How­ling with the Wolves

In 1933, Franz Anton Salomon receives a letter from the 1. FC Nürnberg informing him that, because of his Jewish faith, he is being kicked off the team. He took this very document with him on his years-long escape to reach the USA. How heavily did this exclusion affect him?

Salomon's story is one of 142 biographies of Jewish members to whom the publication Howling with the Wolves is dedicated. Director Ron Zimmering's work is a kaleidoscope of topical questions: Why is my club my club? How and why does football both create and exclude identities? After all, football has long reached far beyond the discourse it creates: There is public discussion of why someone has which nationality, who sings the anthem, who is homosexual, who is allowed to stand in the fan curve, etc.

Fans, footballers, experts, club members, and 1. FCN enthusiasts are trying to "get the round thing into the square thing," to quote German football parlance. In this case: on stage!