Bert Trautmann

Bert Trautmann was a German professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Manchester City from 1949 to 1964. He was born in Bremen, Germany, on 22 October 1923. He grew up during times of inter-war strife in Germany. In his early years he served in the Hitler Youth, joining in August 1933, and showed a keen interest in various sports including football, athletics, handball and volkerball, a form of dodgeball. Trautmann joined the Luftwaffe early in the Second World War, and then served as a paratrooper. He was initially sent to Occupied Poland, and subsequently fought on the Eastern Front for three years, earning five medals, including an Iron Cross. Later in the war, he was transferred to the Western Front, where he was captured by the British as the war drew to a close. As a volunteer soldier, he was classified a category "C" prisoner by the authorities, meaning he was regarded as a Nazi. One of only 90 of his original 1,000-man regiment to survive the war, he was transferred to a prisoner-of-war camp in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Lancashire. Trautmann refused an offer of repatriation, and following his release in 1948 decided to settle in Lancashire, combining farm work with playing goalkeeper for a local football team, St Helens Town. Performances for St Helens gained Trautmann a reputation as an outstanding goalkeeper, resulting in interest from Football League clubs. In October 1949, he signed for Manchester City, a club playing in the country's highest level of football, the First Division. The club's decision to sign a former Axis paratrooper sparked protests, and 20,000 people attended a demonstration. Over time, he gained acceptance through his performances in the City goal, playing in all but five of the club's next 250 matches. Named FWA Footballer of the Year for 1956, Trautmann entered football folklore with his performance in the 1956 FA Cup Final. With 17 minutes of the match remaining, Trautmann suffered a serious injury while diving at the feet of Birmingham City's Peter Murphy. Despite his injury, he continued to play, making crucial saves to preserve his team's 3–1 lead. His neck was noticeably crooked as he collected his winner's medal; three days later an X-ray revealed it to be broken. Trautmann played for Manchester City until 1964, making 545 appearances and becoming one of the club's most beloved players. He also played for Germany once in an unofficial international match against Ireland in 1956. After retiring from playing, he became a manager and coached several teams around the world, including Stockport County, Preußen Münster, Burma (now Myanmar), Tanzania, Liberia and Pakistan. Trautmann was honoured with several awards for his contribution to football and Anglo-German relations. He received an OBE from Queen Elizabeth II in 2004 and was appointed as an honorary Officer of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2009. He also received honorary doctorates from Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Bradford. Trautmann died on 19 July 2013 at his home in La Llosa, near Valencia, Spain. He was 89 years old and had suffered two heart attacks earlier that year. He was survived by his third wife Marlis and his four children from his first marriage. He was widely mourned by the football world and his former club Manchester City, who paid tribute to him as "a true legend in the true sense of the word and a wonderful ambassador for not only his country, but Manchester City Football Club".