The FC Schalke 04 fan scene mourns the death of the well-known supporter “Erich”. Olivier Kruschinski is collecting donations for his funeral on the Schalke fan field.

Schalke cult fan “Erich” is dead. He passed away on Monday morning after a long stay in hospital. Now there is a last fundraising campaign for him. Because “Erich” is to be buried on the Schalke fan field. He was 68 years old.

Erich was a unique individual among the Schalke supporters. For more than three decades he was a constant companion of the Königsblauen, although life did not always mean well with him. Every Schalke supporter had probably heard his saying, “Hey, have a mark” – or later, “a euro” – somewhere.

But many were happy to give. And somehow “Erich” always managed to be at the games of his Royal Blues. Until his health threw a spanner in the works. In recent years, the single Schalke supporter lived in a nursing home. There he was regularly visited by S04 supporter Olivier Kruschinski, who also supported him. At Christmas, he presented him with gifts – donations from Schalke supporters who wanted to do something good for Erich.

Now Kruschinski is collecting for “Erich” one last time. For he is to find his final resting place on the Schalker fan field. “I would like Erich to receive a dignified burial, to find his final resting place on the Schalke cemetery – the Schalke Fan Feld. We all owe Erich that,” Kruschinski wrote on Facebook. “I have taken all the necessary measures to make this possible, as with various Advent campaigns for Erich in previous years, I am now once again relying on your big Schalke hearts and your willingness to donate in order to be able to cover the costs incurred. Maybe you have one last ‘euro’ for Erich… or even one more. or even one more. “