South Thuringia mourns the loss of football legends Hans Hörnlein: A big heart is lost

South Thuringia mourns the loss of football legends Hans Hörnlein: A big heart is lost

Suhl, Deutschland - On July 18, 2025, the football world in the South Thuringian area suffered a painful loss: Hans Hörnlein died. Hörnlein was a formative figure in amateur football and enjoyed a high reputation far beyond the region. Weg companions are shocked by his death, at the same time they are grateful for the many years in which he shaped the face of football. So SV Dietzhausen describes him as a peaceful and helpful person who has never been angrily observed in the past few decades Insuedthueringen.de reported.

his last public appearance at the 140th anniversary of SV Dietzhausen on June 20, 2025 was particularly touching. Silke Hofmann from the SVD presented him with a gift as a sign of appreciation. Such gestures testify to the deep solidarity and respect that the association brought him.

a life for football

Hans Hörnlein has been active as a football official for 48 years, most recently as chairman of the KFA Rhön-Rennsteig. In this role he was responsible for a football group that comprises 78 clubs and around 7,600 members. His retreat from volunteering as a examiner in the IHK Südthüringen after 43 years not only marks the end of an era, but also opens doors for new challenges, such as tfv-erfurt.de reported.

In his career, Hörnlein was not only active in the football club, but also in SCV Ikalla e.V., where he worked with passion and commitment for 35 years, of which he worked as president for 10 years. He checked over 600 trainees in the IHK, which impressively underlines his role as a mentor and person responsible.

The importance of volunteering

The diversity of its obligations and the associated commitment not only illustrate his personal commitment, but also the comprehensive role of volunteering in football. According to a study by the DFB, amateur football has an immense social and economic importance. With 1.59 million volunteers in Germany it becomes clear that these people shape not only sport, but also the community.

Hans Hörnlein was an impressive example of the positive charisma that such responsibility brings. In the current “#ehrenamtista -non -affordable” campaign, the value that such personalities have for our society is reflected. His death is a big loss, but his heir will continue to live in the hearts of those he touched.