Tor!!

There is nothing like a German Fußball game.

A week ago today (Okt. 6. 2010) I found myself encircled by Frankfurters at the Commerzbank-Arena in Frankfurt, Deutschland. To my left sat Tom and Mia, burrowed into their warm jackets, just as I was into mine, from the cool wind sweeping in over the sides of the benches. To my right sat the most devoted Frankfurt fans; there to cheer on their home team. Astrid had warned me that when Germans gather to watch Fußball, it is to truely watch Fußball. I was actually seated in the quiter area. The die-hard fans, I think, never sat down for the entire duration of the game. Singing, cheering, jumping, hailing, and hissing when the other team had the ball; the entire stadium was there for Frankfurt.

The game was against a little city from out of nowhere-Germany called Wolfsburg. Frankfurt has an excellent team, so there was little hope for their opponents, but they put up a good fight and had a few devoted fans there to support them. I mean literally a few though; perhaps 60 people against the thousands of Frankfurt devotees. The Wolfsburg fans were actually few enough to require a small army of security to surround them. My reasoning is that the security were there to protect them from the crazy Frankfurters; indeed upon entering the stadium grounds we were all pated down and our bags checked for anything that we might throw. Very amusing and a little concerning for a Canadian new to the experience. I could hardly believe the extensive protective measures taken.

The day was rainy, so the dome was covered over (little help to me, though, for I was already soaked from walking from the parking lot 2km away). Cozy inside, the first thing to do is get a beer and a pretzel or wurst. They trust us not to throw that at the ref (who would waste beer?). Then find yourself a good view and settle in. The players came on while fans sang a traditional game song:

Ohhhhhh, wie ist das schön!
Ohhhhhh, wie ist das schön!
Sowas hat man lange nicht gesehn, so schön, SO SCHÖN!
Zwo, Drei, Vier, Ohhhhhh, wie ist das schön!
Ohhhhhh, wie ist das schön!
Sowas hat man lange nicht gesehn, so schön, SO SCHÖN!

So ein Tag, so wunderschön wie heute!
So ein Tag, der dürfte nie vergehn!
So ein Tag, auf den ich mich so freute.
So ein Tag, der dürfte nie vergehn!

Ohhhhhh, wie ist das schön!
Ohhhhhh, wie ist das schön!
Sowas hat man lange nicht gesehn, so schön, SO SCHÖN! (JaJaJa!)
Ohhhhhh, wie ist das schön! (schön!)
Ohhhhhh, wie ist das schön! (so schön!)
Sowas hat man lange nicht gesehn, so schön, SO SCHÖN!

DANKE!
BITTE!
...

The game started slow, the ball passing from side-to-side with little threat. Then Frankfurt stepped it up. Wolfsburg scrammbled to gain control of the ball but Gekas (24), the team star made contact and got results. The first score (Tor!) came in at 24 minutes. Pumped up, the Eintracht Frankfurt pulled in their second goal at 38 minutes by player 27, Schwegler. Each Tor led to a frenzy in the crowd. The Frankfurter fans showed their approval. Minute 46 signaled half-time.

About 15 minutes later the next half began. Frankfurt took the field to loud cheers, while Wolfsburg snuck on during loud jeering. I do think that the responses of the fans have a major effect on the players, and the Wolfsburg fan cheers were continually overpowered by piercing whistling. Minute 54, Gekas (24) pulled in another Tor, no problem. It was not looking good for Wolfsburg, but then for a minute it turned around. A minute is all you need, and minute 66 saw a Tor finally coming in from Wolfsburg. The hissing and pierce whistles coming in after that one were more than a person can handle. The Germans are definitely intense about their game.

Wolfsburg had shown that they could score after all and so the pace continued to pick up after that. The lead was not as far ahead as before. No more scores were seen, but not for a lack of trying and a few close calls. The fans got louder, the players more aggressive. After one Wolfsburg player sent a Frankfurt player into a summer-sault, there was a close fight. The Frankfurter got up close into the other's face and threw a false punch. The Wolfsburg player actually fell to a huddled position, feigning as though he had been hit. From all around the stadium I could here "Schauchspieler" (which means "actor") as angered fans jumped to their feet. No penalty was given, since there had actually been no contact. Komisch.

Towards the end two Frankfurt players were traded out with new ones. One because of an injury, the other for I have no idea why, since there were only 2 minutes left. But it ended soon enough with a 3-1 win for Frankfurt. We hailed the players as they hailed the fans, and Mia, Tom, and I filed out of the stadium with all of the other fans - like ants from an anthill - and walked the 2 km back to the car. It had at least stopped raining.

Following the game Tom took us to see where he, Astrid, and a baby Mia had once  lived in Frankfurt. Having a house in the city costs millions, so what we actually saw were some very nice apartments. We then went to a VERY traditional German restaurant, one that had been in the family for generations. I tried for the first time Blutwurst, and had a main dish of  Ribbchen and sauerkraut. Pretty darn German of me.

The lessons from the day: (1) it costs millions to live in a house in the city but even in the city the old history still peeks through, (2) Fußball fans are intense (I dare say more so than hockey fans in Canada), and (3) if you are ever feeling lonely or out of place in Germany, then attend a Fußball game. You will instantly feel like part of the country (provided that you are there for the most popular team) - indeed I had to laugh at myself for how into the game I got myself, having never known the teams before that game.

-Candles