„Rahn should shoot from the rear...“

The final of the 1954 World Cup is quickly summarised in two headlines. The Germans call it the “Miracle of Berne”, the Hungarians the “Wound of Berne”.

While the German radio commentator Herbert Zimmermann reported the 1954 final between Germany and Hungary (3-2) so euphorically from Switzerland that he was later reprimanded by his bosses, his Budapest colleague Gyorgy Szepesi only sent sadness down the airwaves.

As a chronicler by microphone Zimmermann made history. Never before or since has a German commentator broadcast a football match to his home country with so much emotion. A few of the Zimmermann sequences have gone down in German folklore. Firstly: “Toni, you are a football god”. Secondly: “Six minutes to go at Wankdorf Stadium in Berne – and nobody is moving. The rain is coming down incessantly, it is tough, but the spectators are waiting patiently. Anyway, how could they leave? A football World Cup is played only once every four years. And when do you watch such a final?” Thirdly: “Bozsik, once again Bozsik, the Hungarian right winger has the ball – lost it, this time to Schaefer. Schaefer crosses the ball to the centre. Header – saved. Rahn should now shoot from the rear. Rahn shoots... Goooal! Goooal! Goooal! Goooal!“ Fourth, from the memorable Zimmermann report: “Finished! Finished! Finished! The match is over! Germany are World Cup champions, defeating Hungary three to two in the final in Berne”. Whoever – even today – closely diagnoses the first ever World Cup triumph by a German national team constantly comes face to face with Zimmermann’s commentary: national coach “Chief” Sepp Herberger, the “Spirit of Spiez”; football god Toni Turek, who was, in fact, just a very good goalkeeper; captain Fritz Walter, and the “Boss”, Helmut Rahn. Rahn, excellent technician, fantastic dribbler, right winger, joker, a cheerful soul.

“The next game is always the most difficult”

National coach Sepp Herberger loved and lived such sentences. “The next game is always the most difficult”, is one of those still linked to the man from Mannheim. With that philosophy Herberger successfully led his team through Switzerland, impressing by their consistent improvement: Turkey 4-1, 8-3 loss to Hungary, Turkey 7-2, Yugoslavia 2-0, Austria 6-1, Hungary 3-2. At the end Fritz Walter’s head and Helmut Rahn’s foot guided the victory of Berne. Germany celebrated their heroes, nine years after World War II. Rahn had to recall over again what all listeners already knew from Zimmermann --the winning goal for the 3-2 victory, which electrified all Germany and returned some self-confidence to an entire nation.

“Helmut, tell us about that goal”, they asked in the pubs in the Ruhr Region, and Helmut explained, explained and explained. And this is what it they heard when the nature-boy from Essen recounted the moment: “The ball falls directly at my feet, spot on my right boot. Two Hungarians are dashing towards me with everything in their power. I let them come and then quickly switch the ball from the right on to the left foot. And suddenly – boy, I’m still seeing it today – I can see the whole ground open. I hit the ball with the left foot, and that’s a really dangerous bounce shot. You know what happened then”. A eulogy from German public TV station ARD, in honour of the German striker, reads: “Rarely in the history of football was the career, even the whole life of a player, reduced significantly to one single moment as that of Helmut Rahn. Those seconds on July 4, 1954, when the ‘Boss’ got the ball in the right-half position at exactly 18:32 hrs in the World Cup final against Hungary, hinted that he would pass to Ottmar Walter standing free in the box, then left two Hungarian defenders standing, and netted the 3-2 winning goal with his left foot. The decisive goal, this one moment – that was Rahn – at least for the German public.”

A memorial for the “Boss”

But was that really him? Helmut Rahn was born in Essen-Katernberg on August 16, 1929. After finishing school he trained as an electrician. He played with Altenessen from 1938 until 1946 before he joined league club Oelde 1909. He moved to Rot-Weiss Essen from Sportfreunde Katernberg in 1951. It was then he was chosen for the national team by Herberger. The right winger earned a total of 40 caps and scored 21 international goals. In 1953 he won the DFB Cup, and then the 1955 national title with Essen. There was every reason to erect a memorial statue at the Rot-Weiss Essen stadium for such a player.

Rahn left RWE in 1959 and played with 1. FC Cologne for one season, then with the Dutch club SC Enschede for three years. At the start of the Bundesliga in 1963, he joined Meidericher SV (today MSV Duisburg) for two seasons. But the legendary figure which was Rahn began to crumble. He drank more and more pints, the slaps on the shoulder became less, his performance weakened, he scored less goals. Rahn retired in 1965, officially because of a knee injury. He withdrew from public life, very rarely gave interviews. The “Boss” died at his home in Essen at the age of 73 after a long illness on August 13, 2003. But he will always live through the radio commentary of the 3-2 triumph at Berne: “Rahn should shoot from the rear…“

Here you can find an article about the 1954 World Cup star Fritz Walter...