Flags and Footballs

By Stefan Sirucek

Was it the 20th of June or the 4th of July?

Horns blared and car engines roared. Oversize flags streamed out of car windows along with shouts of jubilation in a parade of vehicles. Fireworks exploded in the distance as girls popped out of sunroofs to wave at passersby. Men shouted and ran between cars as traffic moved haltingly forward, often coming to a complete standstill at the sheer volume of those taking part in the revel.

That was the scene last Friday in the Holstenstrasse, a major thoroughfare in Altona, a largely Turkish neighborhood in Hamburg, Germany. Turkey had just beaten heavily favored Croatia in a sudden upset in the quarterfinal round of the 2008 European Championship. The win meant many things. It meant that the Turks had outstripped everyone’s expectations, including perhaps their own, it meant that they had made it into the semi-finals for the first time in the history of the tournament and, perhaps most significantly, it meant that, five days later, Turkey would face Germany, a country with which it has a unique and complex history.

Germany is home to more than 2.6 million people of Turkish origin and many more of Turkish descent. Many are the children or relatives of the Turkish Gastarbeiter or “guest workers”, who came to Germany in large numbers in the 1960’s and 70’s to fill the post-war labor shortage. Today, Turks form the single largest and most visible ethnic minority in the country and live mostly in major cities, with Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen having particularly large Turkish communities.

Germany has often faced problems integrating its Turkish citizenry, many of whom have found academic and career success elusive and have therefore often struggled to find a satisfying place in German society. In a nation obsessed with identity, the upcoming match between Turkey and Germany has become a hot topic – Who is Turkish? Who is German? Who does a Turk living in Germany root for? – and has raised questions about how people will react to the result, considering the existing ethnic and social tensions.

A few days before the game I spoke with Ömer and Kaan, 15 and 16 respectively, both the children of Turkish immigrants and Turkey fans. Asked why, being both born and raised in Germany, they supported Turkey in the upcoming contest, the young men sought the right words.

“I don’t know”, said Ömer finally, “instinct”.

As to who would win on Wednesday, both agreed it would be Germany.

“A lot of players have yellow cards on our side, said Ömer, also pointing out that since first-string goalkeeper Volkan Demirel was ejected from the Czech Republic game with a red card, Turkey will play with its second-string goalkeeper and may even use its third-string keeper to fill a hole in the midfield.

Nevertheless, an upset would not be out of place for Turkey, which has won its last three matches with improbable, last-minute comebacks, leading The Hamburg Morgenpost newspaper, to call the team the “Last-Minute-Turks”. Turkey’s streak included a stunning reversal against the Czech Republic in which, having been, by all accounts, outplayed for most of the match, Turkey came back to score three goals in the final 20 minutes of the game for an astonishing 3 – 2 victory.

If Turkey were to win, the young men predicted raucous celebrations of the kind that followed the quarterfinal win over Croatia, with traffic jams and streets closed due to partying fans. [See Video] But – added Ömer, smiling, “It wasn’t that quiet when the Germans won either, describing how the cheering went on for hours after Germany’s victory last week over the favored Portugal.

Florian, a 26 year-old German art student, predicted the result would be much the same, regardless of who won on Wednesday. “Either way there will be a lot of noise. Perhaps a few fights, but I think most people will take it with good humor.”

Expressing similar optimism, Turkey’s ambassador to Germany, Ahmet Acet, said he hoped the match would bring Germans and Turks living in Germany closer together, telling the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger newspaper last week: “It’s a unique opportunity for Germans and Turks to see each other from another perspective.”

However, not everyone in Germany thinks tonight’s game will be a love-fest.

“I think on Wednesday there will be conflict”, says Dilan, T., a 17 year-old student who moved to Hamburg from central Turkey three years ago and supports Germany. She cited neighborhood violence after the Czech Republic game as an example. “If they [Turkey] win, then there will be conflict and fighting.”

Anne Wulf, a schoolteacher, said she expected and hoped for a peaceful outcome but worried that if the game were decided by questionable fouls or referee decisions against Turkey it might anger those in the Turkish-German community who already feel shortchanged by society.

“The question with the Turks is whether they see it as a loss of face”, said Wulf. “The Germans are going in as the strong favorite but I think the Turks fight very hard and the nationalist feeling is much more in the foreground.”

The deep connections between the two countries are perhaps best highlighted by the fact that two of the Turkish players who will take the field tonight – midfielder Hamit Altintop and defender Hakan Balta – were themselves born in Germany. So too were many of their fans, making a normally straightforward question of national loyalty into a complex matter of interlacing identities.

“Most of the Turks were born here”, says Ali, who has lived in Germany for 12 years. “When we watch soccer we’re always for Germany but when Germany plays Turkey…” he raised his eyebrows and shrugged.

In Germany the atmosphere is one of nervous excitement and despite fears of what might occur there have been few, if any, signs of bad blood leading up to the match. Despite the direct nature of the competition, the opinions of most German Turks who I spoke with revealed a loyalty that is more dual than divided. Many cars sport both German and Turkish flags and most say that if Turkey loses, they will support Germany.

Ahmet, a 31 year-old Turkish immigrant who owns a cleaning company, views it as a win-win situation.

“I always say I have Doppelglück “ – double the luck and joy – “because I think if Turkey doesn’t win it [the championship], Germany will probably win it.”

Working in his internet callshop around midnight the day before the match, Alpaslan Devecioglu agreed, saying the event should be about friendship and that he would be happy whatever the outcome. On the street he showed off a large sticker he had pasted onto his van alongside the twin German and Turkish flags already waving next to each other in the night air. It bore the words: “Euro 2008: Turkey vs. Germany. No matter who wins we go on”.

(The scene after Turkey's quarterfinal win against Croatia)




A little-known American daily called The New York Times also has the story:

Germany, Turkey and Jumbled Loyalties