Soccer Fans Unite to Honor Nazi Victims at Dachau

In a solemn gathering, soccer fans from Scotland, Ukraine, Germany, Israel, and other nations laid wreaths at the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site on Saturday. This heartfelt ceremony honored the victims of the Nazis and reinforced a commitment to the vow "never again," using football as a unifying force.

The attendees toured the camp, learning about the persecution of Jewish footballers and coaches by the Nazis. They heard harrowing accounts of how prisoners were initially forced to play soccer for propaganda, then banned from the sport, and later allowed to play under strict camp hierarchies. Children of former camp victims shared their parents' stories, and a Scottish bagpiper led a moving procession.

Located just half an hour's drive from Munich’s football stadium, where Euro 2024 began on Friday, Dachau was one of the first concentration camps established by the Nazis in early 1933. Cole Cattanach, a 21-year-old Scottish student from Falkirk, traveling through Germany to support the Scotland team, remarked, "It is a somber place. You walk in and it is an uncomfortable feeling. But I think this sort of service is important to remember what happened, to make sure we learn from mistakes… it has opened our minds to a lot of things."

Andreas Erbel, representing German football fans, highlighted the importance of the commemoration in protecting democracy. "I wanted to show that there is also a counterweight to the move to the right across Europe, that there are more people… who are open to the world," he said. He emphasized that Euro 2024 presents an opportunity for unity and togetherness in Germany.

During its 12-year operation before liberation by American soldiers in 1945, over 200,000 people were imprisoned at Dachau, including Kurt Landauer, the Jewish president of Bayern Munich soccer club. At least 41,500 died in the camp and its satellite sites.

Saturday’s event was part of Germany’s nationwide "Football and Remembrance" program for Euro 2024, which examines how the Nazis exploited athletes and soccer for their own purposes, offering tours at historical sites near host cities. Historical photos from 1933 depict prisoners playing football at Dachau, likely staged to deceive the outside world into believing inmates were treated well. Football was banned at the camp until 1943, when it was reintroduced as a privilege for the fittest prisoners used in munitions manufacturing. Jewish prisoners, deemed the lowest in the Nazi’s racist hierarchy, were excluded.

Maximilian Luetgens, a historian at Dachau leading the tours, described the harsh reality of these games. "What we know from survivor accounts is that you could always notice the smell of burning bodies in the air, you saw the perimeter fence, and the emaciated prisoners. These were football games under extreme conditions," he explained. Among the camp's artifacts is a wooden football trophy, carved by a prisoner in 1944, awarded to political prisoners from Luxembourg.

Visitors can also view a poster designed by inmates, depicting two players framed by barbed wire and the triangle badges worn by prisoners from Poland, the Czech Republic, and Luxembourg. Luetgens stressed the significance of this historical work in combating rising racism in European football, including racist, antisemitic, and homophobic chants.

Bernd Neuendorf, President of Germany’s Football Association, underscored the dual purpose of Euro 2024. "People from all continents will come to us to peacefully celebrate and support their teams… Nevertheless, we also want to use this tournament to remember the dark sides of German history and reflect for a moment," he wrote in an introduction to the "Football and Remembrance" program.

As we celebrate the spirit of football and international camaraderie, let us also remember and honor those who suffered and perished, ensuring such atrocities never happen again. Share this story and subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed and connected.