The love story of a young english woman and a german pow, who together overcome prejudice, public hostility and personal tragedy. In 1945 he was captured and sent to a british pow camp where, for the first time, he saw a. Bernhard carl bert trautmann ek obe 22 october 1923 19 july 20 was a german professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper for manchester city from 1949 to 1964 brought up during times of interwar strife in germany, trautmann joined the luftwaffe early in the second world war, serving as a paratrooper. The paratrooper was first imprisoned by the soviet, later by the british army. Trailer of upcoming drama the keeper true story of. A feature film on the life of legendary manchester city goalkeeper bert trautmann is to begin production this summer. The keeper tells the incredible true story of bert trautmann david kross, a german soldier and prisoner of war who, against a backdrop of british postwar protest and prejudice, secures the. Its a moment of offhand humour, but a joke rooted in truth, as it was during his time with st helens that trautmann first became known as bert, because his teammates struggled with the abbreviated version of his name, bernd. Clay has written a well researched and at times quite graphic account of trautmann s passage through the hitler youth movement, which he joined at the quite unlike the many. Like many others, his family were adversely affected by the harsh economic climate which prevailed in germany at the time, as the country struggled to recover from the punitive financial measures imposed by the terms of the treaty of versailles of 1919. Bert trautmann is famed as the goalkeeper who broke his neck in an fa cup final and played on.
About the bert trautmann story the bert trautmann story. If you want to read a biography of trautmann the footballer,then this book is probably not for you,as it is only towards the end that there is any great detail about bert trautmann the iconic goalkeeper for manchester city in the 1950s. With david kross, freya mavor, john henshaw, harry melling. Bernhard carl bert trautmann obe 22 october 1923 19 july 20 was a german professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper for manchester city from 1949 to 1964 brought up during times of interwar strife in germany, trautmann joined the luftwaffe early in the second world war, serving as a paratrooper. Bernhard carl bert trautmann, obe 22 october 1923 19 july 20 the bert trautmann story yesterday channel tribute to a remarkable man with an interesting story. This book is the complete story, from his early life in bremen where he was born and raised in the seething political climate of the 1920s, his involvement with the hitler youth movement and extraordinary war experiences, to his often hilarious internment at prisoner of war.
He began playing football at age 10, when he was 18 he had to go to do his military service for the german naziregime. His mother, better educated than his father, had her misgivings. Bert trautmann was born in germany but he went on to have one of the least likely careers in british football. I told him it was the goalkeeper who broke his neck in a cup final and carried on playing he said he had heard of the incident. Bert trautmann s jawdropping story from hitler youth to heroic goalkeeper who won the fa cup with a broken neck mediabest april 8, 2019 bert jawdropping trautmann s when bernhard trautmann landed in britain he was the opposite of a hero he was a german prisoner of war whod signed up for the hitler youth as a teenager. While visiting a pow camp near manchester at the end of wwii, margaret friar, the daughter of the manager of the local football team, notices young german soldier bert trautmann. Catrine clays trautmann s journey from 2010, is a very interesting biography that highlights bert s early family life in bremen, just as hitlers machtergreifung began. Bert trautmann news, views, gossip, pictures, video. The adult life story and career of bert trautmann is certainly one worthy of telling and seeing, but the film representing this follows the textbook far too heavily. Frankfurt, germany ap bert trautmann, a former german world war ii prisoner of war who became manchester citys goalkeeper and helped the team win the fa cup despite a broken neck for the last 17. His name was bernhard carl trautmann, later to become famous as bert. The film the keeper tells the story of bert trautmann, a german prisoner of war who became a football legend in england.
The keeper tells the extraordinary love story between a young english woman and a german pow, who together overcome prejudice, public hostility, and personal tragedy. Bert trautmann joined the luftwaffe early on during world war 2 at the age of 17. Bert trautmann was the first german to play in a cup final at wembley. Although the subject of the film was a sportsman, the film has been described as not primarily a sports film but instead a drama. Bert trautmann was the first player to wear a new low cut light weight boot designed by his german friend adolf dassler. Trautmann is a britishgerman biographical film directed by marcus h. Most of his contemporaries did not make it to 25, let alone quiet retirement in spain. Singed without inscription to the title page by trautmann. Trautmann by alan rowlands meet your next favorite book.
She acted as the writer who put down the memories of bert trautmann. Trautmann was within the luftwaffe earlier than turning into a prisoner of struggle. The unimaginable story of bert trautmann has been immortalised in a brand new movie and mailonline has an unique first have a look at the primary uk trailer. The film premiered at the 2018 zurich film festival, and was released in germany under. This book is the complete story, from his early life in bremen where he was born and raised in the seething political climate of the 1920s, his involvement with the hitler youth movement and extraordinary war experiences to his internment at prisoner of war camp 50, until his. Bert trautmann his remarkable life story has been transformed for the big screen and the keeper will be in cinemas from april 5 manchester. Believe me, kross does his best work making this man attractive. I felt as if i would cry on at least 3 occassions just reading bert s story. The true story of bert trautmann, the german who played for manchester city after the second world war, is a heartfelt blend of romance and football.
Bert trautmann was born in bremen in northwestern, germany in 1923. The documentary, the bert trautmann story, tells the remarkable story of a former hitler youth devotee and nazi soldier captured by the british who, after serving his time as a prisoner of war in lancashire, went on to become one of britains most popular goalkeepers. Adolf ran a family company in germany and became a friend of bert s. An astounding story of war and football the first biography of manchester city goalkeeper and former hitler youth star bert trautmann. Bobby charlton every football fan knows the legend of bert trautmann. Bert wins them all over, save by save, and by being the nicest german they ever met. Doctors said he was lucky to be alive with the footballer refusing to. Reallife parable of forgiveness glosses over its moral. Bert trautmann from the iron cross to the obe saga. Shortlisted for the william hill sports book of the year how did one man go from nazi youth indoctrination to english footballing icon.
The book could have done without her deviations into the many assassination attempts on adolf hitler which add nothing to the story. A very good book one small name to the head of the endpaper. He is famed as the manchester city goalkeeper who broke his neck in the 1956 fa cup final and played on. This is bert, he announces as they enter the dressing room, from bradford. After the death of bert s son, adolf offered bert the chance to be the north west of england agent for the family firm but bert turned him down. At ten he was eligible for the hitler youth just as the nazis came to power. An extraordinary tale of love, forgiveness and overcoming the odds, the keeper tells the incredible true story of footballing legend bert trautmann. How bert trautmann became a footballing hero daily mail. He literally broke his neck to secure manchester citys fa cup final. Trautmanns journey by catrine clay overdrive rakuten. Catrine clays trautmann s journey was published by yellow jersey press. The remarkable reconciliation tale of bert trautmann and. He fought on the eastern front for three years, earning five medals.
The keeper will be released in uk cinemas on 5 april and in germany on march 14. Bert trautmann suffered such a bad collision on the pitch during the 1956 fa cup final one of his vertebrae split in two. He did not leave britain after his release, and became a. Her bright boy, her special one, hardly bothered with school books. However,if you want to know the events and environment that influenced what bert trautmann became,namely the. Bert trautmann was born in the worst possible year for a 20th century german, 1923. Bert trautmanns jawdropping story from hitler youth to. In an unclipped wrapper with some vshaped chips to the spine tips. Trautmanns journey by catrine clay penguin books australia. The story of bert trautmann has been told in the movie, released on april 5 trautmann won the fa cup with manchester city and played with a broken neck he was a prisoner of war and caused protest.
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