English and German fans crowd outside the turnstiles
White Hart Lane, 1935
History Today
Despite the War To End All Wars/WW1 and despite tension rising between the countries, Britain maintained strong links with Germany; visits between sports clubs and societies were common. German-English football has been important since the 2 nations played their first full international in Berlin in 1930. I don’t remember the 1935 game so I have repeated Olive Price’s journal article closely.
In Dec 1935 England played Germany at White Hart Lane Stadium in North London, home of Tottenham Hotspur FC, winning 3-0. The fixture was contentious because by late 1935 the Nazi Party had been in power for nearly 3 years; Germany was considered in some British governmental ministries as a potential enemy. And weeks before the German team travelled to London, the German Reichstag passed the ugly Nuremberg Laws
The British Anti-Nazi Council and Trade Union Congress-TUC lobbied the Football Association-FA and the government to cancel the game. Concerns were heightened because it had the potential to be used as a political demonstration by the Nazi government. Unease grew after it was said that thousands of German fans would follow their team to UK. These fans were planning a march through Jewish residential areas in London eg Stamford Hill before the match, wearing Nazi badges. The British government avoided involvement, arguing that it was a private affair organised by private officials. It would not intervene unless the match led to a breach of the peace.
The British Anti-Nazi Council and Trade Union Congress-TUC lobbied the Football Association-FA and the government to cancel the game. Concerns were heightened because it had the potential to be used as a political demonstration by the Nazi government. Unease grew after it was said that thousands of German fans would follow their team to UK. These fans were planning a march through Jewish residential areas in London eg Stamford Hill before the match, wearing Nazi badges. The British government avoided involvement, arguing that it was a private affair organised by private officials. It would not intervene unless the match led to a breach of the peace.
German footballers sing their national anthem and give Nazi salute,
White Hart Lane London 1935,
Mirror
In the build-up to the match, England’s Jewish Chronicle regretted that a game would be played against a dangerous country. But the paper was largely alone in its alarm; much of the popular press welcomed the fixture and criticised those who wanted it cancelled. The Evening News stated if German football enthusiasts want to cheer on the German team by waving Swastikas, let them wave. Daily Mail warmly welcomed the German team and criticised the TUC!
In Dec 1935 the German team flew in. German officials explained to waiting journalists that they were not interested in the politics of the game. German coach Otto Nerz informed reporters that they had no association with the German government; they came for the game alone.
Thousands of German fans did follow the team to London, avoiding trouble. Before the game, some of them laid a wreath at the Cenotaph to honour Britain’s WW1 dead and others were given guided bus tours of London. Some of the guides were German-Jewish refugees who’d moved to UK.
Before kick-off there were small protests near White Hart Lane, but neither the rumoured Fascist marches nor large anti-Nazi demonstrations materialised. The only incident came when a spectator climbed onto the West Stand roof and cut down the rope holding a swastika flag. He was arrested and the flag was quickly re-raised.
Both national anthems were played before the game and the German fans gave the Nazi salute for each. German fans waved hundreds of small swastika flags at exciting moments, but the actual game-time gave them very little optimism; England comfortably won. The German players were amateurs, with a butcher, cobbler and some clerks; and German team officials had admitted to the British press that they were certain to lose. Yet the game was played in a good spirit, with the Daily Mirror even remarking: Doesn’t sport reconcile, doesn’t it bring nations together; can’t we kill war with perpetual football?
Post-match, the FA invited their German counterparts to dinner at London’s Victoria Hotel. F.A president Sir George Clegg apologised to the German party for pre-match protests and criticised the TUC for interfering. Toasts were offered around the room, including to Adolf Hitler.
In Dec 1935 the German team flew in. German officials explained to waiting journalists that they were not interested in the politics of the game. German coach Otto Nerz informed reporters that they had no association with the German government; they came for the game alone.
Thousands of German fans did follow the team to London, avoiding trouble. Before the game, some of them laid a wreath at the Cenotaph to honour Britain’s WW1 dead and others were given guided bus tours of London. Some of the guides were German-Jewish refugees who’d moved to UK.
Before kick-off there were small protests near White Hart Lane, but neither the rumoured Fascist marches nor large anti-Nazi demonstrations materialised. The only incident came when a spectator climbed onto the West Stand roof and cut down the rope holding a swastika flag. He was arrested and the flag was quickly re-raised.
Both national anthems were played before the game and the German fans gave the Nazi salute for each. German fans waved hundreds of small swastika flags at exciting moments, but the actual game-time gave them very little optimism; England comfortably won. The German players were amateurs, with a butcher, cobbler and some clerks; and German team officials had admitted to the British press that they were certain to lose. Yet the game was played in a good spirit, with the Daily Mirror even remarking: Doesn’t sport reconcile, doesn’t it bring nations together; can’t we kill war with perpetual football?
Post-match, the FA invited their German counterparts to dinner at London’s Victoria Hotel. F.A president Sir George Clegg apologised to the German party for pre-match protests and criticised the TUC for interfering. Toasts were offered around the room, including to Adolf Hitler.
excited German football fans give Nazi salute,
White Hart Lane London 1935,
History Today
The visit may have been used for propaganda purposes by the Nazis. But the swastika probably did not have the same shock value then, and in any case Britain had its own far-right party, The British Union of Fascists/BUF under Fascist Oswald Mosley, claimed 50,000 members. The BUF never used the swastika; as an ultra nationalist movement, it used the union jack instead. The British Establishment was ready to give Hitler the benefit of the doubt, as seen in appeasement speeches.
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Now let me, Helen, note that in Sept 1935, Germany’s Nuremberg race laws prohibited sexual relations between Jews and persons of German/related blood. The first camps were already built, although with no gas chambers yet; the first political and religious protesters were already removed from their families; and minorities groups were already persecuted. Did the British Government and the F.A not know? Or did they not care?
The match had been arranged without the British Government's involvement. As for threats to London’s large Jewish community, Tottenham's Weekly Herald wrote the extent of the Spurs Jewish fans was often overstated. Yet the Herald admitted that horrified letters had been sent to Spurs from individual Jews and Jewish organisations. A boycott was suggested and protests threatened. Spurs simply forwarded the letters to the FA, reminding them that it was their responsibility to keep order. Intensive police precautions WERE taken to prevent disorder in and out of the stadium, but the 1000 police found nothing. In fact Jewish protests in the Weekly Herald won little sympathy from the general British public who resented introducing politics into sport.
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Now let me, Helen, note that in Sept 1935, Germany’s Nuremberg race laws prohibited sexual relations between Jews and persons of German/related blood. The first camps were already built, although with no gas chambers yet; the first political and religious protesters were already removed from their families; and minorities groups were already persecuted. Did the British Government and the F.A not know? Or did they not care?
The match had been arranged without the British Government's involvement. As for threats to London’s large Jewish community, Tottenham's Weekly Herald wrote the extent of the Spurs Jewish fans was often overstated. Yet the Herald admitted that horrified letters had been sent to Spurs from individual Jews and Jewish organisations. A boycott was suggested and protests threatened. Spurs simply forwarded the letters to the FA, reminding them that it was their responsibility to keep order. Intensive police precautions WERE taken to prevent disorder in and out of the stadium, but the 1000 police found nothing. In fact Jewish protests in the Weekly Herald won little sympathy from the general British public who resented introducing politics into sport.
But it wasn’t only English supporters in the stadium: c20,000 German supporters accompanied the team! Note the invasion by thousands of German supporters excited the most media interest, not the football. Heaps of cross-Channel steamers advertised intensely for German fans, followed by London-bound trains and buses.
While the two teams and officials enjoyed a post-match feast, thousands of German visitors were hurried back on to trains for the return journey. By late that night they’d vanished from London, sent on their way by a flood of protests at Victoria Station. Yet British fans who were arrested were all working class and mostly socialist demonstrators. Many had all served recent prison sentences for anti-Nazi protests eg pinning offensive and insulting literature at Victoria Station! Shame Britain shame!