Der Papierene: How Matthias Sindelar defied the Nazis
In Vienna, approximately 5 miles south-west of the city centre, lies the Zentralfriedhof, or Central Cemetery. Buried here are some of the most esteemed figures in Austrian and German cultural history.
Composers like Ludwig von Beethoven are interred here, as well as actors, musicians, thinkers and people from other areas of the arts. One lesser known, yet equally graceful artist is also buried here; Austrian footballer Matthias Sindelar.
Known as Der Papierene (The Paper Man), or the Mozart of Football, he was the star man and the captain of the Austrian Wunderteam that came fourth at the 1934 World Cup, and can lay a claim to being one of, if not the, best pre-war footballer.
On the Pitch
Matthias Sindelar is a player who cannot be defined by mere statistics. He did have a great goalscoring record, scoring 255 goals in 428 appearances at club and international level according to Transfermarkt. Records from this time can be unreliable however, so these statistics may be incomplete or inaccurate.
Sindelar’s majesty and invention on the pitch was revolutionary at a time when physicality was the prevailing strategic preference. He was a new breed of footballer who would use technique rather than brute force and strength to hurt opponents.
“It was just so alien to see someone dance past defenders and be able to run and glide down the wing,” said Football historian Peter Kenny Jones of just how different Sindelar was. “For him to be so talented… in an era where not many of his teammates were doing the same thing, that’s why he stood out so much.”
The Austrian Wunderteam of the 1930’s, with Sindelar as its most important cog, was also representative of the quality of the league. Every member of their 1934 World Cup squad played domestically in Austria, and they made the semi-finals.
It was a special group of players and for him to have been “part of a great team in Austria and the Austrian national team and for him to have such a high profile across Europe as well just shows how good he would’ve been.”
It’s also worth noting that the quality of the pitches back then was nothing compared to today. For someone to be able to combine mastery of close control dribbling and turning and running at opponents on that quality of pitch also illustrates how good he was.
Austria vs Germany
On the 3rd of April 1938, weeks after the Nazis occupied Austria in the Anschluss, a ceremonial football match was organised between the two countries, supposed to represent the return of Austria to its “true” position under German authority.
In a footballing context, the timing of the Anschluss was particularly painful. Austria were looking to back up their strong 1934 World Cup performance with another in 1938 but were unable to do so, despite being at the end of the Wunderteam era.
What happened in that match wouldn’t go according to plan for the Nazis, however. The Austrians, in their final independent international game until after World War II, won 2-0 with Sindelar scoring the first goal. After scoring he allegedly “celebrated excessively and performed real dances of joy.”
His extravagant celebrations were an incredibly brave one last spit in the face of the Nazis before they took over completely. The goal itself was just a simple rebound, but the action, no matter the execution, galvanised the Austrians watching along.
Despite his defiance, his reputation was such that the Nazis asked him to play for the German team. He declined for numerous reasons such as age, but many speculate it was because of his dislike for the Anschluss and the Reich as a whole.
“For them to be publicly courting him and making it obvious how important he was, and he still said no to them, it’s obviously not a good look and you can understand why they wouldn’t be happy.”
Jones also reflected on the Nazis attitude towards sport at the time. “Propaganda with the Nazis was massive and they knew how big sport was to the normal person. Their plan was to go ‘you all love Sindelar… If he’s our mate you’ll like us as well.”
The Mystery of his Death
Nine months after the match Sindelar and his partner, former prostitute Camilla Castagnola, were found dead in their home in Vienna. He was only 35 when he died nine months after that heroic performance and celebrations versus Germany.
The official verdict given was carbon monoxide poisoning, however speculation surrounding the mysterious circumstances of his death remain to this day. An investigation launched into his death was shut down by the Nazis almost instantly.
This fact, combined with testimonies from contemporary figures, has served as a basis for many to speculate on the exact circumstances surrounding Sindelar’s death and whether or not the Nazis actually had anything to do with it.
Because of the amount of time that has passed since his untimely death, the chances of getting the real story are slim to non-existent. However he died, he deserves to be remembered as a man who defied the Nazis, as well as one of the greatest players of his generation.
