Hitting the Books
October 27, 2007
Reacting to the political uproar caused by the recent withdrawal of Ashkan Dejagah from a game against Israel, DFB President Theo Zwanziger suggested in an interview this week that youngsters wanting to play for Germany needed to brush up their knowledge of the country's history.
"We must have an intellectual discussion with every boy and girl who comes to us… about what Germany is," Zwanziger told the online version of Die Welt newspaper.
"Those who play for Germany must know their history. We need to fill gaps in their knowledge, particularly for players with immigrant backgrounds," he said.
Zwanziger added that DFB sports director Matthias Sammer and senior team manager Oliver Bierhoff were preparing an education program with emphasis on Germany's sensitive history.
Withdrawal sparked criticism
The comments come after Iran-born Dejagah's withdrawal from a European Championship qualifier against Israel for "personal reasons" prompted calls from Jewish groups and some politicians for the player to be excluded from the national soccer under-21 team.
Good ties with Israel are central to Germany's foreign policy given the country's Nazi past and the Holocaust in which some six million Jews were murdered.
The Central Council of the Jews in Germany responded with indignation to Dejagah's decision.
"It is inconceivable and impossible that a national player initiates his own private Jewish boycott," Vice-President Dieter Graumann told German magazine Der Spiegel's online portal. "It would be scandalous if the DFB does not take action."
Dejagah to play against Israel next year
Dejagah, who plays for Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg, was born in Tehran but later moved to Germany with his parents. He holds both German and Iranian passports.
"I have more Iranian than German blood in my veins," Dejagah was quoted as saying at the time. "That should be respected, and besides I'm doing this out of respect. My parents are Iranian."
Dejagah later apologized for his comment and said he was misunderstood. Dejagah has said he would play against Israel when the team visits in September of next year for the return leg in qualifying for the European Championships.
Last week Zwanziger said Dejagah had requested not to play against Israel out of concern for family members still in Iran and that he would retain his place on the national team.
Iran has refused to recognize Israel's right to exist since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and Iranian citizens are forbidden to travel to Israel. Those who do have to face tough punishments that can include several years in jail.