A Football Fan's Guide To Frankfurt

Germany
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Frankfurt

John Duerden

"Germany is not as peaceful as they would have you believe," declared the 30-year-old stripper, enjoying a pre-work large vodka and lemon, in one of those old-style German pubs that seat about six people."

It's all going to explode this summer, like a bomb on the streets. We'll have one hell of a party though."

It was difficult to judge whether the only other customer in the bar agreed with her." Nobody will be satisfied, nobody will be satisfied," repeated the bearded customer known as 'The Philosopher' over and over again. The nickname may have been an ironic one; again, it was difficult to tell.

Sophia seemed to take him seriously." Everyone will be satisfied," she shouted enigmatically before finishing her drink and taking leave of the transvestite barmaid.

Frankfurt wasn't as boring as I had thought. With around 15 percent of the population being made up of bankers, it certainly isn't on the list of tourists' 'must-sees' in Germany, never mind Europe as a whole.

However having being a centre of the wave of revolutions that swept across Europe in 1848 and the home of Goethe and Anne Frank and the birthplace of the philosophical Frankfurt School, the hope was that the city on the River Main must have something going for it.

It will certainly be the place to be during the first round of the World Cup, playing host to the most eagerly awaited clash of the group stage, the tie between Holland and Argentina.

Before that rematch of the 1978 World Cup Final, there is the small matter of England's opening game on the second day of the tournament. The city's population of 650,000 will be swelled considerably as will the bank accounts of the owners of the multitude of pubs and kebab shops.

Johann Nauen is one such proprietor and is looking forward to seeing his Zur Germanis pub full to the brim with thirsty English fans.

"There will be plenty of beer for all to drink and if the English don't drink it all then the Dutch will," laughed the stocky Frankfurter." Someone from the BBC asked us if we would be putting metal bars in front of the windows but we aren't expecting any trouble, Frankfurt is a calm city."

It is certainly quiet on a chilly Friday night in the middle of January. The Romerberg, the historic heart of the city, looks charming but is almost deserted. The souvenir stores around the place all sell postcards of tens of thousands of people celebrating Germany's 1990 World Cup triumph though it is difficult to imagine so many people in a fairly small space.

The traders are hoping that it will be full again in the summer and not because of another German success, welcome though that would be. A big screen will be erected at the south end for those fans without tickets to enjoy the games and sink a few pints by the Main.

With the nickname of "Mainhattan" due to its plethora of sleek skyscrapers, the city has, as mentioned above, a reputation as a place to do business but not to have fun. The inhabitants, friendly and quick to smile, do their best to challenge such stereotypes.

"Of course Frankfurt is a money city," says Sophia, "but like many money cities, it has a lack of morals. It's easy to have fun and most of the people are great which can't be said for most of Germany."

"It's much more charming and interesting than Munich," said the Hamburger who can speak five languages." Bavaria is full of church-going Catholics, people who go to church regularly even when they have clean consciences, it's so strait-laced, there is not even one strip-club there.

Nuremberg looks nice for tourists but when you know what goes on there it's not so nice as it's full of Nazis and fascists. The East is like the Wild West or Texas. Hamburg used to be nice but now it's run down – like England."

Hotel worker, Shawn Yacobi agreed and argued that the city doesn't deserve to be seem merely as continental Europe's transport hub.

World Cup Final scores, Waldstadion, Frankfurt

"Frankfurt is a great place, it's one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Germany and there are so many different kinds of restaurants, it's a friendly city and people are always ready to talk to visitors," said the 46-year-old before quickly adding, "Mexico will win the World Cup."

The same couldn't be said after taking the S-bahn to Waldstadion on a grey Saturday morning in January solely because there was nobody else there apart from one orange clad workman doing his bit to complete the renovations currently being inflicted on the station that will be known simply as 'Stadion'.

In a season where local team Eintracht Frankfurt are struggling near the bottom of the league, perhaps the melancholy air that, along with the dark trees, surrounds the long straight road from the station to the stadium is fitting.

The scene on June 10 when England take on Paraguay will be different as will the Argentina-Holland clash which should provide the colour that is lacking on a mid-winter morn.

In the city itself, it is the people that make Frankfurt colourful and an interesting place to spend a night or two before moving on to the next destination – in my case, Munich.

John Duerden

Fan's Guide To Munich
Fan's Guide To Nuremberg