Resignations in the Supervisory Board: Eintracht Braunschweig Facing Personnel Restart

At Eintracht Braunschweig, there is a significant change in the oversight of the professional department: Jens-Uwe Freitag, Hildegard Eckardt, and Hartmut Rickel are resigning their mandates on the Supervisory Board of Eintracht Braunschweig GmbH & Co. KGaA effective June 12, 2026. In addition to his role in Braunschweig, Rickel is also the managing director of the ice hockey club Grizzlys Wolfsburg.

This step follows weeks of noticeably tense atmosphere around the club. Parts of the supervisory body have recently faced massive criticism from the fan scene—also because the sporting development since the promotion in 2022 has been marked by relegation pressure. After the season finale at FC Schalke 04, a banner was also displayed in the Eintracht section demanding personnel consequences in the Supervisory Board.

The three departing Supervisory Board members justified their withdrawal with the aim of enabling a personnel new beginning. In their statement, they emphasized that the decision was not easy for them; they had carried out their duties "over many years" with great commitment and loyalty. From their perspective, a fresh start offers the chance for new impulses and should best support the further development of the corporation.

At the same time, Freitag, Eckardt, and Rickel pointed to progress they see under difficult circumstances. Eintracht Braunschweig has been playing "under challenging sporting and economic conditions" in the "second division for the fifth consecutive year." The professional company currently has "a stable economic foundation, a clear strategic direction, and viable goals"—something to "look back on with pride."

Club Emphasizes Ability to Make Decisions – Successor Confirmed

For the club, the central question now is less whether the body can continue to work, but rather how quickly it can present a united front again. In a KGaA structure, the Supervisory Board is a crucial control and direction body: It oversees management, accompanies strategic decisions, and should—especially in sporting crisis phases—radiate stability. When parts of this body come under public pressure, it quickly becomes a trust and communication problem that goes beyond individual personnel issues.

The executive committee therefore made it clear that the Supervisory Board remains able to act and make decisions despite the resignations. Uwe Fritsch will succeed Hartmut Rickel as a substitute candidate; Fritsch was elected accordingly by the general assembly in November 2022.

Until the regular new elections as part of the general assembly in November 2026, the Supervisory Board should consist of seven members:

• Nicole Kumpis
• Rainer Cech
• Sebastian Götze
• Torsten Sümnich
• Rüdiger Warnke
• Dr. Ullrich Wegner
• Uwe Fritsch

New Chairperson to Be Determined Soon

The main issue now is the reorganization at the top. At the next meeting, the Supervisory Board intends to elect a new chairperson from among its members. The club is trying to frame the break as an orderly transition—also to avoid a leadership gap and new unrest before the coming season.

Nevertheless, the resignations are a clear signal: Eintracht Braunschweig is facing a new start not only in sporting terms, but also in its committee work. The decisive factor will be whether the remaining Supervisory Board can establish internal unity and regain external trust—without the debate reigniting over personnel issues.