Miscellaneous .
Below you find some of my further activities. Beware it's only some. Not all.
Travelling .
My current job needs some travelling with destinations mainly within the borders of the European Union. As a member of working groups on European level it's about once or twice a month that I am packing my trolley, taking my laptop and entering a taxi for the short trip to Vienna Airport. Often, business travelling is about getting up early and returning home late without seeing more than two airports and the meeting venue. But sometimes you have the opportunity to catch one or the other impression of your destination. Of course I also enjoy travelling with my family which usually gives much more time to see more than a mere glimpse of your destination. Some of my trips are documented on the photo page.
RENOVATING .
Since May 2013 together with my wife I am renovating an old house originating from the 1920ies in Halbturn, a small village in the province of Burgenland, just a few miles from the Hungarian border. This may sound like being a lot of hard and painful work, but in reality it turns out as a short holiday break every other weekend.
Chairing .
Since March 2007 I am chairing the Anhängervereinigung des Wiener Sport-Club, i.e. the Supporters Union of Wiener Sport-Club, being in my 4th term now (re-elected in March 2015 for a new 2-year period). Founded in 1952, this famous supporters club has followed the Wiener Sport-Club through all the highs and lows since. Although being an allround sports club, most of the public attention has been given to the club's football team. Unfortunately, most of the money has been given to football, too, leading to big financial troubles, insolvencies and a subsequent split into two clubs: the Wiener Sport-Club with fencing, cycling, squash, swimming and water polo teams still active; and the Wiener Sportklub, playing football and attracting the masses to Dornbach, the traditional home of both Sport-Club and Sportklub. The Anhängervereinigung supports both clubs with vocal, emotional and financial contributions.
Writing .
More than 20 years ago I was founder of "Schwarz auf Weiß" (SaW) remaining its chief editor for some 20 issues. SaW was one of the first Austrian football fanzines and being clearly dedicated to the fortunes and misfortunes of the Wiener Sport-Club football team. It contained match reports, interviews, background stories and positions from a young and prospering group of WSC supporters, later to be known as "Friedhofstribüne". Today, I am the author of a bi-monthly key message in the so-called Nachrichtenblatt, the official information leaflet of the Anhängervereinigung des Wiener Sportclub.
Furthermore, I enjoy writing the occasional piece for Austrian football magazine ballesterer fm - Magazin zur offensiven Erweiterung des Fußballhorizonts.
Recent Contributions
AFC Sunderland vs. QPR (Groundhopping), ballesterer fm #100, March 2015
Derby County vs. QPR (Groundhopping), ballester fm #94, September 2014
Preußen Münster vs. Karlsruher SC (Groundhopping), ballesterer fm #82, June/July 2013
Southend United vs. Leyton Orient (Groundhopping), ballesterer fm #81, May 2013
1000 und ein Spiel (Fansektor), ballesterer fm #80, April 2013
Fulham FC vs. Westham United FC (Groundhoping), ballesterer fm #80, April 2013
AFC Wimbledon vs. Macclesfield Town (Groundhopping), ballesterer fm #69, February 2012
Kleinkrieg im Kleingarten (Spielfeld), ballesterer fm #67, November 2011
Verliebt in eine Liga (Rezensionen), ballesterer fm #64, August 2011
FK Jelgava vs. FK Ventspils (Groundhopping), ballesterer fm #63, July 2011
Borussia Dortmund vs. Schalke 04 (Groundhopping), ballesterer fm #60, March 2011
Harmonie in der Vorstadt (Web-Artikel), ballesterer fm #60, March 2011
FC 04 Ingolstadt vs. KarlsruherSC (Groundhopping), ballesterer fm #57, November 2010
Glory glory Hallelujah (Spielfeld), ballesterer fm #57, November 2010
Fußballpoesie ohne Klischees (Rezensionen), ballesterer fm #56, October 2010
Brüsseler Traumabewältigung (Fansektor) - Ballesterer fm #55, September 2010
FC Brussels Molenbeek vs. RAEC Mons (Groundhopping) - Ballesterer fm #52, April 2010
Oasen des 12. Mannes (Fansektor) - Ballesterer fm #51, April 2010
Im Wildpark (Rezensionen) - Ballesterer fm #51, April 2010
We're shit and we know we are (Fansektor) - Ballesterer fm # 50, March 2010
CF OS Belenenses vs. Gil Vicente FC (Groundhopping) - Ballesterer fm # 48, December 2009
20 Jahre Mauerfall (Nachspielzeit) - Ballesterer fm # 47, November 2009
FC Kobnhavn vs. Brondby IF (Groundhopping) - Ballesterer fm # 46, October 2009
Tschö Tivoli (Lost Ground) - Ballesterer fm #43, July 2009 (together with Etl, S.)
Furthermore, I enjoy writing the occasional piece for Austrian football magazine ballesterer fm - Magazin zur offensiven Erweiterung des Fußballhorizonts.
Recent Contributions
AFC Sunderland vs. QPR (Groundhopping), ballesterer fm #100, March 2015
Derby County vs. QPR (Groundhopping), ballester fm #94, September 2014
Preußen Münster vs. Karlsruher SC (Groundhopping), ballesterer fm #82, June/July 2013
Southend United vs. Leyton Orient (Groundhopping), ballesterer fm #81, May 2013
1000 und ein Spiel (Fansektor), ballesterer fm #80, April 2013
Fulham FC vs. Westham United FC (Groundhoping), ballesterer fm #80, April 2013
AFC Wimbledon vs. Macclesfield Town (Groundhopping), ballesterer fm #69, February 2012
Kleinkrieg im Kleingarten (Spielfeld), ballesterer fm #67, November 2011
Verliebt in eine Liga (Rezensionen), ballesterer fm #64, August 2011
FK Jelgava vs. FK Ventspils (Groundhopping), ballesterer fm #63, July 2011
Borussia Dortmund vs. Schalke 04 (Groundhopping), ballesterer fm #60, March 2011
Harmonie in der Vorstadt (Web-Artikel), ballesterer fm #60, March 2011
FC 04 Ingolstadt vs. KarlsruherSC (Groundhopping), ballesterer fm #57, November 2010
Glory glory Hallelujah (Spielfeld), ballesterer fm #57, November 2010
Fußballpoesie ohne Klischees (Rezensionen), ballesterer fm #56, October 2010
Brüsseler Traumabewältigung (Fansektor) - Ballesterer fm #55, September 2010
FC Brussels Molenbeek vs. RAEC Mons (Groundhopping) - Ballesterer fm #52, April 2010
Oasen des 12. Mannes (Fansektor) - Ballesterer fm #51, April 2010
Im Wildpark (Rezensionen) - Ballesterer fm #51, April 2010
We're shit and we know we are (Fansektor) - Ballesterer fm # 50, March 2010
CF OS Belenenses vs. Gil Vicente FC (Groundhopping) - Ballesterer fm # 48, December 2009
20 Jahre Mauerfall (Nachspielzeit) - Ballesterer fm # 47, November 2009
FC Kobnhavn vs. Brondby IF (Groundhopping) - Ballesterer fm # 46, October 2009
Tschö Tivoli (Lost Ground) - Ballesterer fm #43, July 2009 (together with Etl, S.)
Groundhopping .
Well, it would not be correct to describe myself as a fully fledged groundhopper. But after all the years I still try to visit another stadium, another ground, another game of football. In other words: do some groundhopping. In my humble opinion this is still one of the best ways to become better acquainted to a country and its people. Check out the grounds on foreign soil where I have watched a full game. Because you know only these grounds count in groundhopping.
Kurt's international groundhopping on larger map
Recent additions
Stadium of Light, February 2015
Wembley Stadium, June 2014.
Giuseppe Meazza Stadio, Inter, January 2014.
Preußenstadion, Preußen Münster, April 2013.
Wacker-Arena, Wacker Burghausen, March 2013.
Roots Hall, Southend United FC, February 2013.
Craven Cottage, Fulham FC, January 2013.
Generali Arena, SpVgg Unterhaching, April 2012.
Cherry Red Records Stadium, AFC Wimbledon, January 2012.
Zemgales Olimpiska Centra Stadions, Jelgava, June 2011.
Signal-Iduna-Park, Borussia Dortmund, Dortmund, February 2011.
Kenilworth Road, Luton Town FC, Luton, January 2011.
Ansan Wa~ Stadium, Ansan Hallellujah FC, Ansan, October 2010.
Audi-Sportpark, SV 04 Ingolstadt, Ingolstadt, October 2010.
Stade Edmond Machtens, FC Brussels, Brussels, March 2010.
City Ground, Nottingham Forest, Nottingham, January 2010.
Esprit Arena, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, October 2009.
Estadio do Restelo, CF OS Belenenses, Lisbon, October 2009.
Parken, FC Kobnhavn, Copenhagen, August 2009.
(Old) Tivoli, Alemannia Aachen, Aachen, May 2009.
Riding .
I never was very much into Italian football. Well, AS Piacenza's stadium still is on my groundhopping to-do list, but that's for another reason. What I do like are Italian cycles. I have been riding a Bianchi mountain bike for half of my life, and I still do. And I ride a Vespa for some nine years now. A scooter with a small 50 ccm engine. But a perfect tool for mobility in a country where summers are getting longer at the expense of wintertime. So watch out for a guy on a silver-coloured Vespa ET4-50 with a red Viennese number plate reading W-46BAO. That's me. Cruising the streets of Vienna, stopping at some street cafe, taking off the helmet and enjoying an espresso in the sun.
Update as of December 2011: Sold my Vespa as it did not do any longer what it was expected to do. Unsolvable problems of dying off without any warning significantly harm the fun. Now thinking of alternatives ... a season ticket for public transport?
Update as of December 2011: Sold my Vespa as it did not do any longer what it was expected to do. Unsolvable problems of dying off without any warning significantly harm the fun. Now thinking of alternatives ... a season ticket for public transport?
Kicking .
Playing football at the age of 47+ has become a somewhat lonely affair with most people of my age long having pulled out of the game due to damaged knees, overdimensional bellies, backaches, progressive alcoholism, drug abuse, or other cheap excuses. In fact you have to play against people being some twentyfive years younger and twice as fast as you. Nevertheless it still is a hell of a lot of fun. And right so.
In summertime we play outdoors near the banks of the Danube, in wintertime it's 3-a-side indoor soccer at some primary school in the third district of Vienna. What shirts I am wearing? Well, it's either a green VfL Wolfsburg shirt (from the times when a guy named Wolfgang Wolf was coaching Wolfsburg), the green and white hoops shirt from QPR (addressing the strong Irish support for the West Londoners), or the blue and white hooped shirt from QPR (from the 2006/07 season).
In summertime we play outdoors near the banks of the Danube, in wintertime it's 3-a-side indoor soccer at some primary school in the third district of Vienna. What shirts I am wearing? Well, it's either a green VfL Wolfsburg shirt (from the times when a guy named Wolfgang Wolf was coaching Wolfsburg), the green and white hoops shirt from QPR (addressing the strong Irish support for the West Londoners), or the blue and white hooped shirt from QPR (from the 2006/07 season).