs to warn about investors gaining influence over presidents, club structures and sporting decisions. The group does not claim that traditional football is free from commercial interests, but it regards member control as an important protection.
Unpopular scheduling is another recurring subject. Friday evening and Monday matches create difficulties for supporters travelling long distances, while early weekday kick-offs can make attendance impossible without taking time away from work or education. Lokal Crew has criticised both league authorities and Arminia when it believed fixtures were arranged without sufficient consideration for match-going supporters.
The group has also supported campaigns against collective punishment and broad stadium bans. The central argument is that individuals should not be sanctioned through assumptions based on group membership or presence in a particular section. Restrictions introduced before any criminal conviction are viewed as especially problematic.
Recent national statements supported by the Bielefeld scene have criticised personalised tickets, central stadium-ban bodies, the transfer of policing costs to clubs and threats to close complete guest sections. These debates directly affect the practical organisation of ultras culture and are therefore treated as terrace issues rather than abstract political questions.
Protest methods can include banners, delayed support, silence or the absence of the organised group. Such actions are not always popular with the rest of the stadium, but they show that Lokal Crew rejects the idea that ultras exist only to provide an attractive atmosphere. The same group that organises the noise also reserves the right to remove it.
Südtribüne hilft and Community Work
Lokal Crew’s activities beyond matchday are among the most established parts of the group’s work. Since 2009, members have collected refundable cups during home matches and donated the proceeds to charitable projects in Bielefeld and the wider region. Supported organisations have included children’s hospices, initiatives for children with cancer and local social facilities.
The group has also organised campaigns connected to blood cancer. A large DKMS registration drive was held before the home match against Karlsruher SC in 2015, allowing supporters to register as potential stem-cell donors. Similar registration and blood-donation actions have continued in later years.
The initiative Südtribüne hilft was launched to coordinate emergency assistance after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Lokal Crew worked with the Fanprojekt, fan representatives and other supporter organisations to collect clothing, medical supplies and donations. The project showed how existing terrace structures could be used to mobilise help quickly beyond football.
Further actions have supported the Bielefeld food bank, refugee facilities, the Bahnhofsmission and other local organisations. These projects rely on the same networks used to prepare choreographies and organise travel. Members collect money, arrange volunteers and use matchdays to reach thousands of people in a short period.
Community work also creates contact between the ultras and supporters who may have little interest in the internal culture of Block 1. Someone who never follows a capo or purchases group merchandise may still donate a cup, register with the DKMS or contribute to a relief campaign. In those moments, the influence of the active scene extends well beyond the central block.
The Bielefeld Scene Today
Lokal Crew remains the main ultras group on the Südtribüne, with Block 1 serving as the centre of organised support. The group leads much of the chanting, prepares the largest displays, publishes pubLiC and communicates the political positions of the scene. BlockEins provides a broader structure through which supporters can become involved without joining the group itself.
The history behind that structure is longer than Lokal Crew alone. Boys Bielefeld and Bielefelder Ultras helped introduce the first organised ultra-style support, while the rebuilding of the Südtribüne created the physical conditions for Block 1 to develop. The current scene is the result of those earlier stages rather than a complete break from what came before.
Its external relationships are also clear. Hamburger SV is the principal friendship across broad parts of the fanbase, with Hannover occupying a friendly but less important position. Preußen Münster is the defining rival, while Osnabrück and Bochum represent significant secondary rivalries and Paderborn a newer regional competition that does not carry the same weight for all Arminia supporters.
The Bielefeld ultras scene is best understood through the structures it has built: a compact centre in Block 1, its own publication, organised travel, an independent position towards the club and charitable projects connected to the city. Lokal Crew can prepare the flags, choose the song and set the rhythm, but the atmosphere on the Alm still depends on whether the rest of the Südtribüne decides to join in.