FC St. Pauli will not play the cult anthem “Heart of St. Pauli” at the Millerntor until further notice. The exchange with the fans for further dealing with the song will continue. The song causes discussions with the Bundesliga club because of the Nazi past of its copywriter.
The playing of the song in the stadium will be suspended, St. Pauli said on Friday afternoon. The Kiezkicker is already playing the next home game today (3:30 p.m., in the NDR LiveCenter) against SC Freiburg.
“We absolutely know and understand that the song is very emotional for many people,” emphasized President Oke Göttlich. This could stay that way at a personal level, but a hymn in the stadium should bring people together and connect. However, this is currently not possible, because many members and fans have made it clear that they no longer feel comfortable with the song. Göttlich: “We understand and respect the various arguments in this complex discussion.”
Divine: Not just “keep it up”
Many questions are currently still open about the role of copywriter Josef Ollig at the Nazi extermination war in Eastern Europe and in the post-war period. Therefore, the exchange should be continued – based on scientific documentation. “We want to create the most well -founded basis and not make hasty decisions. But we also don’t just want to say ‘keep it up,” said Göttlich.
“The heart of St. Pauli” has been played at the Millerntor for about 20 years. However, the exchange with fans from all areas of the stadium “clearly showed that the song is currently not working as an anthem in view of the ongoing discussions,” said the club in its message. “If the hymn is played and mutual insults, this is not acceptable and does not help anyone,” said Götlich.
The association wants to organize an event at which the results of the documentation can be presented and discussed. Only then should there be a final decision on dealing with the song.
Copywriter Josef Ollig with Nazi past
The trigger for the heated discussions that now go beyond the followers is a comprehensive research of the FC-St.-Pauli Museum for the creation of the song “The Heart of St. Pauli”. Specifically, it is about the biographies of the interpreter (Hans Albers), the composer (Michael Jary) and the copywriter (Josef Ollig), whose work illuminates the museum in a podcast on the history of the club.
Above all, Ollig’s role as a soldier of the Wehrmacht and war rapporteurs for the Nazi propaganda makes it difficult to use large parts of the active fan scene. Ollig was collapsed to the Air Force in 1940. In 1941 he took part in the campaign against the Soviet Union and was involved in several battles as a member of a Flak Corps, including in Kiev and Moscow. In November 1941 he received second -class iron cross, a month later the storm badge of all classes and was promoted to a non -commissioned officer.
Separate the work from the author?
While some fans have the opinion that St. Pauli may separate the work and author in this case because the song has long been occupied, others demand the abrupt end of the musical ritual. The trouble cannot suffocate that the version of Albers, but the rocker of “Phantastix & Elf” is played at the Millerntor.
The examination of your own past is not new to FC St. Pauli. In the 1990s, for example, the stadium name caused heated debates. The arena was called “Wilhelm-Koch-Stadion” for years in honor of the former club president. When its past was uncovered as a NSDAP member, the club made a clear decision: in 1998 the stadium was renamed and has been called Millerntor-Stadion since then. “Changes create space for new things,” said Göttlich. This also affects the songs that are played in the stadium.
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Hamburg Journal | 14.02.2025 | 7:30 p.m.
