History Archives ⋆ An Old International

DFB 125

The German Football Association looks back at 125 years of existence. It is a rich history with many highs and lows, triumphs and tragedies. Many observers would rather the past quarter of a century to be deleted. Anniversaries like the 125th of the DFB are often overseen or overshadowed by more important dates. In this…

Sign of our time

The current societal climate is dire, racists are becoming ever more confident that they have nothing to fear from the majority because this majority is simply too quiet; it has been too quiet for too long.

Jean-Marie le Pen has been a figurehead of the right in France for a long time. His passing in January led to celebrations in some quarters. However, some hooligan groups of Paris Saint-Germain and Reims FC went as far as to honour le Pen.

The second term of the 47th president of the United States has begun and as if to indicate in which direction politics are heading, the head of a tech giant has raised his right arm in a salute to a crowd that not only resembled the salute of the national socialists in Germany but was easily identified as such by observers.

In an attempt of hurried obedience, the sports apparels manufacturer Nike have issued the new shirt for the Madrid team Atlético. The design leaves little room for speculation.

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It is 2025, 80 years after the end of the Second World War and we appear to have not learnt a single lesson from history. The eye witnesses are getting fewer and soon we have to rely on secondary sources for memorial work in schools and elsewhere.

a little positivity

The year is almost over and it was a difficult one to get through, particularly since the events in Magdeburg last Friday. However, sometimes it is the little things that provide you with hope and a sense that not all is lost or negative.

This gesture by Alex Iwobi is one of those moments that demonstrate that professional football players are capable of giving something back to the community. Footballers have the reputation of being disconnected from their fan base and their communities. This example proves that we should not judge all players by the same token.

Thanks to Jerome Pugmire for the inspiration.

x-mas? go away!

Christmas is a difficult time in general as its imposed happiness feels false and hollow. This year, however, it feels even worse. The attack on the Christmas Market in Magdeburg, back home!, has made it impossible to enjoy this time of year. Thoughts are with the victims and their families and those who are injured.…

Excuses and Accusations: England vs Germany 1954

“Sport and time can be great healers”, is how Geoffrey Green – somewhat naively – closed his pre-match report in The Times ahead of the first encounter between England and Germany in December 1954. The question that many asked themselves was whether or not the English would show their emotions at a football match. Memories…

No Backbone

Standards I’d kept, in the back of my mind Are now just rules to break from time to time As the singer of The Lemonheads, Evan Dando possesses the magic of turning scenes taken from our daily lives into little pop gems. This applies to the song “No Backbone,” quoted above. We have all been…

A Foreigner as England Manager? Never!

The news that Thomas Tuchel will be the England manager come January 1, 2025, has caused a wave of comments that are bordering on the ludicrous, while others at least take into consideration the state of international football. This is a first and brief thought about the fact that a German will be in charge…

Berne, July 4, 1954 – Notes on a perceived Miracle

‘Rahn should shoot from the background. Rahn shoots! Goal! Goal! Goal!’ These words spoken by radio commentator Herbert Zimmermann in the heat of the moment when Helmut Rahn had scored Germany’s third goal during the World Cup final 1954 in Berne are familiar to many Germans and have become cultural icons like Kenneth Wolstenholme’s words…

Ideas on Player Ratings

Experience as a teacher includes marking students work and essays. However, not all these works deserve the same weight in the final bulletin. Here are some ideas how to weigh players performances differently. As a teacher it is my task to teach and educate children of different ages in different subject matters: sport and social…

Franz Beckenbauer 1945 – 2024

The story of German could have come quite differently, had not one incident decided the fate of the two Munich clubs, 1860 and Bayern, respectively. As a youngster, Franz Beckenbauer played for a small Munich club in his neighbourhood, Giesing. It was his intention to move to TSV 1860 Munich at some point in his…