Tennis Borussia

Tennis Borussia Berlin are a club that exists in the shadow of Hertha BSC, yet they have maintained a separate identity for over a century. The club was founded on April 9, 1902, as a tennis and table tennis society before adding football to its activities in 1903. The purple and white colours still define the squad, now nicknamed the 'TeBe'.

Their history is not defined by long periods in the top flight. They played in the Bundesliga during two spells: 1974–75 and 1976–77. Between those seasons they won the 2. Bundesliga Nord title in 1976, but they could not hold themselves in the first division. Since then, the club has relied on regional success, particularly in the Berliner Landespokal, where they have won 15 times between 1931 and 2008. They also claimed the German Amateur Football Championship in 1998.

The academy has produced players who reached the elite level, including Jerome Boateng and Ashkan Dejagah. Ditmar Jakobs also played for the club during their Bundesliga era. Sepp Herberger, who later coached Germany to World Cup victory in 1954, played for TeBe in the 1920s. These names remain part of the club’s memory, even if the current squad cannot claim such stature.

They play at the Mommsenstadion in the Westend locality. The ground has a capacity of 15,005 seats, though some sources list it as 11,500. They share the city with Hertha BSC, and the rivalry, known as the Charlottenburger Derby, dates back to 1903. The derby is played infrequently.

What TeBe lacks is a return to the first division.