Villa defy Hitler, is there photos?

[dave.woodhall]

You also have to put it into context. There was still some sympathy for Hitler in Britain at the time; the full horrors of Nazism weren't known and the Daily Mail (who else?) was regularly bemoaning the arrival of Jewish refugees from Germany. 

Very true.  None of this would have been known at the time. 

Just looking at the articles Montague and Brian Taylor have posted here, though,  gives us a taste of how things were heating up and how suspicious people were becoming of the Nazi regime.

Without a doubt but 20 years after WWI, people were desperate to avoid another war.

[Vanilla]

You also have to put it into context. There was still some sympathy for Hitler in Britain at the time; the full horrors of Nazism weren't known and the Daily Mail (who else?) was regularly bemoaning the arrival of Jewish refugees from Germany. 

Very true.  None of this would have been known at the time. 

Just looking at the articles Montague and Brian Taylor have posted here, though,  gives us a taste of how things were heating up and how suspicious people were becoming of the Nazi regime.

Without a doubt but 20 years after WWI, people were desperate to avoid another war.

Western powers also saw the the Fascist states as an excellent buffer against the spread of Bolshevism, which was seen as a greater threat. There was also business to be had with the Fascist countries.

[joe_c]

This is interesting - reports from the Express of the day

http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2011/07/moment-of-shame.html

Thanks for finding this. It's one of those stories that every Villa supporter should know about and it's nice to read a contemporary report of the events.

[Somniloquism]

Never forget how the Sunday Mercury spun this story a few years ago; it was made to suggest that Villa were in support of Nazi Germany.

Boycott the Mercury - never buy it.

I thought it was geared more to suggest we had lied about the whole event of never giving a salute because they were so happy to have uncovered the picture of the following match when we were forced to.

I do wonder how much the circulation of the Mercury was affected in the 90's with the staunch anti Villa stance the sports pages had in those days.

[BC54 VFC]

I've a vague recollection of a photo in the Peter Morris book, I've got a really old hard back copy given to me by an uncle. I'll fish it out when I get chance and let you know.

I have a copy of the 1960 hardback book 'Aston Villa' by Peter Morris and cannot see any photographs of the occasion. There are just four paragraphs devoted to the tour / incident, on Page 179.

[DeKuip]

I've a vague recollection of a photo in the Peter Morris book, I've got a really old hard back copy given to me by an uncle. I'll fish it out when I get chance and let you know.

I have a copy of the 1960 hardback book 'Aston Villa' by Peter Morris and cannot see any photographs of the occasion. There are just four paragraphs devoted to the tour / incident, on Page 179.

I think it was probably in Peter Morris's "The First 100 Years" centenary edition, but I can't find my copy.
There is a photo on p74 of Anton Rippon's "The Aston Villa Story" though. It shows the Villa players with arms firmly by their side while in the background the German players are either just lowering their arms from the salute or just raising them.

[dave.woodhall]

I've a vague recollection of a photo in the Peter Morris book, I've got a really old hard back copy given to me by an uncle. I'll fish it out when I get chance and let you know.

I have a copy of the 1960 hardback book 'Aston Villa' by Peter Morris and cannot see any photographs of the occasion. There are just four paragraphs devoted to the tour / incident, on Page 179.

I think it was probably in Peter Morris's "The First 100 Years" centenary edition, but I can't find my copy.
There is a photo on p74 of Anton Rippon's "The Aston Villa Story" though. It shows the Villa players with arms firmly by their side while in the background the German players are either just lowering their arms from the salute or just raising them.

It's not in The First 100 Years.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Another snippet of our past that makes me prouder to support the team I do.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Click on the image will enlarge to make it readable.

[bertlambshank]

The Sunday Mercury published a picture of the team giving the Nazi salute some years back.
If you want to dirty your computer its on smallheathallanc forum in the main stand thread.
It's from the Mercury so properly made up.

[E I Adio]

Saw this and didn't quite know where to put it. The picture was taken at an England v Germany game in 1935.



At White Hart Lane - of all places.

[Chico Hamilton III]

Jimmy Hogan must be our most underrated manager. If anyone can get hold of a copy of Norman Fox's biography of him...... ( they go for silly money on eBay, I dropped mine in the bath and ruined it)

Edit- just checked. £9 on Amazon

[itbrvilla]

I was searching for this story on Google and came across this -'Fascist salute picture Villa kept hidden from fans; ARCHIVES SAY TEAM REFUSED TO GIVE SALUTE, BUT PHOTO SHOWS TRUE STORY.'  Likely that is bollocks that they happily gave the salute.  Anyone got any more information about this match programme?

[dave.woodhall]

I was searching for this story on Google and came across this -'Fascist salute picture Villa kept hidden from fans; ARCHIVES SAY TEAM REFUSED TO GIVE SALUTE, BUT PHOTO SHOWS TRUE STORY.'  Likely that is bollocks that they happily gave the salute.  Anyone got any more information about this match programme?

What a horrible, muck-raking headline that is.

[usav]

Saw this and didn't quite know where to put it. The picture was taken at an England v Germany game in 1935.



At White Hart Lane - of all places.

The extended Bosnich family?