Summer Fairy Tale

Germany hosted the 2006 World Cup this past June and July. This was a huge event, with millions of fans from around the world coming here. Unfortunately my timing was such that I arrived 3 days after the final game.

I watched many of the games on television, including all of Germany's. The German team made it to the semifinal game versus Italy, played on July 4th. It was an intense game, scoreless with only a couple of minutes left in the second and final overtime period when Italy scored. It was easily the best game of the tournament despite the outcome.

We felt so let down watching it in the US, it was hard to imagine what the German fans must have felt.

I expected to arrive here finding people depressed about their national team losing, and was surprised to find the mood was bright. There were still signs of the World Cup everywhere – flags, banners, signs for the stadiums on the Autobahn.

I talked to people about this. They were happy to have been the hosts for the tournament. Maybe it was better for one of the guests to win. The team played beyond anyone’s expectations. They are young and will be even better in 2010.

Most of all, people said, this was a significant event for Germans. Since World War II people have been uneasy about displays of nationalism. The World Cup finally gave Germans the opportunity to fly their flag, sing national songs, and openly display their solidarity. By the way people talked about it, I could see it was important.

This is a bit of a long lead-in for what I really wanted to write about.

There is a new film just released here. The title is: “Deutschland. Ein Sommermärchen.“ In English: „Germany. A Summer Fairy Tale.“

It is a documentary made by Sönke Wortmann, a fairly well-known filmmaker who also happened to play professional soccer for a couple years. Wortmann was allowed to be with the team leading up to, and during the World Cup.

He filmed with a small camera, and the result is very intimate and not contrived or artificial. Surprisingly he doesn’t show too much actual game footage, but he shows just enough.

Including the winning goal in the game versus Italy.

There was an audible gasp in the theater when the goal was scored. Then when he shows the reactions of the players going off the field and in the locker room, people were crying in the theater. Hearing that, even I got teary-eyed, in sympathy I suppose.

Such a contrast to the reactions I found upon arriving here. I think maybe now this is Germany’s opportunity to relive losing to Italy and finally be upset about it. 2 more minutes and it would have gone to penalty kicks!