“18th day of commemoration in German football”: DFL and clubs remember the victims of National Socialism
26 January 2022 – On Thursday 27 January 2022, it will be 77 years to the day since the survivors at the Auschwitz concentration camp were liberated. As part of the “day of commemoration in German football” that was established in 2004, the DFL and the clubs of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 will remember the victims of National Socialism.
Thus German professional football will stand together with the message: “!Never Again”. The initiative, which begins on 27 January in line with the day of commemoration, has long been supported by the DFL and aims to tackle racism, discrimination and anti-Semitism. The group comprises of individuals, fan groups and fan projects, clubs, associations and institutions from the world of football. The joint goal of the day of commemoration is to contribute to a living culture of remembrance and to stand up for a respectful and considerate society.
Clubs have planned a number of their own diverse actions around Matchdays 20 and 21 in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2.
How did the “day of commemoration in German football” come into being?
Eberhard Schulz, spokesman for the “!Never Again” initiative recalls:
“The inspiration came from Italy. It was there, in 2004, that Riccardo Pacifici as spokesman for the Jewish community in Rome had initiated a day of commemoration for the more than 8,000 Italian victims of the Shoah with the Italian football association. All players and referees in Serie A and Serie B took to the field with the slogan Per non dimenticare (Never Forget) on their shirts. I was made aware of the story through an interview in the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” newspaper. As a lover of football and democracy, the Italian campaign spoke to me immediately. Pacifici, whose grandparents were murdered in Auschwitz, asked that football in other European countries remember the victims of Nazi terror with the “Never forget” message and put down a marker against the omnipresent anti-Semitism, neo-fascism, racism and xenophobia in a spirit of vigilance.
On 27 January 2004, 40 churchgoers signed a letter to the DFL and the DFB at the Church of Reconciliation on the site of the concentration camp memorial at Dachau. This included a suggestion that the two organisations come together with those behind the idea to create a “day of commemoration in German football”, to be observed for first time on the matchday closest to 27 January 2005, 60 years after the liberation of Auschwitz. It was a powerful idea. Eleven Bundesliga clubs championed it, read out the stadium announcement before the match and published the basic text in the match programme and on their websites.
Some groups of fans in the stands, including Ultras, latched on to the idea. They had already been taking a stand against increasing right-wing radicalism in the stadiums since the 1980s. These young members of the football family sensed the necessity of adopting a clear position in opposition to the far right with creative campaigns. They understood the importance of bringing victims back into the club’s family in some way. This process of enlightenment also touched the clubs, the DFL and its DFL Foundation, as well as the DFB. Together with the fans, the fan projects and the educational institutions, a colourful and powerful pro-democracy movement grew bit by bit. It strengthens football and society. That is unique in Europe.”
You can find further information on the “!Never Again” initiative at niewieder.info (in German only).