Can England's new Ultras ever match they German counterparts?
Germany is right up there at the top of many groundhoppers’ favourite destinations. With its 50+1 majority fan ownership model, variety of modern and historic stadiums, its accessibility and affordability – not to mention beer – German football is rightly respected worldwide.
However, the story of German football – like the country itself – is often complex and at times extremely dark. Fortunately, there is some great writing and podcasts out there on German football.
Here are a few of my favourites…
Rather like other landmark country-focussed books, like Calcio (Italy), Morbo (Spain), and Angels With Dirty Faces (Argentina), Tor! should be everyone’s go-to book on the entire story of the Germany’s entire footballing journey.
Matchdays tells the story of the Bundesliga from its launch in 1963 right up to the 2014 World Cup triumph through the eventful life of a coach who’s been involved in the Bundesliga right from the start.
You can read my full review of Matchdays here. It’s up there as one of my favourite of all football books.
Until 1.FC Union Berlin reached the Bundesliga a few seasons ago, relatively few people outside Germany were probably aware of this brilliant little club from East Berlin.
Kit Holden has written a fantastic book chronicling the club’s history and rise to the European scene. Will it change the club’s ethos?
Listen to my interview with Kit on 1.FC Union Berlin here.
One of the most famous books about German football, well-known journalist Honigstein explores how Germany returned to being a world-beating force up to the 2014 World Cup by playing attractive football. Attractive enough to beat Brazil 7-1 on their own turf…
If you’re fascinated by East Germany (1949-90), as I am, then you need to read this book! Alan does an incredible job explaining the role of the socialist government in transforming the game – the legacy of which endures to this day.
Listen to my interview with Alan about football in the former GDR here.
Sticking with the former East Germany, Michael Wagg checks in on what happened to the clubs that made up the final DDR-Oberliga (East German top-flight) before German reunification brought about an all-encompassing Bundesliga.
Listen to my interview with Michael on The Turning Season here.
Harding talks to coaches across Germany to find out why Germany has been so consistently successful. Four World Cups and three European Championships speak for themselves.
In a similar vein, Lee Price explores how Germany turned things around after the ignominious exit from Euro 2000, a low point for the national side.
Read my full review of The Bundesliga Blueprint here.
This biography of German goalkeeper Robert Enke, who died by suicide aged just 32, won multiple awards. Reng looks back at Enke’s battle with depression. Despite playing at the very highest level and doing what millions dream of, Enke lost the battle and Reng explores the pressures on elite athletes.
Plenty has been written about the famous Hamburg club FC St. Pauli. The most thorough examination is St. Pauli: Another Football is Possible by two Catalan academics. It looks at the history of the club and how its identity has morphed over the years and been defined by the fortunes of its neighbourhood.
Check out my interview with co-author Natxo Parra about the book. Another book about FC St. Pauli from the fan’s perspective is Pirates, Punks & Politics: Falling in Love with a Radical Football Club by Nick Davidson.
Also in the club vein, check out Wings of Change: How the World’s Biggest Energy Drinks Manufacturer Made a Mark in Football by Karan Tejwani. It’s the story of Red Bull’s involvement with RB Leipzig and you can hear my interview with the author here.
If you want a regularly quarterly fix of German football stories from the past and present, make sure you subscribe to Halb Vier (Half-past Three). It features a whole host of great writers (and yours truly, from time to time…) and is always alive with fascinating content and great design.
Talking Fussball is the longest-running podcast in English about German football.
The German Fitbaw Podcast is run by a couple of Scottish guys – and I’ve been a guest talking about German football roots, so check it out!
Der Ganz Große Traum (Lessons of a Dream)
One of the men credited with introducing football into Germany is the sports teacher, Konrad Koch. He also translated the FA rules into German in the 1870s. A biopic of the struggles he faced to get the game accepted at his Braunschweig school is brought to life in the 2011 film Der Ganz Große Traum. Koch is played by Daniel Brühl, who is better known for his role as Niki Lauda in Rush or Alex in Good Bye Lenin, which is – in my view – the best German film out there.
I am keen to hear your recommendations on German football books, podcasts, and more, so ping me a tweet or leave a comment.
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