July 16, 2019 — Los Angeles
FC Bayern launched their 2019 Audi Summer Tour at the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust (LAMOTH) with the opening of their exhibit: “Venerated-Persecuted-Forgotten: Victims of Nazism at FC Bayern Munich”—its first appearance outside of Germany and Austria. The exhibit honors the stories of nine Jewish players and officials, including famed President Kurt Landauer, from FC Bayern affected by National Socialism in Germany. Deputy Vice-President Walter Mennekes poignantly noted, “We start our trip with a visit here to deal with this history, not with a soccer match.”
AJC Los Angeles, along with USC Shoah Foundation, LAMOTH, and the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, co-sponsored and spoke at the event.
The program opened with a private tour of the exhibit by FC Bayern curator Fabian Raabe, followed by an intimate discussion with the executive board co-facilitated by Stephen Smith, Executive Director of the Shoah Foundation, and AJC Los Angeles Assistant Director Holly Huffnagle. AJC Los Angeles discussed the various sources of contemporary antisemitism in Germany and the work of the Berlin Ramer Institute to monitor and combat antisemitism. Each board member received AJC Berlin’s 12-Point Action Plan to Fight Antisemitism in Germany, AJC’s brochure on the working definition of antisemitism, and a formal invitation to participate in AJC’s upcoming "Task Force: Education on Antisemitism" meeting in Berlin. AJC Los Angeles lay leader and film producer Erit Yellen elaborated on the power of sport to foster inclusion and the need to address social issues through sports.
During Club CEO Karl-Heinz-Rummenigge’s formal remarks, he mentioned the importance of the partnership with AJC for FC Bayern. AJC Los Angeles Regional President Scott Edelman returned the sentiments in his prepared statement, noting that “FC Bayern is an ally” in the fight against antisemitism, and “AJC is hopeful that FC Bayern will lead the charge in combating racism, promoting equality and diversity, and fostering inclusion in football to reflect a more inclusive Germany, and, eventually, a more inclusive Europe.”
The big takeaway from the event was the acknowledgement—across the board—that sharing the Jewish history of FC Bayern and the club’s commitment to fight against racism and xenophobia, is just the beginning. “We see it as our duty to not only tell our members, but broader society,” one executive board member said. Another said, “We have a duty to tell the youth.” AJC President Scott Edelman offered AJC’s support to FC Bayern in their campaign and concluded his speech saying, “These past few years of AJC-FC Bayern engagement are just the beginning of, what I hope to be, a strong and enduring partnership, and we look forward to strengthening our relationship in the months and years to come.”
