Will Euro 2024 give Germany another summer fairy tale? – BBC News

In front of the town hall in the historic center of Munich, a moving rendition of the national anthem rings out.

It is a musical spectacle that elicits a crescendo of warm applause among the intrigued Bavarians who have stopped to enjoy it.

But the solitary musician is not German. He is Scottish. And his instrument is a bagpipe.

Indeed, you might be hard-pressed to find a German entirely happy to perform their own anthem in this way. Brash or impromptu displays of melodious public patriotism are not very German.

However, this melodic interlude perfectly captures the way in which visiting football fans energize and give momentum to their hosts who, until now, have seemed somewhat apathetic towards the party they are about to throw this summer.

Researchers attribute it to a combination of eight years without a round of 16 victory in an international tournament for the men’s team, high ticket prices and broader national unease.

German politics are increasingly fragmented and divisive, with clashes within the coalition government, and economic growth is sluggish at best.

What the country really needs is another “Sommermärchen”, a summer fairy tale.

It’s the label that was affectionately bestowed in the summer of 2006, when Germany hosted the men’s World Cup.

While today most Germans would still raise an eyebrow at an impromptu performance of their anthem in the street, 2006 was remarkable in that fans waved flags with carefree joy.

Previously, many felt deeply uncomfortable displaying the national colors – a legacy of the country’s troubled 20th century.

The home team were knocked out in the semi-finals 18 years ago, but not before capturing the public imagination. This, in turn, presented the world with a united, colorful and more confident country.

“Everyone is hoping for a Sommermärchen 2.0 with the return of the good humor of 2006 in 2024, but I am skeptical,” says renowned football journalist Philipp Köster.

He identifies a number of reasons why he feels this way.

“It’s a different situation, we have the war in Ukraine, we just went through the pandemic, society is torn apart, people don’t know which direction to take.”

Germany’s three-party ruling coalition, which took power in 2021, has passed key laws, but perpetual bickering has made it unpopular.

At the same time, the AfD, a far-right anti-immigration party, has gained ground and achieved unprecedented success, coming second in last weekend’s elections to the European Parliament.

“It will be interesting to see if this tournament brings people together, turns them into good hosts and maybe finds direction themselves,” says Philipp Köster.

The football club ESV Freimann, north of Munich, offers many possibilities.

This comes from the legions of volunteer coaches who vocally encourage the dozens of young players who train on impeccably maintained turf.

Over 300 children play here every week with 18 teams in total. The women’s side is currently the most successful.

If the appetite for Euro 2024 is lacking among many German adults, teenagers here are bucking the trend. They revel in the prospect of being guests.

“I think it will bring people together because it’s something we share as a community because so many people love football,” says 14-year-old Samuel.

But he doesn’t think Germany is good enough to win the tournament.

It’s a view shared by teammate Ryan, although he predicts the impact of a home win would be huge.

“If the Germans win, then a lot more people will play the game and that’s a really good thing. But I can’t believe all this is happening where I live.

For national organizers, the safety and security of all supporters is the number one priority.

Euro 2024 takes place at a time of heightened international tension, due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and renewed conflict in the Middle East.

Outside police headquarters in central Munich, I meet Deputy Commissioner Michael Dibowski.

From his base here, he will command operations around the six matches taking place in the city next month.

He says his goal is to make sure every fan has as much fun as possible, but his team prepares for every type of threat you might expect at such a prestigious event.

“Over the past few weeks, we have received messages from the Islamic State on social media,” he says.

“We have checked these messages but we do not expect any concrete danger. Someone may be motivated by this position, so we need to be there, present and prepared.

Germany has recently seen a number of politically motivated attacks.

Earlier this month, a police officer was stabbed to death in Mannheim, in the southwest of the country, while a far-right rally was taking place.

While much of the preparation has so far taken place away from the public eye, it may be understandable to some extent that collective enthusiasm is not yet at its peak.

And it’s worth remembering that heading into the golden summer of 2006 in Germany, there wasn’t much overt public enthusiasm for the tournament.

Then the action began and the fairy tale was written.

Veteran journalist Philipp Köster believes that the potential power of this game should never be in doubt.

“If there is something that can bring Germany and the people here together, it’s football,” he says.

“The last great campfire in the country, where people can feel at home regardless of their political or religious differences.”

According to him, it is crucial that Germany succeeds, but that is not everything.

“Naturally, we want to be good hosts. When 100,000 Scots, English, Dutch, Spanish and Italians arrive here, we don’t want to be the bitter Germans. “It’s a good opportunity to show Germany’s friendly face.”