BERLIN (AP) 鈥 Makkabi Berlin鈥檚 first game ever ended in a 15-1 loss in the city鈥檚 humblest soccer league. The result of that 1971 match was secondary, though, as merely playing was an achievement for the team founded by Holocaust survivors.
鈥淲e wanted to show that we鈥檙e still here 鈥 that we鈥檙e accepted, that we weren鈥檛 ended in 1933,鈥 co-founder Marian Wajselfisz told The Associated Press. He still laughs about the result.
On Sunday, Makkabi will be the first Jewish club to play in the German Cup, a season-long tournament for 64 of the country鈥檚 best professional and amateur sides.
When the annual competition was started under the Nazis in 1935, Jews weren鈥檛 allowed to take part. So when fifth-tier Makkabi squares off against top-tier Wolfsburg, it will be carrying the weight of history onto the field.
鈥淚鈥檝e been there from the first day. I never imagined that we 鈥 as a Jewish team 鈥 would ever be playing a cup game against a Bundesliga team. So for us, and for me personally, it鈥檚 a huge joy,鈥 said Wajselfisz, whose family survived the Nazis with the help of a Polish couple who hid them in their cellar for nearly two years.
Makkabi is the successor to Bar Kochba Berlin, a club founded in 1898 to promote Jewish participation in sports. It had more than 40,000 members at its peak. But when the Nazis came to power, they forced Jewish athletes to take part in separate competitions and then banned Jewish organizations outright in 1938.
Formed in 1970, Makkabi Berlin is one of many Jewish sports and social clubs around the world 鈥 there are also Makkabi clubs in Munich, Frankfurt and D眉sseldorf. With 550 members, the Berlin club fields teams in a variety of sports, including basketball and volleyball.
Although Makkabi Berlin鈥檚 Jewish identity and mission are still central to its identity 鈥 the amateur team鈥檚 crest features the Star of David 鈥 membership in the club is open to all. That鈥檚 especially evident with its soccer team, which features players from 15 countries and various religions, including Jews, Muslims and Christians.
鈥淭his is something we鈥檙e extremely proud of,鈥 board member Michael Koblenz said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e here, and whoever is ready to play for us, and is also open to playing for a club with Jewish origins and some sort of Jewish culture, we鈥檙e absolutely happy to integrate people into our teams.鈥
Among the non-Jewish players on the club is 36-year-old Senegalese defender Papa Alpha Diop, who joined Makkabi Berlin in 2017 and is Muslim. In addition to his first-team duties, Diop oversees the club鈥檚 youth setup and coaches its under-10 team. Kids as young as 5 can join.
鈥淪ometimes I feel tired, but when I see the kids, I forget about the tiredness, I鈥檓 happy,鈥 Diop said. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter about religion, or what you are. It鈥檚 not important. The only important thing is that you like to come and play football.鈥
Knocking off Wolfsburg would be a tall order: The team and competes in the Bundesliga against the likes of Bayern Munich.
Makkabi, which earned promotion to the fifth tier by winning the Berlin league last season, qualified for this year鈥檚 German Cup by winning the Berlin Cup in June for the first time.
Wolfburg鈥檚 visit means Sunday鈥檚 game will be played in a bigger venue in Berlin. Makkabi鈥檚 usual sportsground is named for former national team player Julius Hirsch, whose grandson has been invited to the match. Hirsch fought for Germany in World War I, won club championships with Karlsruher FV and F眉rth, and played for Germany at the 1912 Olympics. But he was murdered at Auschwitz for being Jewish.
Unlike Makkabi鈥檚 typical matches, Sunday鈥檚 match will be televised. It has stoked interest far beyond Berlin, with the World Jewish Congress saying it was 鈥渄elighted and proud鈥 to see how Makkabi鈥檚 sporting achievements were being celebrated by the Jewish community abroad.
鈥淭he popularity, visibility and success of Jewish sports clubs symbolizes the growth of established Jewish life in Germany and the world,鈥 the congress said.
Adding to the historical intrigue of the match is that Wolfsburg is owned by Volkswagen, which made use of forced labor during the war. But Wajselfisz said such matters belong in the past.
鈥淚 have many German friends, Christian friends. I never speak about it. Perhaps his father or grandfather was in the SS, for me everything is open,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t was 80 years ago. It鈥檚 past. Now, we try to be accepted as Jews.鈥
Antisemitism in Germany, where there is Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Makkabi captain Doron Bruck, who is Jewish, said the team鈥檚 success is changing how the club is perceived 鈥 less as the victim of antisemitism and more like other clubs that are judged only on their sporting merit.
鈥淚f anyone has any problem with us or has any antisemitic background, we鈥檙e open to discuss, we鈥檙e open to inform,鈥 Bruck said. 鈥淏ut we don鈥檛 want to hide and just be in the victim鈥檚 role. We want to be active. And I think that鈥檚 also a huge part of the success.鈥
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