The Germans are a different outfit from the team beaten by England in last years Euro Rd of 16 match. After losing at Wembley last June 'Der Mannschaft' have strung together 8 consecutive wins before drawing with the Netherlands 1:1. Key players are Maneul Neuer, Antonio Rudiger and Kai Havertz. The German manager is Hansi Flik, who after leading Bayern Munich to victory in the European Champions League in 2020, took on the national team and remains undefeated after 10 games (8 wins and 2 draws).
Germany v England always has a special place in the hearts of both sets of supporters and first trip to Munich since England's epic 5:1 victory in 2001. So there was no surprise that the demand for EF tickets outstripped supply. The FA had been allocated 3,446 tickets and a total of 7364 members had applied. The cap cut off to guarantee a ticket was 26 but many got tickets in the home end, after all it was well advertised on the official FB site so why not!
Bakayo Saka on the front page. A real talent for Arsenal but he divides opinion amongst the England faithful because despite constant under performing he remains one of Gareth's favourites - who can ever forget that penalty miss. Maybe it is personal as the manager reflects on his own penalty taking demons.
The Allianz Arena is a fabulous modern stadium with a capacity of 75,000. It is a bit out of town so you need to take the U-bahn on the U6 (dark blue) line from Marienplatz to Frottmaning. The EF travelling fans were located in the top tier of SE curve in blocks 339-347. The view was outstanding.
Day 1 - Arrival at the Holiday Inn in Munich City centre, courtesy of Sue's membership we managed to check in early doors and head down the town. Mission on: Hofbrauhaus for lunch.
Walking into central Munich we come to the Isartor which is one of the four main medieval gates of Munich and the most easterly.
The Neues Rathaus dominates Marienplatz and is famous for its glockenspiel which entertains the crowds with its chimes at 11, 12 and 5pm (in the summer)
The Hofbrauhaus is the most famous beer hall in the world, it was founded in 1589 by the Duke of Bavaria and has featured regularly in main events throughout history.
On 24 Feb 1920 Adolf Hitler announced the official programme of the Nazi Party to around 2000 people here.
But today the lunchtime mission is accomplished as the first beer is already gliding down the hatch just after midday. "Danke meine Super Kellnerin"
Zweimal maß bitte😎
A maß is equivalent to a litre, so its all downhill from here
The Oompah Band
Under the canopy of the chestnut tree is the famous Lion Fountain in the Beer garden
The majestic hall on the 2nd floor
The flag of city depicting the symbol of the city is the 'Münchner Kindler', or Munich child. München translates from German to "of Monks" because monks were the first inhabitants of the city.
Walking in the footsteps of Adolf Hitler
After our pub lunch we walked to die Frauenkirche, which is the largest Gothic Hall church in Southern Germany and was built between 1468-88.
We climbed the South Tower for the view just a shame that it was through a window. The domes were modelled on the Dome of the rock in Jerusalem.
Sue gets to grips with a Wild Boar in Neuhauser Strasse
The main station in Munich
I convinced Sue that our tour of Munich wouldn't be complete without a visit to the stadium of Munich's other club, TSV 1860 Munich. Die Löwen (the lions) won the Bundesliga in 1966 but are now a lower league outfit and play their home games in Liga 3 at die Grünwalder stadion, just a short hop on the U1 line from Hauptbahnhof to Wettersteinplatz.
After a fairly bland trip to the Grünwalder stadion we managed to find another great beer hall (Zum Augustiner) just minutes before it started hammering down..
On the way home Sue bumped into Johnny Depp and congratulated him on his victory in the defamation trial against Amber Heard
Day 2 - Die Englischer Garten
The only way to travel in the English Garden is by bike. The park has two parts (North and South) and is one of the largest inner city parks in Europe
The gardens are full of young German lovers
Like this pair in search of the perfect shot (a bit weird taking photos of newly weds)😂
The Englischer Garten is also famous for river surfing. The Eisbach is a stretch of water which includes a man made wave connected to the Isar River. Folk come from all over the world to see it and surf it. The best spot is under the bridge by the Haus der Kunst (art museum). It is a fairly dangerous place to swim with 8 people drowning between 2007-17
Surfing the eisbach
The Chinese Tower (Chinesischer Turm) was built in 1790 in an all wooden pagoda style with 5 storeys but was destroyed in WW2. Thankfully it was rebuilt to become the second largest beer garden in Munich with 7000 seats in the self service area and 500 in the serviced area.
Prost!
At the self service area they were selling 'fish on a stick' (Stecklerfisch). Two choices: Mackerel (Makrel) or Salmon Trout (Lachs Forelle). It cost us a fortune but the grilled mackerel was gorgeous
A beer at the See Haus with company
On the way back to the U bahn station at universitat we pass Siegestor (Victory Gate), a famous 19th-century triumphal arch featuring a bronze sculpture of Bavaria with four lions and is dedicated to the glory of the Bavarian army.
Back to Marienplatz and we managed to blag ourselves into the tower of the Neues Rathaus by tail gating a tour which we hadn't paid for. The views of Marienplatz and the Altes Rathaus are sublime.
Die Peterskirche (St Peter's church) is the oldest in Munich and dates back to the 13th century
Marienplatz heading out along Rosenstrasse
The double onion domes of Frauenkirche
Checking in at Franziskaner Fuchsenstuben, a 200 year old pub famous for its meatloaf
The National Theatre and Bavarian State Opera house
Max-Jospeh Platz named after King Maximillian Jospeh (King of Bavaria 1806-25)
Day 3 - Tour of Allianz and Arena and the Rolling Stones
The Allianz Arena is made of 2874 diamond plastic panels made from the polymer ETFE and each panel can be illuminated with multiple colours
The red path leading to the museum and start of the tour
The famous battery that Jurgen Klinsman kicked after being substituted by Bayern coach Giovanni Trapatonni in a game against Freiburg at the Olympic Stadium on 10 May 1997
Every Bayern player gets one of these battery powered Audis
The undisputed champions
When Bayern purchased TSV's 50% share of the stadium and they waited for them to go before adding some colour to the seats
West Stand with 'Bayern Munich'
East Stand with the famous 'Mia San Mia' slogan, a reference to Bavarians making no apologies for who they are.
The South stand known as the Sudkurve is where the various ultra groups stand (Schickeria Munchen, inferno Bavaria, Red Munichs 89 and many more).
Mia San Mia
Herr Hesketh waiting for the team talk
The Englanders have arrived
The stairs to the stadium
Inspired by the tour we prepare the flag for tomorrow night's game
But this evening's entertainment will be a night out at the Olympic Stadium watching the Rolling Stones on the second gig of their European 'Sixty' tour.
The last time England were in Munich, it finished Germany 1 England 5 during a WC Qualifier on 1 Sep 2001
The Olympiastadion und Olympiaturm (Olympic Tower). I first visited this place back in the late 70's, a few years after it had hosted the infamous 72 Olympics which were blighted by the terrorist attack on the Israeli national team by the Palestinian terrorist group - 'Black September'. The attack resulted in 11 Israeli athletes being killed (2 in the athlete's apartment and 9 at Munich Airport after being taken hostage). A German policeman also died as did all 5 terrorists.
After grabbing a beer we just about get into our seats as the Stones start their first set
The earlier rain clouds cleared to reveal a brilliant pink sky
Woa woa!
What a night
Danke München
Day 4 - Dachau Concentration Camp. After a short trip on the S2 we got the local bus to the concentration camp
Of all of the dark places we have visited on our many trips abroad, this is the darkest because it is so well preserved and leaves an overwhelming impression of human evil.
The camp is a terrible example of Germanic efficiency; an effective system designed for mass murder and genocide.
The camp opened in 1933 and was the first of the concentration camps built by the Nazis. It was liberated by the US Army in 1945 and from 45-48 it was used a prison for SS officers awaiting trial.
Parade ground
A memorial stone at the entrance to the crematoriums where the bodies would be incinerated to hide the evidence
The first crematorium had only one furnace installed (summer 1940) but was too small, as the grisly business increased in magnitude
The new crematorium known as 'Barrack X' was built in 1942 and had four furnaces, a gas chamber disguised as a shower bath, disinfection chamber and morgues. Many of the prisoners were executed by being shot at the back of the head at the range behind Barrack X and being hung from the beams in the crematorium
Mrs Yolande Beekman, Miss Madeleine Damerment, Miss Noorunisa Inayat Khan and Mrs Eliane S Plewman of the Special Operations Executive RiP🕯
On 12 Sep 1944 four young women officers of the Special Operations Executive who had been serving with the resistance in France were executed by being shot through the back of the neck. The execution occurred behind Barrack X and the bodies cremated. This plaque commemorating their courageous deed hangs in the crematorium.
The Dachau Memorial designed by the Yugoslav sculpture, Nandor Grid
After a somber journey back to Munich we find that the city has been transformed by the travelling English. The Hofbrauhaus is little more colorful - time for lunch.
We head to Spatenhaus an der Oper on Max Joseph Platz
Heilig Geist church and a chance meet up with Tommo, Paul, Smudge, Gary and Lawrence
After a heavy night last night, we opt to chill at 'Rosies'
Day 5 - BMW Welt and Matchday
BMW was founded as a manufacturer of aircraft in 1916 and produced aircraft for the war effort in WW1 and WW2. Against the wishes of its director the company used slave labour from concentration camps, mainly the local camp at Dachau. After the war it was banned from producing aircraft and by 1948 was concentrating on motorbikes
Vorsprung durch technik
The legendary BMW 328. In 1940 the race car made a clean sweep at the 'Mille Miglia' coming 1st, 3rd, 5th and 6th places. The car continued to dominate motor sports for years to come
In 1955, the BMW Isetta aka 'The Bubblecar' became the world's first mass production car and was designed to achieve a fuel consumption rate of 3L/100 km. It was the top selling single cylinder car in the world, selling 161,728 units.
The latest technology on show at the BMW Museum
Across the bridge at BMW Welt it was time to make our own history
This baby is coming home with me
It's matchday at the Hofbrauhaus
These German girls can drink, this one is on her second stein of Dunkel in the time it has taken me to eat one Pretze!
Riot police in Marienplatz
Schneider Brauhaus München
Famous for it's wheat beer..... and hazelnut schapps
Prost
Off to the game, but first a lucky rub
The U6 from Marienplatz to Fröttmanning
The long march to the away end
Sunderland lads - mates of Rob Lindsay
After being told we couldn't bring food into the arena I ate a whole bratwurst in 30 seconds
A well organised German tiffo, now there's a surprise
Meine Damen und Herren, the National Anthem of England
The view from the NW curve
Gail and Sue
England in the North stand
Spectacular pano of the Allianz Arena in the 1st Half
Them flags
5 mins into the 2nd Half the game opened up more and the Germans took a deserved lead when Kimmich threaded a pass to Hofmann who hit a strong shot passed Pickford.
Chances came and went at both ends but with Grealish on as sub the game began to turn in England's favour.
In the dying minutes of normal time the English intensity finally paid off when Schlotterbeck was adjudged to have tripped Harry Kane from behind and England were awarded a penalty. The Captain picked himself up and slotted a customary hard, accurate penalty passed Neuer to make it Germany 1 England 1 and number 50 for Harry Kane, just 3 off Wayne Rooney's record.
The long march back to the U bahn was quite a pleasant experience and rounded off an excellent away trip.
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