“End the time of accusations” – Cologne’s memory game for “Mucki” Banach
Cologne organizes memory game for Maurice Banach
1. FC Köln are playing the Maurice Banach memory game during the international break. Under the motto “Mucki never forgotten” the professional who died in a car accident in 1991 is to be remembered.
More than 30 years after Maurice Banach’s tragic car accident, 1. FC Köln are organizing a memory game for the striker who died in an accident. This is intended to close an open wound, says the club president.
UUnder the motto “Mucki never forgotten”, 1. FC Köln is organizing a memory game on March 23 for FC striker Maurice Banach, who died in an accident in 1991. The FC professionals will play the game in the Franz Kremer Stadium in Geißbockheim against the Belgian first division side VV St. Truiden. Former companions of Banach are invited, there is a special scarf and a special T-shirt. The net proceeds benefit the Banach family.
“In the past, the way FC dealt with the Banach family after Mucki’s death was often and very controversially discussed in public. We would like to finally close this open wound and end the allegations,” said FC President Werner Wolf. All actions that help to keep one of the most talented strikers in FC history in memory of Mucki help to process the unbelievable more than 31 years later: “Maurice Banach will not be forgotten.”
Managing Director Christian Keller explained: “We have been in contact with Ms. Weigl-Banach for quite some time in order to finally put the memory game into practice.”
Banach was a candidate for the national team
On the morning of November 17, 1991, Banach died in a fatal accident on Autobahn 1 near Wermelskirchen at the age of 24. Banach’s car slammed into the guardrail near Remscheid, crashed into a bridge pillar and burst into flames.
Banach was buried on November 25, 1991 in the central cemetery in Münster
Source: pa/Achim Scheidemann
The rescue workers on site were presented with a picture of horror, Banach died at the scene of the accident. Banach got into the car in his hometown of Munster early on Sunday morning to drive to Cologne for training. However, the top scorer did not reach his goal, the Geißbockheim on the FC training ground.
“Maurice enjoyed general esteem for his calm, level-headed, reserved but at the same time cheerful manner,” wrote 1. FC Köln later in the obituary for Banach. He left his wife Claudia and two sons. The center forward was about to follow in the footsteps of former Cologne strikers such as Hannes Löhr, Dieter Müller, Klaus Fischer and Klaus Allofs. The then national coach Berti Vogts had already observed Banach for the national team.
