Salute! The Inside Story of England’s Own Goal at Berlin’s Olympiastadion by John Leonard

03/07/2024  -  3.13

Book Review by Alex Alexandrou

For many years I have been intrigued by the Nazi salute given by the England players prior to their international friendly against Germany, in Berlin, in 1938. So, I really welcome this well-researched, thought out and structured book, that the author John Leonard has clearly put much time and effort into. 

I would argue it is a major addition to the football and war literature. Its significance lays not only in dealing with this particular match and the salute but outlining firstly, its context in terms of the rise of Fascism and Nazism in the 1930s and secondly, how the totalitarian regimes in Italy and Germany utilised football through policies and propaganda to enhance and entrench their ideologies and regimes at home and abroad. 

The author contextualizes this story from football, political and class perspectives that give the reader a nuanced and rounded understanding of the wider picture of the salute. This leads to the lessons that need to be learned from this event and how major international and national football administrators and leaders need to be aware of them in current times. Particularly, as one key message from this account is that despite the protestations of senior leaders at FIFA, UEFA and the Football Association, that there is no place in football for politics, this book and subsequent major footballing and sporting events disprove them.

The beauty of this book is how John Leonard builds the foundations of the story leading to the 1938 salute, weaving many thematic threads that show this was not a one-off event but was the culmination of many footballing and political actions and decisions. 

The reader can identify the antecedents of the salute in relation to a number of England international matches against Italy and Germany; British football club tours; and the British government’s appeasement policy supported by both its senior diplomats and the Football Association.

These are detailed firstly, in the three matches against Italy in 1933 (where England’s players first gave a Fascist salute); the 1935 match dubbed “The Battle of Highbury” that can be regarded as ideologically driven; and with war looming, the 1939 match in Milan which once again witnessed England players giving a Fascist salute. 

Secondly, friendly matches played by clubs such as Aston Villa and Derby County with interesting actions taken by some players that had diplomatic implications. 

Thirdly, the 1935 match between England and Germany played at White Hart Lane, which was a huge propaganda coup for the Nazi regime in terms of the symbolism of where the match was played, the Nazi flag flying over the stadium, the huge number of German fans attending, Nazi salutes and a visit to the Cenotaph by Nazi officials. This, despite protestations from many quarters which were brushed aside in a “non-political” manner by senior government ministers and Football Association officials.

Fourthly, against the sporting backdrop of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, the 1934 and 1938 World Cups to a lesser extent; and from a military and political perspective, in terms of Nazi Germany preparing and planning for war.

Finally, to the infamous match at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, where John Leonard shines a light on the British political establishment’s appeasement policy in full flow, notably in relation to the actions of Lord Halifax, the Foreign Secretary and Sir Neville Henderson, the British Ambassador to Berlin; the manner in which senior Football Association officials such as Charles Wreford-Brown cow-towed to the politicians and diplomats in terms of effectively ordering the players to give the salute; the impossible position the England captain, Eddie Hapgood and his fellow players were placed in, which brings to the fore the issue of class and subservience in both football and society at the time.

Whilst contextualizing the infamous salute from a diplomatic and political perspective, the author manages to provide the reader with informative descriptions of not only the match in Berlin but all the key matches covered in the book, that gives a fascinating insight into the major players of the time and the manner of how football was played in this period.

Significantly, John Leonard deals with the much-argued topic of Stan Cullis, in relation to the match and the salute. It has been argued he refused to give the Nazi salute and was in effect dropped for the match. The author’s analysis, insights and conclusions are well worth reading and noting, as a very different story emerges.

The author quite rightly highlights the plight of German-Jewish citizens from a political, societal, sporting and footballing perspective under the Nazi regime. Out of this comes a true account that leads to a form of redemption and the saving of a life that otherwise would have been persecuted and extinguished. It is the story of Rolf Friedland, a German-Jewish football fan who was helped to freedom by the England defender, Bert Sprotson, who had played in the infamous match.

Without doubt this is a fascinating account that will enhance the knowledge and understanding of one of the most famous and symbolic sporting salutes.

The book is published by Pitch Publishing and is available through the publisher’s store on Amazon - £14.15, hardback, £9.99, Kindle, 256 pages.

Alex Alexandrou is the Co-founder and Chair of the Football and War Network