Austria Gifts Germany All Three World Cup Qualifying Points

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Germany midfielder SAMI KHEDIRA (6) of Spanish La Liga champion Real Madrid, the 25-year-old former Vfb Stuttgart defensive specialist who came under fire earlier this summer for publically justifying his refusal to sing the national anthem prior to an international contest, seeks to disposses Austria midfielder ANDREAS IVANSCHITZ (6) of German Bundesliga FSV 05 Mainz during the FIFA World Cup, Group 3 qualification match at the sold-out Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna.
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A pair of goals within eight minutes of one another on either side of the halftime whistle proved to be enough for the visitors but the hosts were extremely unfortunate not to earn a share of the spoils for themselves as GERMANY fending off late-charging AUSTRIA 2-1 in the entertaining Group 3 qualification match for the 2014 FIFA World Cup to be held in Brazil.

Attacker MARTIN HARNIK, who shot 17 goals for Swabian club Vfb Stuttgart in the German top flight last term and was a consistent threat to the visitors in the first half, had a great chance to give Austria the early lead against a Germany national team which has defeated its southeastern Alpine neighbors seven times in succession after central defender MATS HUMMEL of two-time defending German Bundesliga titlist Borussia Dortmund had given the ball away cheaply but the 25-year-old could not find the target.

Bayern Munich winger THOMAS MUELLER, the leading scorer at the 2010 FIFA World Cup final tournament in South Africa who is only days away from his 23rd birthday, generated a shot that was turned away by Austria first choice ROBERT ALMER of newly-promoted German Bundesliga outfit Fortuna Duesseldorf in the tenth minute and, roughly another ten minutes on, had a very dangerous header that the diving Pink Panther did rather well to push around his right-hand post.

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Austria goalkeeper ROBERT ALMER (1) of newly-promoted German Bundesliga side Fortuna Duesseldorf, forever known as the Pink Panther here at this blog for his efforts with FK Austria Vienna in the always-exciting Wiener Derby, turns away Germany winger THOMAS MUELLER of Bayern Munich during the FIFA World Cup, Group 3 match at the sold-out Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna.
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The most experienced player in the Austrian line-up, midfielder ANDREAS IVANSCHITZ of German Bundesliga side FSV 05 Mainz, had a good opportunity but his effort was challenged by Bayern Munich defender HOLGER BADSTUBER and ultimately blooped up and over both Germany goalkeeper MANUEL NEUER of Bayern Munich as well as the far post with five minutes remaining in the closely-contested first half.

Shortly thereafter, the Germans netted to instantly deflate most of the 47,000 spectators on hand at the sold-out Ernst Happel Stadion. A fine ball into space from veteran striker MIROSLAV KLOSE of Italian Serie A side SS Lazio of Rome, the aging 34-year-old who otherwise made little impression in this World Cup tie with neighboring Austria, afforded emerging Borussia Dortmund winger MARCO REUS a run into the penalty area. The desperate Almer did get a hand to the low, pinpoint laser but could not prevent Germany from assuming the 1-0 lead in the 44th minute.

A third goal on an eleven appearance in the colors of Deutschland, then, for Reus, the emerging offensive threat for whom the reigning two-time defending Bundesliga champions paid a reported 17.1 million Euros to Borussia Moenchengladbach this off-season summer to acquire.

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The Germans doubled their advantage just seven minutes into the second half when the menacing Mueller was illegally treated in the penalty area by midfielder VELI KAVLAK of Turkish side AS Trabzonspor. Real Madrid legionnaire MESUT OEZIL, who got his name on the scoresheet twice last Friday in a 3-0 triumph over the Faroe Islands that started Germany’s World Cup march to Brazil, slotted home with a world-class spot kick into the side netting. The unlucky Almer, it should be noted, guessed correctly and gave it his all with a full stretch.

The underdog Austrians might have elected to pack up the tent early against a country they have defeated exactly twice in the past eighty or so years but this certainly did not prove to be the case as a courageous counterattack quickly ensued and would be sustained until the very end.

Winger MARKO ARNAUTOVIC, who was bought by Werder Bremen from Dutch club FC Twente Enschede for a transfer fee of 6.5 million Euros in the summer of 2010, soon wriggled free into the box on the right and produced a driven cross that on-rushing German Bundesliga teammate ZLATKO JUNUZOVIC, the midfielder who was signed by die Werderaner from FK Austria Vienna for a fee of 800,000 Euros during the Winterpause last term, was able to re-direct past Neuer and delight the home fans in the 57th minute.

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Only time can tell how much the memorable miss of unfortunate winger MARKO ARNAUTOVIC (7), the one-time Inter Milan attacker who managed six goals in 19 Bundesliga contests for German club Werder Bremen last season, late in the match with Germany at the sold-out Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna and the subsequent loss of an almost certain point in the Group 3 standings will actually damage the Austrian effort to qualify for the FIFA World Cup final tournament to be hosted by Brazil in the summer of 2014.
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The Germans typically began to eat up chunks of time thereafter by playing a bit of keep away for a good spell but an energized Austria continued to hang in.

It looked as if Arnautovic, all alone at the far post, would surely score at close range following a cross from the left delivered by substitute JAKOB JANTSCHER of Russian club Dynamo Moscow with only a couple of minutes remaining until the final whistle … but the ball conspired to cruelly hit a bump in the pitch at the very last moment and screwed horribly wide off of the snake-bit shin of the 23-year-old Austrian winger, much to the relief of the exceptionally fortunate goalkeeper Neuer and the rest of his German constituents.

Arnautovic, who spent the entire 2009/10 campaign out on loan with the Italian Serie A side Inter Milan that eventually claimed the coveted UEFA Champions League crown that season, also had one late attempt to level for Austria but directed his shot straight at the former Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen and current Bayern Munich goalkeeper making his 33rd career appearance for Germany.

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The AUSTRIA national team poses for the traditional team photograph just prior to kick-off with Germany in the FIFA World Cup qualification match at the sold-out Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna :

back row (left to right) — Almer, Arnautovic, Pogatetz, Proedl, capt Fuchs, Ivanschitz
front row (left to right) — Garics, Kavlak, Baumgartlinger, Harnik, Junuzovic
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AUSTRIA
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goal — Robert ALMER (Fortuna Duesseldorf – Ger / 4 caps)

defense — Gyorgi GARICS (FC Bologna – Ita / 28 caps, 1 go), Emanuel POGATETZ (Vfl Wolfsburg – Ger / 49 caps, 2 go), Sebastien PROEDL (Werder Bremen – Ger / 35 caps, 3 go), Christian FUCHS (Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen – Ger / 49 caps, 1 go)

def midfield — Julian BAUMGARTLINGER (FSV 05 Mainz – Ger / 23 caps, 0 go), Veli KAVLAK (JK Beskitas Istanbul – Turk / 19 caps, 1 go)

att midfield — Andreas IVANSCHITZ (FSV 05 Mainz – Ger / 57 caps, 10 go), Zlatko JUNUZOVIC (Werder Bremen – Ger / 21 caps, 3 go), Marko ARNAUTOVIC (Werder Bremen – Ger / 20 caps, 7 go)

striker — Martin HARNIK (Vfb Stuttgart – Ger / 31 caps, 7 go)

substitutes
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FW – Gudio BURGSTALLER (SK Rapid Vienna / 5 caps, 0 go)
for Harnik – 55th min
MF – Jakob JANTSCHER (Dynamo Moscow – Rus / 11 caps, 1 go)
for Ivanschitz – 75th min
FW – Marc JANKO (AS Trabzonspor – Turk / 28 caps, 11 go)
for Baumgartlinger – 85th min

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The Startelf for the national team of GERMANY pauses a moment for the traditional team photography just ahead of the FIFA World Cup, Group 3 qualification match with Austria at the sold-out Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna :

back row (left to right) — Badstuber, Neuer, Klose, Kroos, Hummels, Khedira

front row (left to right) — capt Lahm, Schmelzer, Mueller, Reus, Oezil
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GERMANY
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goal — Manuel NEUER (Bayern Munich / 33 caps)

defense — Philipp LAHM (Bayern Munich / 93 caps, 5 go), Mats HUMMELS (Borussia Dortmund / 22 caps, 1 go), Holger BADSTUBER (Bayern Munich / 28 caps, 1 go), Marcel SCHMELZER (Borussia Dortmund / 8 caps, 0 go)

def midfield — Toni KROOS (Bayern Munich / 32 caps, 2 go), Sami KHEDIRA (Real Madrid – Spa / 35 caps, 2 go)

att midfield — Thomas MUELLER (Bayern Munich / 35 caps, 10 go), Mesut OEZIL (Real Madrid – Spa / 41 caps, 12 go), Marco REUS (Borussia Dortmund / 11 caps, 3 go)

striker — Miroslav KLOSE (SS Lazio Rome – Ita / 124 caps, 64 go)

substitutes
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MF – Mario GOETZE (Borussia Dortmund / 18 caps, 3 go)
for Reus – 46th min
MF – Lukas PODOLSKI (FC Arsenal – Eng / 103 caps, 44 go)
for Klose – 75th min

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Austria v Germany : Never Very Much Of A Border Battle

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West Germany striker KARL-HEINZ RUMMENIGGE of Bayern Munich attempts to avoid the challenge of Austria defender HERIBERT WEBER (19) of SK Rapid Vienna while Austria defender JOSEF DEGEORGI (4) of FC Admira Wacker Vienna and West Germany striker HORST HRUBESCH (9) of SV Hamburg watch during the important 1982 FIFA World Cup, Group 2 match at the Estadio Municipal El Molinon stadion in Gijon, Spain.
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The neighboring Alpine nations of AUSTRIA and GERMANY will meet for the 38th time in football history this Tuesday as the qualification matches for the 2014 FIFA World Cup to be hosted by Brazil continue to unfold as evidenced by Group 3 encounter at the Ernst Happel Stadion (the old Praterstadion) in the cultured city of Vienna.

Although many top Austrians players have always and certainly continue to ply their trade professionally on the other side of the border with Germany, the football “rivalry” between the two countries that speak a common language has been rather one-sided, to be polite, for the last 80 years or so.

Austria had been in charge with six victories in the first nine matches of a series which had originated in 1908 but the large 5-0 triumph over Germany on the strength of a hat trick from the legendary MATTHIAS SINDELAR in front of 50,000 spectators at the old Praterstadion in Vienna on September 14, 1931, marked the end of the positive era from the Austrian perspective.

Germany defeated Austria 3-2 to claim third place at the 1934 FIFA World Cup hosted by Italy in the only other meeting before the notorious Anschluss four years later and has not looked back on the football pitch ever since. Indeed, the dominant Germans have won 21 and while losing just twice in the last 28 official international matches with their Austrian counterparts. Germany have not lost since its reunification while it was back in 1986 that Austria last triumphed in this always-interesting border battle.

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No fewer than nine of Austria’s 23-man squad for the World Cup qualifier with Germany are currently employed by German Bundesliga clubs. Many are expected to appear in the Startelf for trainer MARCEL KOLLER, the long-time Grasshopper Club Zurich midfielder who earned 56 caps (three goals) for Switzerland in his playing career. Goalkeeper ROBERT ALMER (forever the old Pink Panther of Vienna Derby fame here at this blog) of newly-promoted Fortuna Duesseldorf is slated to start between the sticks with left back CHRISTIAN FUCHS of Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen as well as central defenders EMANUEL POGATETZ of Vfl Wolfsburg and SEBASTIAN PRODL of Werder Bremen all featuring on the backline for Austria.

Both Fuchs and Pogatetz are among two of the most experienced players on Koller’s squad having accumulated 48 international caps each.

The midfield of Oesterreich could see many faces familiar to German Bundesliga fans including winger MARTIN HARNIK of Vfb Stuttgart, who tallied 17 times in the German top flight last term and only just last week scored a spectacular goal with a superb volley against traditional giant Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. Also in the center of the park there is the FSV 05 Mainz pair of JULIAN BAUMGARTLINGER and seasoned ANDREAS IVANSCHITZ, the 28-year-old with 56 caps (10 goals) who netted a penalty in Austria’s last international match, the 2-0 triumph over Turkey in mid-August. Werder Bremen midfielder ZLATKO JUNUZOVIC could very well come off the bench, as well.

Striker MARKO ARNAUTOVIC, the 23-year-old who has totaled nine goals in 46 Bundesliga games for Werder Bremen all told since transferring from Italian Serie A side Inter Milan in the summer of 2010, will begin up front for Austria.

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West Germany striker HORST HRUBESCH is closely watched by Austria sweeper BRUNO PEZZEY (5) of German club Eintracht Frankfurt, the stalwart defender who won the old UEFA Cup title with the Hessians in 1980 and ultimately made 255 Bundesliga appearances in his career including later time spent with Werder Bremen, during the crucial 1982 FIFA World Cup, Group 2 match at the Stadio Municipal El Mulinon in Gijon, Spain.
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The recently well-traveled MARC JANKO of Turkish side AS Trabzonspor, now with his fourth club in as many seasons, will, most likely, partner Arnautovic in the Austrian attack up front. The 29-year-old had been sold by Dutch club FC Twente Enschede to Portguese giant FC Porto for a transfer fee of 5.5 million Euros last winter. But after scoring four goals in 10 league matches for the eventual Portuguese champions last spring, Janko (27 caps, 11 goals) was again transferred this summer for the cut rate of 2.4 million Euros.

The Austrians definitely miss the services of the incapacitated DAVID ALABA, the extremely versatile 20-year-old who had enjoyed such a breakout season in the German Bundesliga for historical powerhouse Bayern Munich and settled into the left back position so nicely last term.

Another valuable Austria international injured most recently is PAUL SCHARNER (40 caps), the flexible, 32-year-old defender/midfielder who just moved this summer to German Bundesliga club SV Hamburg after seven seasons in the English Premier League with Wigan Athletic and West Bromwich Albion.

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West Germany striker HORST HRUBESCH (9), the aerial specialist who had netted the match-winner against Belgium in the Final of the 1980 UEFA European Championships two years earlier, celebrates his early header hammered effectively past Austria goalkeeper FRIEDL KONCILIA (1) of FK Austria Vienna in only the 10th minute of the pivotal 1982 FIFA World Cup, Group 2 match at the Estadio Municipal El Mulinon in Gijon, Spain.

Praterstadion Ist Jetzt Ernst Happel Stadion

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The old PRATERSTADION, located in the Leopoldstadt district of the Austrian capital city of Vienna, was originally opened in 1931 and had already undergone several major renovation projects when another significant change arrived in the early 1990s.

Upon the passing of a legendary figure in the history of Austrian football, local city government officials in Vienna, who are charged with the care and operation of the old Praterstadion, had the home arena of the national team renamed in honor of ERNST HAPPEL.

An outstanding international defender in his playing days for Austria, Happel later became a highly-successful manager and won domestic championships in no fewer than four different countries. The native of Vienna also earned lasting fame by becoming the first man ever to lead two different squads to the coveted and prestigous title of European Cup champions. Happel, who also guided Holland to the Final of the 1978 FIFA World Cup against the host nation in Argentina, was the manager of Austria at the time of his death from lung cancer at the age of 66 in November of 1992.

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Complete with the new roof installed in the mid-1980s to cover the spectators and having made the transition to the modern, all-seater football stadium, the ERNST HAPPEL STADION had already hosted the Final of the European Cup on four occasions (1964, 1987, 1990 and 1995) when selected to be the showcase venue for Austria and the site for the Final at the 2008 European Championships.

This prompted even further upgrades to the stadium by now over 70 years old. Inside the arena, the pitch was equipped with a heating system underneath the playing surface during the summer of 2005. Outside the athletic facility, a major project was completed in May of 2008 to connect the Ernst Happel Stadion with the Vienna U-Bahn, the city’s underground railway system.

In all, the newest improvements to what was already one of the continent’s premier football stadiums ahead of the staging of the 2008 European Championships came at a reported cost of nearly 40.0 million Euros.

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FINALS contested at the PRATERSTADION / ERNST HAPPEL STADION
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1964 European Cup Final ———————— Inter Milan 3 – Real Madrid 1
1970 European Cup Winners Cup ———– Manchester City 2 – Gornik Zabrze 1
1987 Euroepan Cup Final ———————— FC Porto 2 – Bayern Munich 1
1990 European Cup Final ———————— AC Milan 1 – Benfica Lisbon 0
1994 UEFA Cup Final (first leg) ————– Inter Milan 1 – Austria Salzburg 0
1995 European Cup Final ———————— Ajax Amsterdam 1 – AC Milan 0
2008 European Championships Final —— Spain 1 – Germany 0

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(livesoccertv.com)
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The ERNST HAPPEL STADION, which has an official capacity of 50,000 spectators, is easily the largest football arena in Austria.

The stadium serves as home of the Austria national team and is also the site of the annual Final of the Oesterreichischer Fussball Bund Pokal, the domestic Cup competition.

Because their own home grounds are considered to be too small to host UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League matches at the group stage and beyond, both FK Austria Vienna and SK Rapid Vienna stage their European fixtures at the old Praterstadion.

Occasionally, the great Vienna Derby is held at the Ernst Happel Stadion, as well.

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An aerial view of the ERNST HAPPEL STADION in the Leopoldstadt district of the Austrian capital city Vienna taken during the Final of the 2008 European Championships contested between Germany and Spain. (AP photo)

Ernst Happel – Austrian Hero

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Austria defender ERNST HAPPEL of SK Rapid Vienna (left) sticks in a boot to tackle the ball away from an attacking player of host nation Switzerland during the 1954 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal match at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise in Lausanne. (DPA photo)
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Well before the world had ever heard of Portugal’s masterful JOSE MOURINHO, he was recognized as the planet’s premier factory manager. Indeed, no matter where this brilliant Austrian trainer pitched his tent across the continent throughout his extraordinary career, important football championships were sure to go into immediate production. The first manager to steer two different clubs to European Cup glory, he was, of course, the incomparable ERNST HAPPEL.

Unlike Mourinho, the current leader of Real Madrid looking to lift the European Cup in the UEFA Champions League this season for a third different football club, the legendary Happel had a standout career as an international player before joining the ranks of management.

Happel broke into the ranks of the first team for SK Rapid Vienna at the age of 17 and spent the next dozen seasons at the heart of the defense for die Gruen-Weissen. The Vienna native earned his first cap for Austria against Hungary in 1947 and represented his country at the 1948 XIV Summer Olympic Games in London, England. Having captured a fifth Austrian championship with Rapid to conclude the 1953-54 campaign, Happel moved to France to join Racing Club de Paris.

But not before helping Austria to a credible 3rd place finish at the 1954 FIFA World Cup in Switzerland.

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At the airport upon returning from Greece, West Germany World Cup striker HORST HRUBESCH (left) and Austrian manager ERNST HAPPEL proudly show off the spoils won by Bundesliga side SV Hamburg from the 1-0 conquest of Italian club FC Juventus of Turin in the Final of the 1983 European Cup at Athens’ Olympic Stadium. (uefa.com/getty images)
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After two seasons and nine goals in 42 games of French football for Racing Club de Paris, Happel returned home to finish his career with SK Rapid Vienna. One last Austrian domestic title with the Green-Whites was achieved in 1957 while another appearance at the FIFA World Cup final tournament followed a year later in Sweden. Over the course of his career, Happel earned 51 caps and scored five goals for Austria.

The accomplished international defender retired at the end of the 1958-59 campaign after 25 goals in 240 league games for Rapid Vienna.

Happel remained with Rapid Vienna as an assistant coach and helped the club to the Austrian championships in 1960 and the OFB Pokal the next season before departing for ADO Den Haag in the Netherlands to begin a remarkable career as head trainer.

Happel’s first trophy came in 1968 with the KNVB Cup for ADO Den Haag. The very next year, the Austrian manager directed Feyenoord Rotterdam to the Dutch league and Cup double. On the heels of that, Feyenoord captured the most coveted prize of all, the European Cup, in 1970.

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ERNST HAPPEL
trainer resume
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1962/68 —— ADO Den Haag (Holland)
1968/73 —— Feyenoord Rotterdam (Holland)
1973/75 —— FC Sevilla (Spain)
1975/78 —— KV Club Bruges (Belgium)
1978 ———— HOLLAND national team
1978/79 —— KRC Harelbeke (Belgium)
1979/81 —— Standard Liege (Belgium)
1981/87 —— SV Hamburg (West Germany)
1987/91 —— FC Swarovski Tirol (Austria)
1991/92 —— AUSTRIA national team

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ERNST HAPPEL
honors won
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ADO DEN HAAG ——- 1968 Dutch Cup

FEYENOORD ROTTERDAM —— 1969, 1971 Dutch Eredivisie ; 1969 Dutch Cup ; 1970 European Cup ; 1970 Intercontinental Cup

CLUB BRUGES — 1976, 1977, 1978 Belgian League ; 1977 Belgian Cup

SV HAMBURG — 1982, 1983 West German Bundesliga ; 1983 European Cup ; 1987 West German Cup

FC SWAROVSKI TIROL — 1989, 1990 Austrian Bundesliga ; 1989 Austrian Cup

Neues Praterstadion : Spectator Cover

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Beginning in 1984, the venerable Praterstadion in the Austrian capital city of Vienna underwent a third major renovation since the conclusion of the Second World War.

The classic, bowl-shaped arena, which until the mid-1960s could accomodate an excess of 90,000 spectators, started its transformation to a modern “all-seater” football stadium with the last of the standing room sections being removed; once again, the capacity was reduced, this time to an official figure of 50,000.

Most significantly, the entire spectator area was covered with a massive elliptical roof.

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The new roof installed in the mid-1980s certainly changed the look of the Praterstadion, if not the feel inside for the spectators — particularly when matches are staged during inclement weather.

As the photo below indicates, the covering certainly came in handy for supporters this season during the wintry conditions that dominated the UEFA Europa League match between SK Rapid Vienna and visiting Portguese side FC Porto in early December.

Also included with the new roof was a totally new lighting system, long gone were the days of the old floodlights on giant masts.

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(Hal Incandenza)
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As was the case when the Praterstadion originally opened fifty-five years earlier, a match with the most natural rival of the Austria national team was sought to re-dedicate the stadium.

West Germany, who had reached the Final of the FIFA World Cup in Mexico that summer, was invited to play at the upgraded arena in late October of 1986.

Backed by a brace each from FK Austria Vienna striker TONI POLSTER and SK Rapid Vienna midfielder REINHARD KIENAST, the suitably inspired Austrians triumphed 4-1 with all the goals coming within a twenty-minute span during the middle of the second half.

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(Robert Jaeger/APA)

Holiday Viennese Stadia Tour

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WIENER STAATSOPER (likelyimpossibilities.blogspot.com photo)
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Perhaps it is all rather appropriate, then, to have a stadium tour of this time of year in the Austrian capital city of VIENNA (WIEN).

One of the outstanding features of the Holiday Season is all the fantastic Christmas music about on offer, contemporary or classical. Of course, Vienna is a historical city with a long tradition and culture involving the theatre, opera as well as classical music. It is home to world-renowned venues such as the BURGTHEATER, the STAATSOPER and the WIENER MUSIKVEREIN — places where the famous works of Austrian legends such as WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART and JOHANN STRAUSS feature prominently on a routine basis.

Much like the members of an orchestra, talented individuals on a football team must operate in concert. A wonderfully skillled and creative player such as the German sweeper FRANZ BECKENBAUER is often referred to as a virtuoso. The football arena, naturally, would be the grand opera house or, perhaps, concert hall — site of performances that stir the soul and energize the spirit.

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The blog is not entirely sure exactly how many of these boys grew up to become goalkeepers for the national team of Austria, nevertheless…

Holiday Viennese Stadia Tour – Scheduled Stops

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(Martin Ortner photo)
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All aboard…the schedule of stops for the Holiday Viennese Stadia Tour hosted by the blog will be as follows :

ERNST HAPPEL STADION — opened 1931 — Austria national team — capacity 53,008
(former Praterstadion)

FRITZ HORR STADION — opened 1925 — FK Austria Vienna — capacity 13,400
(now Generali Arena)

GERHARD HANAPPI STADION — opened 1977 — SK Rapid Vienna — capacity 18,500

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A shot from inside the snowy Praterstadion taken during the recent UEFA Europa League match featuring SK Rapid Vienna and visiting Portuguese side FC Porto from this past December 2 in the Leopoldstadt district of the Austrian capital city of Vienna. (rapidhammer.footballunited.com)

Altes Praterstadion – Early History

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A view of the still uncovered Praterstadion, circa 1968, in the Austrian capital city of Vienna; although the foundation had first been laid forty years earlier in 1928, by this time, four years after hosting its first European Cup Final in 1964, the Leopoldstadt district football arena had already undergone two major renovations. (DPA photo)
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Ever since its construction, the PRATERSTADION — now known as the ERNST HAPPEL STADION — situated in the Leopoldstadt district of the Austrian capital city of Vienna has always been among the premier sporting arenas in all of Europe, if not the world.

The ground-breaking ceremony in November of 1928 was timed to conicide with the 10th Anniversary of the fledgling Republic of Austria. The athletic complex, designed by German architect OTTO ERNST SCHWEIZER, was completed in 23 months with the goal of hosting the second Workers’ Olympiad and included a velodrome as well as the Stadionbad with the largest swimming pool on the continent. Upon opening and completion of its first major event, the facility was hailed as one of the most magnificent and modern in all of Europe.

The Praterstadion was originally built to accomodate a capacity crowd of 60,000 spectators with the first ever football match being a contest between the Workers’ Selects of Vienna battling the Workers’ Selects of Lower Austria on July 11, 1931.

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(stadiumguide.com)
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The inaugural international football match will always command a special place in the history of Austrian football.

The early 1930s marked the era of the so-called “WUNDERTEAM” loaded with star players such as the “Mozart of Football”, captain MATTHIAS SINDELAR. Austria, managed by HUGO MEISL, were in the midst of an impressive 14-game unbeaten streak and had recently handed Scotland its first-ever defeat on the continent of Europe. A meeting with Austria’s most natural rival was arranged for the national team’s first-ever match at the Praterstadion.

On September 13, 1931, neighboring Germany arrived at Vienna’s newest stadium and were dutifully plastered 5-0 in front of a delighted audience of 50,000 fans.

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(OFB/wien.gv.at)

Sinister Past Of Altes Praterstadion

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(docomomo.at)
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The regular readership has already noted that the old PRATERSTADION, since renamed after the famous Austrian player and manager Ernst Happel, was the venue where the last-ever World Cup hopes of East Germany died thanks to three goals from Austria international striker TONI POLSTER.

No proper stadium tour / history would be complete without a visit to the VIP section at the old Praterstadion, which was originally completed in 1931.

Austria was, of course, annexed by Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany after the infamous Anschluss in 1938. The Praterstadion was commandeered by the Nazis and used for military purposes starting shortly thereafter. On the orders of the notorious and despised SS-Obergruppenfuehrer REINHARD HEYDRICH, the arena was also used more a most sinister purpose.

In the wake of the infamous BLITZKRIEG of POLAND, for three days beginning on September 11, 1939 — just two days short of the eighth anniversary of the Praterstadion’s first-ever international football match between Austria and Germany — the stadium was used as a detention center for the well-over one thousand Polish Jews rounded up by the SS during the invasion. Beneath the grandstands, in the corridors beneath Section B, the prisoners awaited an even more disastrous and undeserved fate. Soon, another group of almost 500 “racial detainees” were transferred from the Natural History Museum in Vienna to the Praterstadion.

On September 30, 1939, just over one thousand people were sent on to the BUCHENWALD concentration camp. Reportedly, of all those temporarily held at the Praterstadion, exactly 70 of the prisoners were ever eventually released. The rest were dispersed throughout the Nazi death camp system.

The VIP section at the ERNST HAPPEL STADION hosts a memorial plaque to honor the victims and shame the perpetrators.

Altes Praterstadion : Attendance Record For Ages

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The Austrian newspapers NEUES OESTERREICH, WELT AM MONTAG and EXPRESS celebrate the national football team of Austria’s decisive 3-0 defeat of visiting Spain the day after the record-setting friendly international match at the Praterstadion in Vienna. (buecher-ernst.com)
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The Praterstadion was used consistently throughout the war for military purposes by the Nazis. Among the arena’s other functions included soldiers’ barracks, staff headquarters for strategic planning, supply depot and even, sadly, detention center. As a result of this usage, the athletic facility was targeted and bombed repeatedly as part of the Allies’ overall air campaign against the Nazi war machine.

After suffering extensive damage from the aerial onslaught, the football ground was completely renovated and, by 1956, significantly enlarged to allow for more spectators than the original construction figure of 60,000. At this time, four giant masts for floodlighting were installed, as well. Capacity-wise, the Praterstadion now stood in the company of Europe’s other giant football grounds of the era such as London’s Wembley Stadium, Madrid’s Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Moscow’s Grand Arena of the Central Lenin Stadium or Leipzig’s Zentralstadion.

In the mid-1960s, another renovation project which converted standing-room area into conventional seating took the arena’s overall capacity back down to 72,200 — but not before a milestone that can never be broken was reached.

On October 30, 1960, an enthusiastic crowd of 90,762 showed up at the Praterstadion to take in the international friendly involving the highly-regarded visitors from Spain including the legendary goal-scorer ALFREDO DI STEFANO of Real Madrid.

Perhaps inspired by the show of partisan support in the capital city, Austria, skippered by midfielder GERHARD HANAPPI of SK Rapid Vienna, triumph 3-0 in the memorable match.