Hennes: The Mascot of 1. FC Köln

Hennes' mother came from Neustadt an der Orla in Thüringen. There, employees of the Williams Circus, which came from Cologne, picked up the frightened goat on the roadside while fleeing in the last days of the Second World War. In 1949 she gave birth to a goat. Just one year later, on 13th February 1950, the circus and its owners, Carola and Harry Williams, gave the animal to FC as a mascot at the second Karnevalsitzung in Williamsbau. On the same evening, the goat was christened Hennes in honour of the player-coach at the time, Hennes Weisweiler.

The legend that the frightened goat peed on Hennes Weisweiler on stage is not true, according to all contemporary witnesses. The new mascot found a home with Wilhelm Siepen, an old FC member, who accommodated the goat on his property on Marsiliusstraße. From 1950 to 1959, Hennes I lived with Siepen before he had to give up his honorary post due to old age.

From 1959 to 1966, the club mascot found optimal living conditions with farmer Peter Filz on Belvederestraße in Müngersdorf. Filz also acted as caretaker during this period. Until the early 1960s, Hennes was present at all home matches but almost all away games. At first, he was transported in the team bus, and later in a specially built special car that was attached to the bus.

Animal welfare aspects, logistical reasons and DFB regulations ensured that Hennes was later only used at home fixtures, apart from at friendly matches in the region. Hennes I died of old age on 4 November 1966.

Hennes II also came from Circus Williams. Alongside Hennes began Günter Neumann, as the new man in charge of the famed goat. He chauffeured his protégé to the home games in a trailer tied to his moped. Hennes II died in August 1970 as a result of a sheep dog bite. The legend that he was poisoned by Gladbach fans is not true. Incidentally, Hennes II was the only official Hennes who also lived at Geißbockheim in a small enclosure during his tenure.

Hennes III went down in FC history as the first goat not to win a title during his tenure. Hennes III, whom local newspaper "Express" had sought and found, also marked the beginning of "Bauer" Wilhelm Schäfer's time looking after Hennes. In the Widdersdorf stable of the farmer stood billy goat "Lieschen", he was renamed "Hennes III". He died in the summer of 1975.

Hennes IV experienced the greatest success in the club's history with the double in 1978. The Höhner composed the song "Unsre Bock eß Meister" in his honour. He died on 13th November 1982 as a result of heart disease. On the same day, FC won 1-0 against Bayern thanks to a Pierre Littbarski goal.

Hennes V., like his immediate predecessor, was on the job for almost seven years. He is the last goat, to this day, who won a major title with FC. Hennes V. died in July 1989.

Hennes VI was inaugurated for the 1989-90 season. The goat had to watch the sporting downward trend during the 1990s from the sidelines. He died on 13th March 1996, having missed the drama of the relegation battle and survival on the final matchday in Rostock.

Hennes VII experienced four promotions and relegations during his tenure. And he had to cope with the death of long-time carer Wilhelm Schäfer, who died on 11th June 2006. Hennes VII was "suspended" for the home games against Wolfsburg and Unterhaching in the 2000-01 season because of the foot-and-mouth disease that was rampant at the time, and was replaced by a lifeless cardboard dummy.

He also went down in history as a television star, appearing in the "Harald Schmidt Show", on "TV Total" and in the crime series "SK Kölsch", and in 2003/04 he filmed three commercials for FC tickets. Due to arthritis in his capillary joints, Hennes VII became the first Bock to retire during his lifetime. Due to illness, he was no longer able to come to the stadium for the home games against Hoffenheim and Mainz in 2008, the year FC secured promotion. He spent his well deserved retirement in his home with Hildegard Schäfer, the widow of Wilhelm. In spring 2009, however, Hennes VII's health deteriorated to such an extent that he had to be euthanised on 13th March 2009.

Hennes VIII., originally called Berti and later known as "the goat with no name", was born to the Landwehr family in Bergisch-Gladbach. He won a contest on the FC website in which he was selected by the fans with over 70% of the votes, defeating his competitors Jimmy, Elvis, and Rocky. He made his first public appearance at the start of the season on 24th August 2008.

Hennes lived, just like the five goats before him, at with the Schäfers until 2014. On 17th August 2014, he made the move from Widdersdorf to the "kleine Geißbockheim" in Köln Zoo.

In his time as mascot, Hennes VIII experienced a similarly turbulent time to his predecessor. He had to endure relegation in 2012 and 2018 but saw the club promoted again in 2014 and 2019. The high point was a return to Europe for Hennes after 25 years away, with qualification to the UEFA Europa League in 2017.

In the summer of 2019 it was clear to all that Hennes would go into retirement due to health reasons. However, the move to the Köln Zoo in 2014 meant that fans could still go and see the beloved goat, even though he was no longer present at home games. He enjoyed a popularity never before seen by an FC mascot.