Before the DFB Cup game against Nuremberg, the stadium announcer commemorated a neo-Nazi known throughout Germany. Waldhof Mannheim responded on Tuesday evening.
SV Waldhof Mannheim distanced itself in the evening: “This action was not agreed with the responsible persons at SV Waldhof Mannheim 07 before the game,” it said on Tuesday evening in a statement from the association. Before the DFB Cup game against 1. FC Nürnberg, Mannheim stadium announcer Stephan Christen commemorated two people who had died. One of them was the neo-Nazi Christian Hehl, known throughout Germany, who sat on the Mannheim City Council for the NPD between 2014 and 2019 and testified as a witness in the NSU investigative committee in 2018. According to “Rhine Palatinate” Hehl also had previous convictions for drug trafficking, illegal possession of weapons and violent crimes and was in contact with the right-wing terrorist Beate Zschäpe.
Waldhof Mannheim distances itself
Stadium spokesman Christen assured the club that the condolence wishes were sent to him and that he did not know the neo-Nazi and his vita. “Of course, SV Waldhof and our stadium spokesman continue to distance themselves from right-wing extremist ideas,” wrote the Mannheimers.
