The Game of Death In the book of the history of Dynamo Kiev, there is always a great chapter in the heroic players of the team lightly death itself to defend their honor. A trip to the Ukrainian capital, as now in 1942 ...
Summer 1941. The world has surrendered for good in the flames of World War II. The disasters, misfortunes, deaths, all immeasurably and mankind plunged into darkness itself caused.
In Europe, Hitler's advancing forces, and in September the same year, occupy an important center of the Soviet Union: the city of Kiev.
The baker who survived
It was clear as though the boss insisted. The ideology and love of country does not allow him to become the pawn in the hands of the Nazis.
Nicolai Trousevits not persuaded to calls by Georg Svetsof. He knew that he owed much to Svetsof as he had saved from the concentration camp Ntarnitsa, when the Germans had captured him and other Ukrainians 600,000.
He also knew, however, that his boss at the bakery was a loyal associate of the Nazis, a slave who puts his personal interest above anything else, even than of his own country, that is a classic case of Ephialtes.
That's why Nikolai refused to join the football team he had assembled a Svetsof. At its height was a great goalie when he fought in the local Dynamo. The respect enjoyed by his fellow citizens was only if attended to-German team of clothes the people of Kiev will accept big blow apart the propaganda benefits to be gained from the Gestapo.
So he decided to create a group with his own actions. The Trousevits knew from the beginning on what would be based, and wrote immediately to his old teammates the Dynamo, who fought together before the war. Alexei Klimenko, the young defender Michael Svirintofski, the silver medalist Michael Poutistin, Nikolai Korotkich the Makar Gkontsarenko and "Beast" Ivan Kouzmenko, would form the backbone of the new group. Company and three others from Lokomotiv Kiev ran to call the Trousevits, the Mikhail Melnik, Vladimir and Vasili Soukaref baleen.
And the name? Of course it could be the "Dinamo", and automatically refer you to the police forces of the Soviet Union from where it actually originated the club, which will cause frenzy of their conquerors. The name of the group would Start with the word has a similar meaning as the English language, that authority. So Nikolai Trousevits and his teammates would make a new start playing football, rescue even for a few hours from the misery of war and everyday survivor.
The invincible Start
The first game took place at the "Zenit" in Kiev, where Starr broke a team of Hungarians (allies of the Germans) with a score of 6-2. Next opponent once mixed, this time by Romanian soldiers, who left with eleven goals in the head of the heroes of Kiev. But when Trousevits and others defeated the German PGS, then the psychology of people has changed for good. ... Although limited by the Nazis, the press of the country recognize the accomplishments of the Start, so exalted morale of the enslaved Ukrainians.
The continued success of these elite wretched ... and the response of the world that regarded them as pop idols not sat at all well for the Germans, who decided to put the brakes on the unbeaten path. In response, therefore, the Star, came to Kiev to having a reputation for unbeatable team Flakelf, which was the official representative of German football aviation.
On August 6, 1942, and Sarti Flakerf faced with the Ukrainians to prevail with characteristic comfort of soldiers, athletes of the Third Reich and scores 5-1. Impossible. The Aryan race, the masculine blond and toned to perfection men of Hitler thus humiliated by a bunch of enslaved baladorous Nothings?
The slap in the sense of German superiority alarmingly loud, and now things had sovarepsei. It was now little more than a given, that the Germans demanded revenge by any means.
"Lose or die"
The rematch was scheduled for three days later, on August 9. The importance of the showdown has become a massive turnout at the stadium "Zenit" in Kiev. Feature is that the flyers you printed the Nazis said the word "revenge" following the announcement of the game, an example of how much importance you give to an event that was once a hobby of the army, but now political propaganda tool.
Before the match a man in uniform of the SS entered the locker room of the Start to convey a clear message to players: "I am the referee of today's race. I know you're a good team. Please follow the rules, do not break anyone, and before your opponents hailed the our own way. "
The dilemma was obvious. Or maybe there was never any dilemma? Probably the latter is why Nikolai Korotkich, Ivan Kouzmenko, the Makar Gkontsarenko, Nikolai Trousevits and other players in Start there have resolved to fight for the honor of their own, the city and the country in general.
The show from the beginning, after greeting the teams, instead of "Hail Hitler" Ukrainian spoken "Fizcult Hura", the corresponding Soviet greeting! Everybody understood that we will play all for all. Beyond dietary setup and clear threats from the Germans, the Start players were workers who worked all day for a pittance and not professional athletes, such as the Flakelf.
The Nazis lined up strength and unsportsmanlike markings at the technical level of the Ukrainians, the goalkeeper Trousevits to remain unconscious for several minutes after a blow out of phase. The spectacular goals but the Kouzmenko which rocked German nets given air superiority to Start, which went 3-1 in the previous half.
In the rest Ukrainians accepted and German second visit, this time from man of the SS along with the traitor and collaborator of the conquerors, Georg Svetsof. The Svetsof Trousevits urged others to give the match and the Germans pointed to consider the consequences if you do the opposite.
The second half had two goals for each team, with the score 5-3 in favor deleted the Start, but the end was the straw that broke the camel's. The defender Alexei Klimenko the ball and after spending the entire German defense and goalie came up the line and paused. Then, instead of score kicked the ball toward the center. The referee whistled the SS before they completed the ninety minutes, and everyone tried to listen to what the fate of the winners.
Eternal symbol
Here ends the myth starts historical events. The communist propaganda reports that the footballers of FC performed shortly after the game but the reality is different but no less tragic.
Gradually after August 9, the Start players were arrested for questioning, accused of collaborating with the Soviet police. The situation worsened when Trousevits and his team won 8-0 with the clothes, team boss Svetsof, and friend of the Germans. The Korotkich died during torture by the Nazis (another version; he has been arrested before the match) and the rest were taken to concentration camps where former colleagues in the oven and teammates on the field, Kouzmenko, Klimenko, Trousevits executed a few months later.
"The Game of Death" came to light 16 years after the conduct, from an article in Ukrainian journalist in a newspaper in Kiev. Movies created inspired by this event, books were written and the whole incident passed into the realm of legend, far from vain. In 2005 even the Office of the Hamburg closed the case, the verdict indicate that there is no evidence to show that footballers Start murdered by the Nazis because of their victory, which is another case of a grand German crimes immunity the then political leadership of the country.
Leaving one of the main exit of the former stage "Zenit" and now "Start" in Kiev, looks to the right of a statue depicting the image of four players who stand eternal symbol of courage and selflessness. "The glory will not fade forever ..." says the inscription, for those people who could not shrink back, staring at death.
Summer 1941. The world has surrendered for good in the flames of World War II. The disasters, misfortunes, deaths, all immeasurably and mankind plunged into darkness itself caused.
In Europe, Hitler's advancing forces, and in September the same year, occupy an important center of the Soviet Union: the city of Kiev.
The baker who survived
It was clear as though the boss insisted. The ideology and love of country does not allow him to become the pawn in the hands of the Nazis.
Nicolai Trousevits not persuaded to calls by Georg Svetsof. He knew that he owed much to Svetsof as he had saved from the concentration camp Ntarnitsa, when the Germans had captured him and other Ukrainians 600,000.
He also knew, however, that his boss at the bakery was a loyal associate of the Nazis, a slave who puts his personal interest above anything else, even than of his own country, that is a classic case of Ephialtes.
That's why Nikolai refused to join the football team he had assembled a Svetsof. At its height was a great goalie when he fought in the local Dynamo. The respect enjoyed by his fellow citizens was only if attended to-German team of clothes the people of Kiev will accept big blow apart the propaganda benefits to be gained from the Gestapo.
So he decided to create a group with his own actions. The Trousevits knew from the beginning on what would be based, and wrote immediately to his old teammates the Dynamo, who fought together before the war. Alexei Klimenko, the young defender Michael Svirintofski, the silver medalist Michael Poutistin, Nikolai Korotkich the Makar Gkontsarenko and "Beast" Ivan Kouzmenko, would form the backbone of the new group. Company and three others from Lokomotiv Kiev ran to call the Trousevits, the Mikhail Melnik, Vladimir and Vasili Soukaref baleen.
And the name? Of course it could be the "Dinamo", and automatically refer you to the police forces of the Soviet Union from where it actually originated the club, which will cause frenzy of their conquerors. The name of the group would Start with the word has a similar meaning as the English language, that authority. So Nikolai Trousevits and his teammates would make a new start playing football, rescue even for a few hours from the misery of war and everyday survivor.
The invincible Start
The first game took place at the "Zenit" in Kiev, where Starr broke a team of Hungarians (allies of the Germans) with a score of 6-2. Next opponent once mixed, this time by Romanian soldiers, who left with eleven goals in the head of the heroes of Kiev. But when Trousevits and others defeated the German PGS, then the psychology of people has changed for good. ... Although limited by the Nazis, the press of the country recognize the accomplishments of the Start, so exalted morale of the enslaved Ukrainians.
The continued success of these elite wretched ... and the response of the world that regarded them as pop idols not sat at all well for the Germans, who decided to put the brakes on the unbeaten path. In response, therefore, the Star, came to Kiev to having a reputation for unbeatable team Flakelf, which was the official representative of German football aviation.
On August 6, 1942, and Sarti Flakerf faced with the Ukrainians to prevail with characteristic comfort of soldiers, athletes of the Third Reich and scores 5-1. Impossible. The Aryan race, the masculine blond and toned to perfection men of Hitler thus humiliated by a bunch of enslaved baladorous Nothings?
The slap in the sense of German superiority alarmingly loud, and now things had sovarepsei. It was now little more than a given, that the Germans demanded revenge by any means.
"Lose or die"
The rematch was scheduled for three days later, on August 9. The importance of the showdown has become a massive turnout at the stadium "Zenit" in Kiev. Feature is that the flyers you printed the Nazis said the word "revenge" following the announcement of the game, an example of how much importance you give to an event that was once a hobby of the army, but now political propaganda tool.
Before the match a man in uniform of the SS entered the locker room of the Start to convey a clear message to players: "I am the referee of today's race. I know you're a good team. Please follow the rules, do not break anyone, and before your opponents hailed the our own way. "
The dilemma was obvious. Or maybe there was never any dilemma? Probably the latter is why Nikolai Korotkich, Ivan Kouzmenko, the Makar Gkontsarenko, Nikolai Trousevits and other players in Start there have resolved to fight for the honor of their own, the city and the country in general.
The show from the beginning, after greeting the teams, instead of "Hail Hitler" Ukrainian spoken "Fizcult Hura", the corresponding Soviet greeting! Everybody understood that we will play all for all. Beyond dietary setup and clear threats from the Germans, the Start players were workers who worked all day for a pittance and not professional athletes, such as the Flakelf.
The Nazis lined up strength and unsportsmanlike markings at the technical level of the Ukrainians, the goalkeeper Trousevits to remain unconscious for several minutes after a blow out of phase. The spectacular goals but the Kouzmenko which rocked German nets given air superiority to Start, which went 3-1 in the previous half.
In the rest Ukrainians accepted and German second visit, this time from man of the SS along with the traitor and collaborator of the conquerors, Georg Svetsof. The Svetsof Trousevits urged others to give the match and the Germans pointed to consider the consequences if you do the opposite.
The second half had two goals for each team, with the score 5-3 in favor deleted the Start, but the end was the straw that broke the camel's. The defender Alexei Klimenko the ball and after spending the entire German defense and goalie came up the line and paused. Then, instead of score kicked the ball toward the center. The referee whistled the SS before they completed the ninety minutes, and everyone tried to listen to what the fate of the winners.
Eternal symbol
Here ends the myth starts historical events. The communist propaganda reports that the footballers of FC performed shortly after the game but the reality is different but no less tragic.
Gradually after August 9, the Start players were arrested for questioning, accused of collaborating with the Soviet police. The situation worsened when Trousevits and his team won 8-0 with the clothes, team boss Svetsof, and friend of the Germans. The Korotkich died during torture by the Nazis (another version; he has been arrested before the match) and the rest were taken to concentration camps where former colleagues in the oven and teammates on the field, Kouzmenko, Klimenko, Trousevits executed a few months later.
"The Game of Death" came to light 16 years after the conduct, from an article in Ukrainian journalist in a newspaper in Kiev. Movies created inspired by this event, books were written and the whole incident passed into the realm of legend, far from vain. In 2005 even the Office of the Hamburg closed the case, the verdict indicate that there is no evidence to show that footballers Start murdered by the Nazis because of their victory, which is another case of a grand German crimes immunity the then political leadership of the country.
Leaving one of the main exit of the former stage "Zenit" and now "Start" in Kiev, looks to the right of a statue depicting the image of four players who stand eternal symbol of courage and selflessness. "The glory will not fade forever ..." says the inscription, for those people who could not shrink back, staring at death.
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