If you thought walking up Seven Sisters for Tottenham away was dangerous – it is nothing compared to the ‘Holy War’ derby in Poland where bloodthirsty hooligans mutilate or even kill rival fans.
And while you may think Krakow is the ideal location for a weekend away with your partner or a fun boozy stag do – in football terms it is known as the ‘City of Knives’.
This is because of the intensity between Wisla Krakow and MKS Cracovia where opposing supporters have carried out depraved acts of violence – often using blades.
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Wisla play in the second division of Polish football but are called “dogs” by rivals because they were formerly owned by communist police. MKS Cracovia meanwhile play in the top division and have Jewish roots, which leads to anti-Semitic chants by far-right thugs.
Their stadiums, with capacities of just 6,000 and 20,000, are only 500 metres apart, meaning opposing ultras live on housing estates just minutes away from their neighbouring enemies.
Firms in Poland signed a “Poznan Agreement” in 2004, which was a document stating that weapons will not be used during clashes. However, Wisla and Cracovia firms were the only ones who refused to comply.
The machete-wielding Polish hooligans are among the most feared in the world and followers of both teams could be out in force looking for trouble in Germany at Euro 2024.
Below we look at some of the most shocking incidents that have plagued the ‘Holy War’ derby in the past 30 years.
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And for context on just how deep the hatred runs, Professor Radoslaw Kossakowski told the Sun: “Krakow is definitely the most dangerous city in Poland for football fans. If you are a normal supporter you shouldn’t – and this is really important for your safety – show your club colours, your scarf or t-shirt.
“That could be really dangerous if you go to the wrong place in the city. Krakow has become an island of barbarians and gangster-style hooligans. People are killed and murdered.”
Chopping off hands
Dominik Luty was 22-years-old when he and his Wisla pals went out on the streets armed with axes, clubs, knives and machetes to hunt for Cracovia supporters in 2015.
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The thug ended up chopping off a man’s hand with a machete simply because he was wearing a Cracovia hat. One passer-by, Jakub Nowak, remembered: “I came round the corner and saw this man covered in blood. He was unconscious and had wounds to his legs and his hand was lying a few centimetres away.”
Afterwards, a police statement read: “This was a vicious attack on an innocent man whose only crime was that he supported a different team. He has lost a well-paid job as a result and will find it difficult to recover emotionally from his ordeal.”
Murder
If you thought that was the peak of trouble between the hooligans, you would be wrong, because back in 2006 the clubs had a 100 year anniversary match. Wisla ended up as 3-0 winners but in the lead up to the derby, eight people were killed.
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Trouble also broke out in the terraces but on the day there were almost 1,000 police officers deployed along with water cannons, choppers and dogs to try and maintain the peace.
Five years later, members of Wisla’s ultra were found guilty of murdering a rival member of a Cracovia firm called ‘The Jude Gang’.
Organised Crime
The leader of Wisla firm ‘The Sharks’ was called Pawel Michalsk – aka ‘Teddy Bear’ – who in 1998 threw a knife at the head of Italian footballer Dino Baggio.
This was during a UEFA Cup match between Wisla and Parma. Baggio required stitches for the wound – before the Polish club was suspended from Europe for a year.
However, Michalsk and his firm somehow managed to get on the board of Wisla in 2016, using the club for its criminal activities like money laundering.
The club’s gym was also reportedly used to train MMA fighting hooligans who refused to drink alcohol so they would be sharp for fights. But in 2019 a new board was installed, after millions of pounds of debt was racked up.
A spokesperson for the club said it had undergone “substantial changes” since 2019. A statement added: “Our stadium has become a welcoming venue for families, individuals with disabilities, and the youth, many of whom aspire to be future Wisła Kraków players.
“Wisła Kraków stands as a paragon of fair play and healthy support, categorically distancing itself from any conduct that diverges from its ethical guidelines. Legal actions are currently in progress against individuals whose past action placed the club in a dire predicament.”