Sadly, one of Germany’s finest teams represents the scourge of Europe and instigates painful memories of the darkest period in modern human history. It’s a fascinating team, but for all the wrong reasons. Football throughout the 1930’s was constantly played under the looming threat of global war, with Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Party rising to power and becoming the most brutal totalarian regime ever witnessed. The sinister manipulations of Nazi bureaucracy infiltrated all aspects of life in areas under their control. Even leisure pursuits such as football were not immune. Officials associated with the German national team at the time were forced to become members of the Nazi Party, and with that, the Party’s abhorrent ideas concerning racial purity penetrated German football at all levels. Before long, the national team became a public relations tool for the regime.

 

Germany entered the 1934 World Cup under great expectation to perform. Things looked up when they beat Belgium 5-1 and Sweden 2-1, but they were eliminated by a great Czech team in the semi-final. Prior to the rise of the Nazis, Berlin won the rights to host the 1936 Summer Olympics, providing the Nazis with a perfect opportunity to promote their government and ideals on a global stage. They knew the power that football would have in building a fit, regimented nation and  reinstated the sport into the Olympics after it had been ditched from the previous games in Los Angeles. Things began well for Germany, with a 9-0 annihilation of Luxemburg. Much was expected of the team; Hitler wanted them to show the power of the Aryan nation to the world, but that didn’t quite come to fruition. Or perhaps it did, depending on how one looks at it. In front of a crowd that included figures like Goebells, Gorig, Hess and The Fuhrer himself, Germany went down 2-0 to Norway. Hitler, who was no fan of football and  had never before watched a match, left early in a huff.

 

In 1937, however, Germany enjoyed a famous win when they defeated Denmark 8-0. The core players on the team where assembled in the previous World Cup, and they went on to win every match they played that year. This team came to be known as the Breslau Elf, and they were talented enough to win the World Cup. An infamous moment occurred in May, 1938. England came to Berlin to play Germany in front of 110,000 people  and were ordered by the British Foreign Office to line up before kick off and perform the Nazi salute in respect of their hosts, an order which the English players reluctantly obeyed.

 

That year, Austria was annexed by Germany, and was dissolved as a country, including its national team which at the time was one of the world’s best. A number of Austrias top players were forced to now represent Germany, among them Franz Wagner, Hans Mock, Hans Pesser, Stefan Skoumal, Willibald Schmaus, Karl Sesta and many more. The German team was now composed of members of the brilliant Breslau Elf, plus the best players Austria, a football superpower, had to offer. This ‘United Germany” team headed into the 1938 World Cup with renewed expectations. A German victory in the worlds favourite sport would have been great propaganda value, and with several of the world’s top players, there was no way they could lose. Right? Wrong. An unfancied Swiss team forced Germany into a replay. At one point Switzerland went 2-0 down, but they mounted a comeback to knock the Germans out 4-2.

 

Manager Herberger blamed the defeatist attitude of the 5 former Wunderteam players he was forced to include, a reason supported by a German journalist who quoted that Austrians and Germans like to play against each other even when they’re on the same team. During the war years, Germany played 35 international games, though these were limited to games against neutral, axis or puppet states. By the end of the war, Germany was in ruins, many of its stadiums reduced to rubble. But football lived on, and the team representing a peaceful Germany has since evolved into one of the best international sides on earth, while this dark period in its history remains largely forgotten.

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Achievements: FIFA World Cup – 3rd place x1

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Star player: Andreas Kupfer, DOB 7 May 1914, Schweinfurt, Germany

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This German team was somewhat devoid of any true star players who were great enough to make their mark on history. The Austrian members of the team were less than enthusiastic about being made to play for Germany and frequently put in lacklustre performances, in part causing the team to be such a dissapointment. The player who made the biggest contribution to the side however, was Andreas Kupfer. Another one club man, Kupfer played his whole career at FC Schweinfurt 05. He was one of the two players from this club who featured in the so called ‘Breslau XI’ German team that defeated Denmark 8-0 and went on to win 10 of the 11 games they played year. The trio of Goldbrunner, Kupfer and Kitzinger in considered one of the best defensive lines in Germany’s history. Kupfer was an elegant player, a master of kicking the ball by just moving his ankle joint. He is the only player to participate in Germany’s last international game before the end of World War 2, and their first game after the end of the war. A gifted player, he passed away in 2001.