Before the start of the game in Vienna, there was an unusual scene in the Ernst Happel Stadium. The reason: the guests’ national anthem.
Germany and Austria will meet for the 41st time this Tuesday evening. The balance in the duel between the two neighbors and arch-rivals clearly speaks in favor of the guests: In the 40 games so far, the DFB team has won 25 times, there have been draws 6 times, and the Austrians have emerged victorious 9 times.
The rivalry is unbroken despite the clear record. Shortly before the kick-off of the new duel in Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium there was a strange scene. The focus: the stadium announcer – and the German national anthem. Actually, the only thing that happens during the teams’ anthems is singing along, otherwise there is respectful silence. Not so this Tuesday evening.
Unusual reaction
What happened? Both teams line up for the national anthems, with the guests from Germany playing first. And the fans in the stadium react directly to the “Deutschlandlied” with a shrill concert of whistles, which is almost reminiscent of the atmosphere at the international match against Turkey in Berlin. Even the voices of the German players can hardly be understood.
But not for long: after just a few seconds, the stadium announcer switches on and shouts over the loudspeakers: “Please don’t whistle!” – right in the middle of the German anthem. Unusual – but definitely effective.
Because: The audience actually reacts to the loud interjection and the whistles noticeably decrease. The hosts’ anthem is then played, as expected, without any disruption. But the 41st international match between Austria and Germany had its first strange moment before kick-off.
2023-11-23 12:19:00
#Germany #Austria #Curious #disruption #anthem
