Schwoazweiß: A Sturm Graz & Styrian Football Glossary

Styria has its own way of talking football — and Sturm Graz has its own fan language. Here's a little glossary of "Schwoazweiß" (black-and-white) explained in our voice; sources below.

Schwoazweiß: the colours and the club

• Schwoazweiß / die Schwoazn — Styrian for "black-and-white", Sturm Graz's colours. "Die Schwoazn" means both the team and the fans.
• The Blackies — the English nickname for Sturm (players and supporters alike), dating back to the interwar years.
• "Gemma, Schwoaze!" — the rallying cry: "Let's go, black-and-whites!"

The Gruabn and the kurve

• The Gruabn — Sturm's legendary old home ground on the Jakominigürtel: a tight pitch with fans right on top of the action, a feared venue with nationwide fame, and a myth of the club's history to this day.
• The Nordkurve — the home and ultras' end of the Schwoazn.
• Jewels Sturm · Brigata Graz · Grazer Sturmflut — long-standing organised fan groups (two founded in 1994, the Sturmflut in 1996).

The derby

• The Graz derby — Sturm against city rivals GAK: the one game a year that decides everything in Graz.

Styrian on the pitch (dialect)

A few Styrian expressions you'll hear at the ground — per Styrian dialect dictionaries, in our own words.

• bärig — great, brilliant. "Des Tor wor bärig!" (that goal was brilliant).
• zach — tough, a slog. "A zaches Spiel" drags on.
• schiach — ugly. "A schiaches Foul."
• s'Bummerl — the defeat (from a card game). "S'Bummerl ghabt" = lost.
• da Hawara / Hawi — mate, buddy.
• da Gschropn — a kid; on the pitch, the very young player.

Speak Schwoazweiß and you cheer differently. And in your prediction round you're not tipping just anywhere — you're tipping for "your" Schwoazn.

Predict in the Sturm Graz round — black-and-white to the end.

What does "Schwoazweiß" mean?

It's Styrian dialect for "black-and-white" — Sturm Graz's club colours. "Die Schwoazn" refers to both the team and the fans.

Why is Sturm Graz called "the Blackies"?

"Blackies" is the English nickname for Sturm, after the black-and-white colours, used in the fan scene since the interwar years.

What was the Gruabn?

The Gruabn on the Jakominigürtel was Sturm's legendary old home: a tight, atmospheric ground with fans extremely close to the pitch — a myth of the club's history to this day.

What is the Graz derby?

The city duel between Sturm Graz and GAK — the most emotional game of the year for Graz football.

Sources: SK Sturm Graz (sksturm.at) · Wikipedia: SK Sturm Graz · Styrian dialect dictionaries (incl. schriebl.co.at) · abseits.at.

Explore more: The big football dictionary · Viennese football slang · World Cup today: fixtures & AI picks · AI League: 10 AIs predict the World Cup

Which Schwoazweiß word are we missing? Challenge accepted?!

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