Seventy-seven years have passed today since the "death match" of the football match that took place in Kyiv between German soldiers and a team of Ukrainians, consisting of eight players from Dynamo Kyiv and three from Lokomotiv Kyiv, who during during the German occupation they are forced to work in a forced oven.
The fight and what followed became the subject of research by historians in the late '90s, since there were many different scenarios that mainly had to do with the propaganda tactics of the Soviets against the German regime.
It all happened in August 1942. Players from the disbanded teams of Ukraine found the "Start" football association, which is called to face "Flakelf", which consists of German soldiers, manning the anti-aircraft artillery of Kiev.
The match takes place on August 9, with "Start" gaining a two-goal lead at halftime (3-1). A well-dressed gentleman walks into the Ukrainian locker room and politely asks the "Start" players to lose. Instead, the Ukrainians take to the field determined to score more goals, which they do with 5-3 being the final score.
But the Germans did not forgive the defeat. Most of the "Start" players were tortured to death and breathed their last in some concentration camp. Somewhere there, the conspiracy scenarios begin! Journalists and historians in the 90s investigating the incident came to the conclusion that it was a propaganda trick by the Soviets, since the players of "Start" were never threatened in the dressing room, and the referee was not a member of the SS either. strong>
It was even established that the Germans recognized their defeat and congratulated their opponents. Another historian argued that fights between Ukrainians and Germans were common. What is certain is that 10 days later, nine Start players were arrested and most of them were executed or died in concentration camps because, according to the occupation authorities, they were agents. A monument in Kyiv reminds to this day of the sacrifice of the members of that group.
Source:SKAI