From Birnerwiese to North Vienna: A book about 130 years of football history!

From Birnerwiese to North Vienna: A book about 130 years of football history!

In Vienna's 21st district, Floridsdorf, football history is as rich and deep-rooted as the roots of the last old trees in the parks. A new book takes a comprehensive look at this tradition and brings a breath of fresh air to the local sports scene. The work, entitled “From Birnerwiese to North Vienna”, comes from the authors Peter Biwald, Markus Oswald and Karl Vranowitz and addresses almost 130 years of football history in the 21st district. Particularly exciting: It contains all the highs and lows of Floridsdorf football and is therefore also designed as a reference work that provides insights into the history of the clubs on almost 300 pages. The book's publication date was at the beginning of November 2025 and it was published by Echomedia Verlag. The price is 32.70 euros.

The beginnings of football in Floridsdorf are extremely colorful: it took place in places such as the Donauwiese, the Kirchenlacke and the Birnerwiese. The district has a large number of clubs, some of which were founded before the First World War. The FAC, SR Donaufeld and Columbia are still active today. Interestingly, Admira has been playing in Lower Austria since 1967, which further strengthens the dynamics in regional football. The book also offers detailed lists of club formations and dissolutions and highlights forgotten clubs such as the Helios sports club and the Floridsdorfer Pretoria.

Tradition and successes

The work not only tells about the lesser-known teams, but also about the greater successes that the Floridsdorf clubs have been able to celebrate over the years. The FAC, as the oldest still existing club in the district, won its first championship title in 1918 and has a number of historic successes to show for it. Just in the 1930s, Admira had two heydays, won a total of six championship titles and five cup victories and made an appearance in the Mitropacup final. These chapters of the club's history are visually accompanied by contemporary images of the club's coat of arms and pins.

Another highlight is the list of 40 Floridsdorf footballers who made it into the Austrian national team. Among them was the first national player Heinrich Phlak, who was already seen in the nation's colors in 1913. Marko Arnautovic is considered the most famous footballer from Floridsdorf, while Anton Schall - proponent of the legendary miracle team - came into the spotlight with 28 games and 27 goals.

Women's football in Floridsdorf

Women's football cannot be neglected in the history of football. The USC Landhaus was founded in 1968 and is one of the pioneers in this area. However, the women's teams have always fought against prejudices and restrictions. For a long time, the Austrian Football Association ruled out renting pitches to women's teams, which harmed the growth of women's football. Historically, the Women's Football Union was founded in 1935 and in subsequent years significant competitions such as the first championship in 1936 and the first participation of an Austrian team in an unofficial World Cup took place in 1957. The impressive successes of Union SC Landhaus and SV Neulengbach, who are record champions with 13 titles each, spoke for themselves for a long time.

There are currently ten teams in the ÖFB Women's Bundesliga, and the city of Vienna is supportive and promotes girls' and women's football. The book by Biwald, Oswald and Vranowitz offers not only a look back, but also an outlook on how women's football could develop, especially after the progress of the last few decades.

A final look back at the culture of football in Floridsdorf shows that the passion and history of the clubs is deeply rooted in the community. From the first kickers on the Birnerwiese to the world-class players and players who keep the tradition alive, football is an important part of life in the 21st district. The book is a must for all interested readers in order to find out more about the ancestors of Floridsdorf football and to experience the stories about the successes, the clubs and their players up close.