Bamberg honors referee legends: 60 years in the service of the game!

Bamberg honors referee legends: 60 years in the service of the game!

On December 6, 2025, the market barn in Hallstadt was festively decorated as the Bamberg referees celebrated their traditional Christmas party. The event not only featured delicious food and music, but was also a place of recognition for exceptional refereeing achievements. Chairman Andreas Oppelt and President Dr. Christoph Kern emphasized the importance of camaraderie and cohesion in the referee group and thanked not only the referees themselves, but also their partners for their invaluable support.

A highlight of the evening was the honoring of Siegfried Brehm. Dr. Christoph Kern gave a eulogy for his former Latin teacher, who has been a member of the referee group for 60 years. Brehm completed his refereeing course in 1965 and made a career in the Bayernliga and the Bundesliga, where he refereed 69 games from 1981 onwards. His involvement in refereeing for the Bavarian Football Association has inspired many young referees. His achievements were recognized, as were those of Georg Heller and Andreas Eichelsdörfer, who were also honored for 60 years of refereeing, with Heller being honored by Markus Pflaum. Eichelsdörfer was unable to take part due to illness.

Honors and awards

The Christmas party was also the setting for further honors. Theo Voll and Johann Rottmann were awarded the Association Medal of Honor in gold for 50 years of service, while Sebastian Seehofer received the equivalent in silver for 40 years. In addition, Ralf Riemke, Axel Lüdtke and Laurentius Zenk honored with the association's Gold Medal of Honor for 30 years. Jürgen Waßmann, Ralf Amschler and Uwe Meißl were delighted to receive the Silver Medal of Honor for 20 years. It is precisely this long-standing loyalty and voluntary commitment that is the foundation on which the sports clubs operate, as the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) emphasizes that non-profit sport would hardly be possible without voluntary services. Over 8 million members are regularly involved in club life, which underlines the central role of voluntary work.

Particularly noteworthy was the award given to Luis Lindner, who was honored as “Young Referee of the Year”. At the age of 15, he took the exam in 2021 and has since worked his way up to the district league. This shows that promoting young talent is an essential part of referee work in Bamberg. The words of those responsible made it clear that such successes would not be possible without support and good training.

The Bamberg referees' Christmas party was not only an opportunity to celebrate, but was also a sign of appreciation for voluntary work, which is more in demand than ever these days. “There’s something going on,” summed up Dr. Kern, who came to refereeing during his career and through former teachers - a tradition that now also inspires younger generations.

Overall, it became clear in Hallstadt that refereeing in Bamberg not only has a tradition, but also offers a clear look into the future, in which the concerns of volunteerism will continue to be the focus. These numerous honors and the celebratory atmosphere make it clear how important cohesion is in the community of referees and how much their work is valued.

Further details about the event can be found at Anpfiff.info and BFV.de, while the DOSB emphasizes the importance of the Voluntary work in sport is highlighted at dosb.de.