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100 years of VAR: "Humanity is what defines us"

Detlef Carus is 1st chairman of the VAR Traditionsgemeinschaft des Fußballsports Berlin e. V.. VAR is an associate member of the Berlin Football Association and will celebrate its 100th anniversary on February 26, 2026. Founded as an "association of old turf athletes", the club offers its members one thing above all: a community. In an interview with the BFV, Detlef Carus explains what VAR is all about, which moments he personally remembers and how he looks at the development of soccer in Berlin.

Mr. Carus, the "Vereinigung Alter Rasensportler", now the VAR Traditionsgemeinschaft des Fußballsports Berlin e. V., was founded on February 26, 1926. As the association's first chairman, how do you view the centenary?

When you look at the number, 100 years, it naturally makes me proud as chairman. We have done a great job in recent years. It makes me particularly proud that we are now going to a celebratory event in Schöneberg town hall, to which we have invited 140 people. We'll do a great job and then let it rip again the following day at our ball at the Hotel Steglitz International. We'll have over 220 people there. That makes me proud that we can bring so many people together through the VAR.

How did you come to join VAR?

I came to VAR in 1992 through Mr. and Mrs. Wiese. At the time, I had taken a break from my job at 1. FC Neukölln, but then I realized that I couldn't be without volunteering. I then joined and became treasurer in 2001. In consultation with the long-standing chairman Harri Wuttke, I took over as 1st chairman in 2009.

A group of elegantly dressed people pose on a stage and hold a certificate at a festive anniversary celebration. Photo: VAR
Uwe Hammer (with certificate) receives the DFB's golden badge of honor at the VAR-Traditionsgemeinschaft 2025 spring ball, Detlef Carus (left) congratulates. Photo: VAR

In your words, what makes the VAR special?

Humanity. We look after people who no longer have a connection in their original clubs, for example due to age. We look after those who are still interested in a community. We help people out of their loneliness. The big challenge is to also visit people who can no longer come to us. We do this, for example, as part of our big "Christmas plate campaign". Last year, we visited 41 people with a colorful "Christmas plate" - that's always a great pleasure. And our work is successful if you look at the fact that our events are all very well attended and our membership is constantly growing. There are now 533 of us.

Which moments from your time at VAR do you particularly remember?

The 100th birthday of "Lu" Pfannenschmidt comes to mind, for example, which was celebrated in the Rotter-Haus in Lichterfelde. It's wonderful to see and hear a centenarian give a speech of thanks without dot or comma and without fault or blame. She has also agreed to come to our ceremony, which makes me particularly happy. She is our oldest member and will soon be 103 years old. Of course, we also remember sad moments, such as the memorial services for deceased members, which unfortunately happen again and again. In general, I am pleased with the recent development of the VAR: we have experienced many events and positioned the association for the future. We have a wonderfully functioning website, which is updated by our editorial manager, Fernando Baisón Prieto. He is also responsible for publishing our bi-monthly newspaper, the VAR Newspublished every two months. We have improved our visibility to such an extent that we are recognized. Whether in politics or in soccer circles, everyone now knows what the traditional soccer community is.

A conversation in a packed hall, where a person from the audience is given a microphone and listens attentively. Photo: Sandra Ritschel
The oldest VAR member "Lu" Pfannenschmidt at the 125th anniversary of the BFV in 2022. Photo: Sandra Ritschel

How do you view the development of soccer in Berlin and the BFV in recent years?

In my opinion, the Berlin Football Association should focus more on soccer. The sport is in the foreground and the people who play the sport are in the foreground. Despite all the developments, we don't have to jump on every bandwagon. Look, the abolition of Football Week has killed off amateur soccer in Berlin. It no longer has a voice. That makes me terribly sad. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the people who are trying to keep Football Week alive that it works and that Berlin amateur soccer gets a voice again. The Berlin Football Association shouldn't take it over, it can't do that. It can't support a newspaper with the clubs' money, that's quite clear. But it should help to ensure that the newspaper exists again, that we get a voice again.

Thank you for the interview, Mr. Carus!

Kategorien: Our association

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