40 participants in further training: FC Bayern and its Jewish history

It will certainly be a day "that will help us all," said Herbert Hainer in his welcome address to the 40 teachers who had come to the FC Bayern Museum for the training course "FC Bayern and its Jewish history". "Today is dedicated to the culture of remembrance, which is very important at our club," the FC Bayern president continued. "We want to do our part so people never forget what happened in Germany during the Nazi era - and so history never repeats itself." Former Minister of State Ludwig Spaenle then aptly set the framework. "A look at history - especially at the Jewish roots of football - can give us valuable impetus in the fight against antisemitism," said the Bavarian State Government Commissioner for Jewish Life and Against Anti-Semitism, for Remembrance Work and Historical Heritage in his message.

Together with prominent speakers, the topic was examined from various perspectives in workshops and discussions - and this ensured you could not only learn and debate new things on this day, but also pass on and impart knowledge in the future. Our club history has a strong, lasting Jewish component through Kurt Landauer. But thanks to the independent study that we commissioned from the Institute for Contemporary History, we know there were perpetrators and victims in our association - like everywhere else," said President Hainer. "It's important to deal with all aspects of the story in a well-founded way - and to get the younger generation interested. This is the only way we can achieve the necessary understanding to learn lessons for the future." The event, in cooperation with the Bavarian Museum Academy, the Chair for Jewish History and Culture at the LMU Munich, the Museum Education Centre Munich and the Academy for Teacher Training and Personnel Management was another important milestone on this path.

"FC Bayern are a top club in this area"

The preparation was demanding, the day full, the programme busy. "But it was all worth it," said Alexa Gattinger from the FC Bayern Museum. It is both a requirement and an obligation to "shed light on the Nazi era and the role of FC Bayern in a variety of ways. We succeeded with the selection of lectures, main topics and hands-on offers."

There was talk of "the forgotten Jewish roots of football" (Dr. Henry Wahlig, German Football Museum Dortmund), "Remembrance work at FC Bayern" and the "Jewish 'Bayern' and their club in the Weimar Republic and the Nazi Era" (Dr. Gregor Hofmann, Institute for Contemporary History Munich - Berlin), before work in several workshops. The training course came to a successful conclusion with an entertaining conversation between Julia Treindl (LMU) and two representatives of the FC Bayern fan club in Israel. Their credo is: "We have a golden rule - it's about the sport!" With a "Let's go Bavaria" they said goodbye on the video link.

"A club with our appeal has the responsibility to get involved in society," clarified Herbert Hainer. FC Bayern's DNA includes the fact it derives an educational mandate from its global reach. Alexa Gattinger said: "We are primarily concerned with mediation for mediators, i.e. passing on to all age groups in our society." Ludwig Spaenle: "To this day we see that sport has an integrative power and brings people of different origins and religions together. The diversity of our society is reflected not least in the football teams of all divisions. Therefore, for us, sport and football in particular are a crucial key in the fight against prejudice and exclusion - especially against antisemitism. FC Bayern does an outstanding job here. FC Bayern are a top club in this area - as well as in sport."