Definition

The word hooligan is used to describe a person who attracts attention through aggressive behaviour during certain major events (e.g. football matches). The hooligan or hooligans usually appear as a group whose behavior is characterized by rioting and violent assault.

Hooligans therefore engage in brawls against rival groups or security forces and practice vandalism against foreign property or common property. The place is here either at the spontaneous meeting or is previously organized.

Demarcation

The hooligans have to be distinguished from the "normal" fans, the cowls and the Ultras, because they are primarily concerned with rioting and violence. The origin of hooliganism is uncertain, but is often associated with an Irish family called O´Hoolihan . The "normal" fans, the cowls and the Ultras are more concerned with a passionate relationship to a fan object, for example a certain football club, even if it is graded in the individual groups. Hooligans usually also represent the place of their origin, e.g. a certain city, a certain district, etc.

Social structure

In the past, hooliganism was mostly ascribed to young people from weak social classes. Recent studies, however, refuted this and showed that hooligans are recruited from all social classes. This could be confirmed in the 70's in which the so-called Casuals appeared increasingly. They distinguished themselves from the other groups with high-priced clothing and missing fan utensils (e.g. fan scarves).

The Hooligan Movement

The hooligan movement in football already appeared in the 60's and especially in the 70's in Great Britain and sloshed over to Germany in the middle and end of the 70´er. Hooligans do not generally belong to the right-wing scene and right-wing radicalism. But there is a connection, as the recent past shows. In the 80's different hooligangroups "played" publicly with right-wing ideas, but this was rather subordinate to the actual meaning of the group.

The hooligans of the late 70s and early 80s in Germany were not as present in the media as, for example, today's ultra-groupings are. Fights and vandalism at and around foot games were rather a marginal note in the media. There is only a small amount of usable film material from that time. I don't want to withhold one of these films from you in the following YouTube video. In addition to the rather ironic aspect that derives from the time, the clothes and the worn hairstyles, the attention should also be paid to the aspects of rivalry and violence and belonging to a group.

I hope you enjoyed it and it was informative for some of you.

Ciao

tomtheone