Book Review Trautmann: The Biography by Alan Rowlands

I found this to be a very interesting book covering the life of Bernhard Carl Trautmann, aka Bert.

The first third of this book was of the most interest to me, as it covered his early life and military service. During the 1930s his family tried to keep their heads down despite the madness going on around them. It set me thinking about how my family and I might have coped in similar circumstances.

German boys at that time were effectively conscripted into one or other youth organisations. They were taught to respect Hitler and prioritise their country over their family, i.e. follow Hitler, not your parents wishes.
It must have been very difficult for the silent majority to watch ordinary people being dragged from their homes, beaten up and murdered, while these actions had the backing of the thugs at the top.

The final two thirds of this book cover the post-war struggle of Bert as an ex-POW trying to do what he enjoyed most; play football.

I'm not a football fan, but it was interesting to read how mean football clubs were post-war, and right up to the early 1960s. Good players like Bert were highly valued as assets, but not as individuals. In the 40s & early 50s, clubs could demand transfer fees up to £20,000 while only paying the player a few pounds a week. Any travel expenses were the responsibility of the players, and even when Bert started promoting his club, he had to bear any costs.

As a German goalkeeper working in England, his career certainly suffered. With his ability, he could have achieved much more if he had been British or had chosen to return to Germany as soon as he was released.

As a person, Bert was no saint. He had a quick and sometimes violent temper. But he was a driven man, to the point that he continued to play in a match after breaking his neck while attempting a save the ball from an attacking opponent.

Anyway, I highly recommend this book.