Das Wunder von Bern
A film about a family, a football hero, and the unexpected victory that healed a nation.
The Miracle of Bern (German: Das Wunder von Bern) is a 2003 film by Sönke Wortmann, which tells the story of a German family and the unexpected West German victory in the 1954 World Cup Final in Bern, Switzerland.
Quick Facts
- Event
- 1954 FIFA World Cup Final
- Date
- 4 July 1954
- Venue
- Wankdorf Stadium, Bern, Switzerland
- Result
- West Germany 3 – 2 Hungary
- West germany captain
- Fritz Walter
- Winning goal scorer
- Helmut Rahn
- Group-stage result (same tournament)
- Hungary 8 – 3 West Germany
Lore & Background
The film can be regarded as a portrait of post-war Germany. With over 6 million cinema visitors, it is one of Germany's best-selling films. Among those attending the première were Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, Peer Steinbrück, Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia, and Otto Schily, Federal Minister of the Interior. Since November 2014, Hamburg's new musical theatre Theater an der Elbe is home to a successful musical production of the same name.
Reader's Guide
The plot follows Richard, a coal miner from Essen, who returns after eleven years as a Soviet prisoner of war in Siberia. His wife, two sons, and one daughter have reached a minimum standard of living without him. His 11-year-old son Matthias admires local football hero Helmut Rahn. Richard initially stern about Matthias' love for football, gradually softens, and father and son drive to Bern to see the final. An additional plot involves the personal triumph of Helmut Rahn, for whom Matthias becomes a lucky mascot. A third comic relief story line revolves around fictional sports reporter Paul Ackermann and his wife. The real sports miracle: the 1954 German team, captained by Fritz Walter and coached by Sepp Herberger, won the World Cup in a remarkable final against the Hungarian Mighty Magyars, coming back from an early two-goal deficit to win 3–2, with Helmut Rahn scoring the winning goal six minutes from the end.
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