The First International Match of …..-Part 4 (Germany, 1908)

Germany had played Representative matches since the end of the 19^th Century, but it took almost a decade until 1908 when it finally officially entered the International Arena.

The German Federation had been in existence for eight years before this historic event.

The objective of the German Football hierarchy was the 1912 Olympics and therefore preparations and matches had to get underway.
The Germans agreed in early 1908 to face their Swiss neighbors at Basel on April 5^th, 1908.

The two organs of the DfB (Federal Executive Board and Bundesspiele Committee) were tasked with the selection process.

This was no easy task as it was difficult at the time to assess the best players.

It was decided in February 1908 in Hanover to invite players from all regions of Germany where organized Football was being played to select the squad.

The purpose of this selection process was not to necessarily select the best eleven players, but regional considerations were taken into account such that each Association was represented.

In the end eleven players (who hardly knew one another) from eleven different clubs (representing nine cities) were selected. Düsseldorf’s Willy Bäumgartner became the youngest national player of all time in the German team. He was 17 years and 4 months old on Matchday.

Photo From: Chronik des deutschen fussballs, 2005

(Germany squad, April 5, 1908, Switzerland 5-Germany 3)

The first Germany Lineup:

Fritz Baumgarten (December 21, 1886-May 17, 1961)

Ernst Jordan (May 18, 1883- 1948)

Walter Hempel (August 12, 1887-December 1939 (or January 10, 1940))

Karl Ludwig (May 14, 1886-1948)

Arthur Hiller II (October 3, 1881, August 14, 1941)

Hans Weymar (February 1, 1886-July 1959)

Gustav Hensel (October 23, 1884-August 29, 1933).

Fritz Forderer (January 5, 1888-December 6, 1952)

Eugen Kipp (February 26, 1885-November 10, 1931)

Fritz Becker (September 13,1888-February 22, 1963)

Willy Bäumgartner (December 23, 1890-November 16, 1953)

Photo From: Die Geschichte der Fussball Nationalmanschaft, Author Dietrich Schulze-Marmeling (Hrsg), 2004

(Match programme)

The communication between the Federation and the players was also farcical. The players learned of their selection through the Press.

Fritz Becker (September 13,1888-February 22, 1963) was the first ever Frankfurt based player for the National Team. In 1906, he became known for his performance against the English team Newcastle United. 

Becker would claim that he had virtually no contact with the Federation even after the press release and could not verify his selection from them. He was informed through Frankfurt based members of the DfB that he had in fact been selected. The match was to take place on the Sunday and by Thursday he received a letter from the Federation, but the letter contained no relevant information (place to meet, tickets, etc). Ultimately, the players had to pay for their own travel expenses. The Federation paid and provided the Uniforms.

Photo From:  Deutschlands Fussball Landerspiele, Eine Dokumentation von 1908-1989

(Germany squad, April 5, 1908, Switzerland 5-Germany 3)

Becker was given the Train information on the following day, on Friday, for Saturday departure. At the train station, he was to take a train coming from Berlin. As passengers were getting off he grew desperate, as he could not see any Federation contacts. Finally, an older Gentleman, that he had never met, asked him “are you that Becker from Frankfurt? “.

Upon an affirmative response, he gave Becker the ticket and he just got in the train as the doors were being closed.

By Sunday morning in the Basel Hotel Metropol the squad was to gather at 9 AM.

Once there, there was hardly any talk about match tactics, but the more talks about how to conduct themselves with proper etiquette at the post-match banquet.

Afterwards, they were invited on a tour of the City by the Swiss hosts that included a visit to the Zoological Garden.

The match was held at Basel’s Landhof Stadion. The match Referee was the Swiss H. P. Devitte. He was actually an Englishman residing in Switzerland.

He was dressed in a blue suit with a black hat.

The attendance (near 4,000) was surprisingly high and included many women. It was believed that the high turnout of women was because each woman was promised a bar of chocolate upon entry, however, this has not been proven.

The match was played under heavy rain (in the official team photographs of both teams, fans can be seen holding umbrellas).

The Germans started the match better and in the 6^th minute, Fritz Becker became the first ever goalscorer in the History of the German National Team.

The ball from Hempel found Weymar who then moved the ball to the right side to Hensel. He ran about 20 yards and crossed to the center to Forderer who got the ball near the goal. Swiss goalkeeper Ivan Dreyfus tried to intercept, but Becker was faster and got to it first and scored.

The Swiss tied the match in the 21^st minute through Hans Kämpfer.

Seven minutes later, Germany’s Ernst Jordan scored an own goal to give the Swiss the lead. In some sources this goal was credited either to Daniel Hug or Siegfried Pfeiffer.

A few minutes later Siegfried Pfeiffer scored Switzerland’s third goal. At half time the score was 3-1 to the home team.

Fritz Becker, the first goalscorer, would later recall that it was only during the half time that a tactical discussion took place. They were told, "The runners should get up to win the midfield”.

This would be his only cap for his Nation despite scoring twice.

The match would be more balanced in the second half.

Photo from: Die Nati, Die Geschichte der Schweizer Fussball-Nationalmanschaft, author Beat Jung, 2006

(Switzerland squad on the magazine ‘La Suisse Sportive’, April 5, 1908, Switzerland 5-Germany 3)

Early in the second half, in the 52^nd minute, Fritz Forderer reduced the deficit by scoring Germany’s second goal. However, five minutes later, Siegfried Pfeiffer scored Switzerland’s fourth.

Germany fought back and Fritz Becker scored his second goal of the evening.

However, with just one minute remaining, Hans Kämpfer scored Switzerland’s fifth goal for a final score of (Switzerland 5-Germany 3).

Incidentally, this was the first ever International victory of the Swiss National Team and their third ever match.

Many feel a contributing factor for the German loss was lack of understanding between the German defenders who had never played together before.

The rain clearly affected the German defense.

Ernst Jordan (May 18, 1883- 1948) and Walter Hempel (August 12, 1887-December 1939 (or January 10, 1940)) were chosen as the defensive duo. The left back, Jordan was criticized for his play and constantly slipping on the rainy surface and giving away an own goal. Jordan was actually selected after Heinrich Riso had forfeited due to injury.

Hempel would fare better and play in the 1912 Olympics.

It was believed that for the German Federation the result was of a secondary concern to the post-banquet.

The DfB were inexperienced for such events and were fearful of any faux pas in terms of Football protocol and eager to make a good impression.

In fact given the conditions for presenting and selecting the team and the chaos surrounding, many felt this expedition was regarded as a successful one.

The eleven German players all receive a gift of Red marbles with three gold-plated letters ‘DFB’.

Just 15 days later, on April 20^th, the Germans would play their very first match on home soil against the English Amateurs but lose once more (1-5).

However, the first step was taken in the creation of a National Team that would mark Football History.

Note:

1- Willy Bäumgartner (December 23, 1890-November 16, 1953) played on the left wing in the match. He would immigrate to South America in 1930 and many would lose track of him by 1932. It would be later known that he had been one of the founders of a Brazilian club in Sao Paulo.

2-Fritz Baumgarten (December 21, 1886-May 17, 1961), the Berlin based goalkeeper was still a student. He was a teammate of Peco Bauwens, the future German player, Referee and Administrator. He knew someone in Basel and as a result had lodgings. Upon returning to Berlin, he was glad that no one had read the sports pages to learn of his unauthorized absence. This would be his only cap for his Nation.

3-Hamburg based Hans Weymar (February 1, 1886-July 1959) traveled to Switzerland with Hugo Egon Kubaseck, the chairman of the German Football Federation. He would die of a heart attack in 1959 on a tennis court.

4-Eugen Kipp (February 26, 1885-November 10, 1931) would be the first record holder of International appearances. He would earn 18 caps until 1913.

He was wounded during the World War I and his right leg had to be amputated. He also had bayonet wounds in his jaw and shoulder.

He died aged 46, from the consequences of his serious injuries.

5- Fritz Becker had to borrow a tuxedo at a pawn-house for twenty-two Marks, in order to be able to take part in this post match reception. At the end of the evening there were mustard stains on the tuxedo and he had to give ten marks for the cleaning.

Date: April 5, 1908

Competition: Friendly

Result: Switzerland 5-Germany 3

Venue: Basel- Landhof Stadion

Attendance: 3,500

Referee: H.P. Devitte (Switzerland)

Goalscorers:

(Switzerland): Hans Kämpfer 21^st, 89^th, Ernst Jordan (own goal) or Daniel Hug 28^th, Siegfried Pfeiffer 32^nd,57^th,

(Germany): Fritz Becker 6^th 69^th, Fritz Forderer 52^nd 

Lineups:

Switzerland:

dr. Ivan Dreyfus (Servette Football Club – Genève)

Marcel Henneberg I (Servette Football Club – Genève)

Daniel Hug (Fußball Club Basel 1893)

Eugène Strauss (Montriond-Sports Football Club – Lausanne)

Alfred Megroz (Montriond-Sports Football Club – Lausanne)

W.           Lehmann (Berner Sport Club Young Boys-Bern)

Alfred Rubli I (Berner Sport Club Young Boys-Bern)

Dr.Siegfried Pfeiffer (captain) (Fußball Club Basel 1893)

Hans Kämpfer (Berner Sport Club Young Boys-Bern)

Roger Isenegger (Montriond-Sports Football Club – Lausanne)

Theo Kobelt (Sankt-Gallen Fußball Club)

Coach: Emil Hasler

Germany:

Fritz Baumgarten (BFC (Berliner Fußball-Club) Germania 1888 -Berlin)
Ernst Jordan (FuCC (Fußball und Cricket-Club) Cricket-Victoria 1897 Magdeburg)

Walter Hempel (Sportfreunde1900 Leipzig)
Karl Ludwig (SC 99 Köln)

Arthur Hiller II (1.Fußball-Club Pforzheim 1896 e,V.)

Hans Weymar (Sport-Club Victoria 1895 e.V. Hamburg)
 Gustav Hensel (Casseler Fußball Verein 1895- Kassel)

Fritz Forderer (Karlsruher Fußball Verein 1891)

Eugen Kipp (Sportfreunde Stuttgart 1874 e.V.)

Fritz Becker (Fußball-Club Kickers 1899 Frankfurt)

Willy Bäumgartner (SV 04 Düsseldorf)

Coach: Technical Commission

Photo From: IFFHS, Schweiz,Suisse, Svizzera (1905-1940)

(Switzerland squad, April 5, 1908, Switzerland 5-Germany 3)

Photo From: Die Geschichte der Fussball Nationalmanschaft, Author Dietrich Schulze-Marmeling (Hrsg), 2004

(Germany squad, April 5, 1908, Switzerland 5-Germany 3)

References:

Die Geschichte der Fussball Nationalmanschaft, Author Dietrich Schulze-Marmeling (Hrsg), 2004

Deutschlands Fussball Nationalspieler, Das Lexicon, Author Jurgen Bitter

Chronik des deutschen fussballs, 2005

Die Nati, Die Geschichte der Schweizer Fussball-Nationalmanschaft, author Beat Jung, 2006

Deutschlands Fussball Landerspiele, Eine Dokumentation von 1908-1989