Abandoned stadiums in Germany: The Ernst-Grube-Stadion and other forgotten grounds

Germany has long been regarded as one of Europe's great footballing countries, with a rich club culture and a stadium tradition that stretches back more than a century.

The country is home to some of the biggest and most recognisable grounds in world football, from the Allianz Arena to the Olympiastadion in Berlin, but not every historic stadium has enjoyed such a lasting legacy.

Across Germany, a number of once-important football grounds have been left behind after clubs moved elsewhere, financial problems took their toll or changing circumstances made them unusable.

Some have stood empty for decades, gradually falling into disrepair as nature reclaimed the stands and terraces, while others have disappeared almost entirely after years of neglect.

The Ernst-Grube-Stadion in Riesa is one of the more striking examples, having hosted top-level East German football before eventually becoming a largely abandoned relic, while other forgotten grounds have similarly been left to decay.

Football Ground Guide takes a look at some of the most notable abandoned football stadiums across Germany.

Jahnstadion, Marl

• Team: TSV Marl-Hüls
• Construction began: 1924
• Opened: 1927
• Last used: 2005 (football)
• Location: Marl

The Jahnstadion in Marl was built between 1924 and 1927 and became an important football and athletics venue for the town, later serving as the home of TSV Marl-Huls.

The stadium was expanded significantly after the Second World War and again in the 1960s, when the playing surface was lowered to create natural earth banks capable of holding around 35,000 spectators, while a distinctive roof was added above the main stand.

TSV Marl-Huls eventually had to leave in 2005, and although the ground is now in a heavily deteriorated state and no longer hosts football, it has continued to be used for baseball by the Marl Sly Dogs since 2008.

Sportplatz Paulshöhe, Schwerin

• Team: SG Dynamo Schwerin
• Construction began: 1922
• Opened: 1922
• Last used: 2022
• Location: Schwerin

The Sportplatz Paulshohe was opened in Schwerin in August 1922 and quickly became one of the city's most important sporting venues, originally featuring two football pitches, six tennis courts, a 400-metre running track and facilities for athletics.

The 33,000-square-metre site was one of the largest sporting grounds in the former state of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and became a long-standing home for local football.

Its final league fixture was played on June 4, 2022, after which the ground closed, with the site subsequently earmarked for redevelopment as part of plans for a new residential area.

Weidenpescher Stadion, Cologne

• Team: VfL Köln 1899
• Construction began: 1903
• Opened: 1905
• Last used: 2002
• Location: Cologne

The Weidenpescher Stadion was one of the most important football grounds in Germany during the early 20th century, with the first stadium on the site built in 1903 for VfL Koln 99.

The Weidenpescher Park hosted the German Championship finals in 1905 and 1910, while a new stadium with a wooden and steel grandstand was developed on the site in 1920 and eventually expanded to 16,000 places.

VfL Koln 99 remained there until 2002, but the historic ground has since fallen into disrepair, with its listed grandstand now regarded as one of Germany's oldest surviving football stands.

Stadion Mathias Stinnes, Essen

• Team: SV Essen-Borbeck / Rot-Weiss Essen
• Construction began: 1925
• Opened: 1925
• Last used: 2012
• Location: Essen

The Stadion Mathias Stinnes was built in Essen in 1925 before being acquired by the Mathias Stinnes colliery in 1950 and transformed into one of the most modern stadiums in the Ruhr region.

The ground became home to TSG Karnap 07 and hosted a memorable unofficial women's international between Germany and the Netherlands in September 1956, with 18,000 spectators watching Germany win 2-1.

The stadium later fell into decline after its main football users moved elsewhere, leaving the once-important venue to become one of Essen's forgotten sporting grounds.

Ernst-Grube-Stadion, Riesa

• Team: BSG Stahl Riesa
• Construction began: 1953
• Opened: 1955
• Last used: 2003
• Location: Riesa

The Ernst-Grube-Stadion became one of the most important football grounds in Riesa during the East German era, serving as the home of BSG Stahl Riesa and later hosting DDR-Oberliga football.

Opened on May 29, 1955, with a capacity of more than 11,000, the stadium was expanded to accommodate 14,000 spectators after Stahl Riesa reached the East German top flight in 1968.

The ground also gained a new main stand and other facilities during the 1970s, but it was eventually left largely unused after FC Stahl Riesa 98 ceased to exist in 2003.