GERMAN “INVASION”

Stratford Evening Post, Volume IV, Issue 38, 24 January 1936, Page 3

GERMAN “INVASION”

Nazi Footballers —Match In London. NO UNPLEASANT INCIDENTS. London, December 27 jSTo uu toward incident occurred in reyard to ilie England and German football match played at Tottenham. The morning of the game was unpleasantly wet, but during the afternoon the weather cleared and the sun shone at intervals. liven papers featured “The German Invasion,” and many people who take no interest in football bought newspapers with apprehension only to find that 10,000 German visitors had that day spent a very happy time hr London. As for the match Itself, it wa s a model of what an international game should be, and in marked contrast with tlie unhappy match last year, which led many people seriously to question whether such encounters were not more productive of ill-feeling than of good.

The excursionists came from Berlin ami Frankfurt, from Bremen and Hamburg, from many towns and villages in Germany interested in the Association football game. They came in a flotilla, of special steamers—seven from Ostehd, one or more from Dunkirk, and, in addition, 12000 passengers arrived at Southampton, travelling by train to London. Wreath for Cenotaph Outside Victoria was a police van, and the visitors-were given information and instructions in their own language. Everything had been carefully planned. Drivers of coaches in which the Germans were taken sight-seeing were given orders indicating the route g they were to take and the stopping places. Tjhe undertaking given by the Dome Secretary that “everything avus being done by all concerned to ensure that there would bo no provocative demonstrations or incidents” Avas carried out with thoroughness. The visitors arrived at Waterloo brought a laurel .wreath, over Cft long and needing three-men to carry it, bearing the inscription in black lettering, “In memory' of the < British dead from German football supporters ■ who have travelled; to‘attend ■ the EnglishGerman game.” This wa H * placed on the Cenotaph. Each German was allowed to bring only ten marks. AH Aviere smartly dressed, ‘ and aim ad every other man. carried' a camera and a pair of binoculars. Leicester, Square was closed to ordinary traffic and used as a coaching station. Crowds of : Germans thronged the square, and German newspaper placards Avere prominently displayed. • Mounted and foot police escorted‘parties in relays. A police «ar with loud-speaker equipment, > patrolled Piccadilly, and instructions were given in German to any who might have lost (heir way.-

Goodwill Toward Visitors The elaborate nature of the.police precautions was evident again at the football ground. Hundreds' of police were posted along :the approaches. At intervals of 10yds'; they lined the road along which motor-coaches brought j German spectators to 'the : stand. All . that could be observed of anti-Nazi | feeling was the attempted i of literature, a few scuffles as the police ; took!possession of the pamphlets, and j one or two protests —“Stop : the Nazis match”—scrawled on walls. < There was) otherwise no exhibition of anything but j goodwill toward the Germans. j The team was warmly cheered. The J crowd was typical' football crowd,) genial, good-tempered,always- ready j With a joke or a nick-name. -<Szepan,'i the- German captain, was called j “Greta” because he has platinum coloured hair. The two teams went on to the field together amid enthusiastic cheering, i The reception given to the Germans j was, if anything, even it more robust 1 than that given to the English side. The ] baud played . the German national Song, and 'the G erman visitors, players and spectators alike, gave the Nazi salute. . '-v When “God .Save f the ■ King” was ; played, the‘crowd stood bare'headed and the-Germans,remained at attention.■■ The Union'Jack'and a flag bearing the Swastika - emblem 1 flew on each side of ttie standard at half mast. 'England' won by 3 goal s to 0.