Controversy at the firefighter competition - Distance issues within the association
In Torgau, northern Saxony, the German Firefighting Championships are currently underway, with over 600 firefighters competing in various disciplines such as a 100-meter obstacle run and a "wet extinguishing attack." However, the opening ceremony was overshadowed by a controversy involving the playing of the controversial first stanza of the German national anthem instead of the national anthem's third stanza.
The first stanza, which starts with “Germany, Germany above all” ("Deutschland, Deutschland über alles"), has historically been associated with Nazi Germany and is often exploited by far-right groups. Although not legally banned, it is no longer used officially since post-World War II Germany adopted only the third stanza as the national anthem, emphasizing “Unity and justice and freedom” to reflect democratic values.
The German Firefighting Association, which stands for democratic values and does not support ideologies that do not align with the free and democratic basic order, has distanced themselves from the incident. Hermann Schreck, Vice President of the German Fire Service Association, publicly stated that ideas contrary to the democratic constitutional order have no place in their ranks.
The individual responsible for the incident was immediately relieved of their honorary functions in the German Firefighting Association. The association reaffirmed their commitment to democratic values and their opposition to any ideologies that do not align with them.
The misuse of the original German national anthem for propaganda by the Nazis has made the first stanza a sensitive and controversial topic in modern Germany. It is worth noting that the other stanzas of the original German national anthem are not banned.
Despite the controversy, the competitions continue, with teams fighting for a chance to qualify for the international competitions of the World Firefighting Association. The Hammer Sport Club is one of the teams on its way to the German Championship title.
In a separate incident, the Hamm Police is expanding video surveillance around the train station in Hamm, following a decline in visitors to the city's public baths in July.
References: [1] German Firefighting Association statement on the incident. [2] Hermann Schreck's public statement distancing the association from the incident. [3] News reports on the controversy by German media.
Sports analysts are speculating whether the controversy over the playing of the first stanza of the German national anthem at the German Firefighting Championships could impact the Hammer Sport Club's performance in competitive sports-analysis, as their vice president was involved in the incident. Meanwhile, the Hamm Police are focusing on increasing video surveillance around the train station to boost the city's public baths attendance, shifting attention from the sports world to crime-prevention measures in the city.
