Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder – farewell to the favorite opponents – Süddeutsche.de

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Always contentious as president of the German Football Association, the Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart and as a minister in Baden-Württemberg – an obituary.

Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder, it would certainly have liked to see that commends him a leader of the Greens as “authentic character, combative spirit and leading figure in the recent history of the country” and highlights his determined and passionate commitment in politics, culture and sports. But Mayer-Vorfelder has died at the age of 82 years on Monday in Stuttgart, the obituary of the Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann not reached him.

One of the annoyances of human existence, that it is not granted to the deceased to hear the kindnesses and the eulogies that are spread about him posthumously. On the other hand, some would like to probably turn in his grave if he had to experience how the former enemies behave at a time when friends and foes as allies. Mayer-Vorfelder was lucky enough to experience these miraculous changes his reputation during his lifetime. Prime Minister Kretschmann has not concealed in his farewell statement that the politicians Mayer-Vorfelder always “a favorite opponent of the Greens” was – which indeed was reversed – but he could also credibly point out that in the late years of the bitter contrast “a friendly relationship “was born.

When VfB Stuttgart, the Mayer-Vorfelder board since 1975 as president until pronounced him the supervisory board for a quarter of a century the distrust, and the German Football Association, in which he 2001-2006 chaired – partly at the expense of the forced division office with Theo Zwanziger – behaved it quite similar. With its stately management and autocratic Funktionärsattitüde MV had across the country provoked rejection, but when he had vacated its offices in Stuttgart and Frankfurt, there are many missed him because he excelled unlike some of his successors the authentic character. A considerable human greatness speaks to him neither from who knew him closer.

As a conservative politician liked Mayer-Vorfelder, who already with 31 years of personal assistant to the Baden-Württemberg Minister President Hans Filbinger, later Secretary of State, Education, Cultural Affairs and finally was finance minister, regularly frighten the liberal and leftist opposition, including through demonstrative fatherland worship and accordingly daring forays (in the schools the children were day before classes begin, the Germany-song singing). Even as a football man he has caused controversy with bizarre remarks. In the reference books we find, among other things, the statement: “What will become of the Bundesliga when the blonde pull over the Alps and instead these Poles who Furtoks and Lesniaks play?” The nationalist tone should not misunderstand you, a racist MV was certainly not. “Straightforward and decided” now called him the DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach. Manfred Rommel, former Stuttgart OB, composed in honor of his party colleague: “He never falls / Mayer-Vorfelder”. His self-confidence and his power brought him at least a dozen nickname: Mayer-muzzle-slit Meyer-ear fields, Mayer-Vorstopper, Mayer-Dornfelder and many more. It was not always flattering, what he had heard and read about, but mostly MV has the casual endure. He saw himself like a highly resilient and unwavering, one of his mottoes was: “Man is capable of tolerating stress, if he does not lament themselves.” That the man who came on March 3, 1933 Mannheim to the world, so to speak, under the banner of Schnapszahl, openly a significant Trinkfestigkeit were attested, because he was involved through its own image-building. Not without pride, he has let stand the. Only later he went legally before against a satire that it too far drove showing his preference to Württemberg plants.

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When VfB Stuttgart Mayer-Vorfelder was renamed recently as honorary president. That was not necessarily foreseen as 2000 he resigned his office. The association, which he had dominated for so long, was in financial difficulties, and many prefer remembered the mistakes as to the merits of the President. The dismissal of Joachim Löw as he then Winfried Schäfer replaced single-handedly, although the Karlsruhe as a longtime coach of Baden rivals SC was a persona non grata in the Swabian kingdom. “MV was not often deviated,” says one of his colleagues at the time, “but if, then right.” Shepherd, Egon Coordes, Otto Baric, some mistake underwent the president.

But there were also many great friendships from the VfB-years out, with Jurgen Klinsmann about, he made the team manager of the national team and its edgy Course he defended against critics in the federation and in the league. Jogi Löw also represented a high opinion of the man who once put him in Stuttgart before the door. Late in life came Mayer-Vorfelder then still to national honor. It was not the fear of the Lesniaks and Furtoks but the misbegotten Euro 2000, which made him take as DFB boss the initiative to build a comprehensive, expensive youth system. In the 2014 World Cup began with its funding supported the national team ever controversial MV an unequivocal monument.