FC Bayern is mourning the loss of honorary member Franz Xaver Wengenmayer. The German record champions‘ only Bundesliga referee died overnight on Tuesday at the age of 95. He most recently had the membership number six.
President Herbert Hainer: “Franz Xaver Wengenmayer was a passionate referee. He was involved in our refereeing department over seven decades and influenced the refereeing profession way beyond FC Bayern and Munich. He carried our club in his heart like no other. You saw him in the stadium at every match, and he was also a committed and popular member of our ‘Montagskickern’ [a veterans' group who play football at Säbener Straße on a Monday]. We will always remember Franz Wengenmayer and our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
Wengenmayer became an FC Bayern member in 1948 and embarked on his career as a referee. Between 1965 and 1973, he officiated 58 Bundesliga matches as well as featuring in the European Cup and in internationals. The highlight of his career was the fixture between England and Scotland in 1973 in front of 95,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium, where he was a linesman.
Wengenmayer was no less passionate in his later work in the training of young referees. He was a member of the Munich refereeing committee for over three decades, while he also looked after the referees at countless first and reserve team matches for FC Bayern.
“As a referee I never wanted to be in the limelight,” Wengenmayer once said about himself. With his modest, competent and warm manner, he enjoyed a great reputation in the club, in associations and among colleagues.