The Blizzard: Austria 2-0 Germany, 1938

We’re delving deep into the annals of history on today’s episode of Greatest Games, in association with The Blizzard. Archivist, researcher and Blizzard copy editor Kat Petersen joins us to discuss Austria 2-0 Germany from 1938, with geopolitical tensions at fever pitch.

Austria’s footballing and social landscapes were in a state of flux by 1938. The huge Jewish influence on football throughout the 1920s and 30s meant the Nazis treated the game with a certain suspicion, while the middle classes of Vienna established numerous clubs to try and formalise a game previously played on the streets. This match was played after Austria had been annexed by Germany and featured one of the finest footballers of the inter-war era: a humble and unassuming Austrian by the name of Matthias Sindelar.

Kat talks us through the context and endless myths surrounding this momentous game while detailing the extraordinary influence that Sindelar had on Austrian and European football of the era. 

For more stories from the annals of football history, visit www.theblizzard.co.uk to explore their archives that contain over 700 articles of stories just like this one!

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