Confirmed! President Peter Fischer resigns

Peter Fischer is stepping down early as President of Eintracht Frankfurt at the beginning of the year. The last preliminary investigation by the public prosecutor’s office has also left its mark.

Peter Fischer developed Eintracht Frankfurt from a teetering traditional club to the Europa League champion, he positioned himself as a pioneer in the fight against racism – and he conquered countless fan hearts as a somewhat different club boss.

But after 23 years, an era is coming to an end: the President, in the middle of his eighth term in office, has had enough and will pull the ripcord at the beginning of next year. The public prosecutor’s investigations into illegal drug possession, which have since been discontinued, have left too deep a mark.

“Although I have repeatedly emphasized that I am aware that the private individual Peter Fischer no longer exists. However, the past few weeks have crossed borders”, the club boss, who is extremely popular with the supporters, justified his resignation.

After a house search, Fischer and three other suspects were accused of illegally acquiring and storing an unknown amount of cocaine at the end of 2022.

Fischer then withdrew from the public eye in the meantime, his lawyers spoke of a “character assassination campaign”. In March, the public prosecutor’s office finally dropped the investigation, and as a result the Eintracht president sat in the stands again for some games in the Bundesliga team.

Fischer: “The 23 years have demanded a lot from me”

In the power struggle of the management floor, he was the mediator and link. But Fischer, who was only re-elected in September 2022, no longer wants these moments in the public eye.

“Looking back, the 23 years have demanded a lot from me, also in terms of health,” he explained: “In addition, the last few months have shown me very clearly that I have to take better care of my family and protect them.”

For this reason, a new president is to be elected at an extraordinary general meeting at the beginning of 2024. As a successor, the outgoing club boss himself suggested the real estate agent Matthias Beck, who has been a member of the Eintracht board of directors so far.

He feels “obligated to hand over the club in such a way that the success story of the past few years can be continued and new chapters can be added. This requires fresh impetus and a generational change,” stressed Fischer, who was appointed to office in August 2000. Under him, Eintracht developed from a financially unstable traditional club to an international big player.

Wirmer: “Fischer the most successful president in history”

“Peter Fischer is the most successful President in the history of our Eintracht. His services to the club are immeasurable,” said Felix Wirmer, Chairman of the Board of Directors. At the upcoming general meeting, the 67-year-old, who is so committed to the fight against discrimination, racism and right-wing populists, should therefore also be appointed honorary president.

In any case, Fischer will stay with the club in a new position outside of the operative business. Most fans will be happy about that.