2023-11-01 04:30:00
He saw a lot of derbies in Graz. No wonder, since Erwin Wendl is the oldest living GAK member. As such, ex-president Rudi Roth was once able to honor him at the celebrations of the first GAK championship title in the top division. That was in 2004, when the civil engineer was still a “youthful” 82 years old. In the meantime, Wendl has three figures and wants to celebrate his 102nd birthday on January 11th next year. The Cup derby on Thursday will not be live in the stadium. After an operation, the Weizer native is currently sitting in a wheelchair. “But on TV,” he assures, “I’ll definitely watch. Who is broadcasting?”
Wendl’s life story might provide material for a novel. He came to the state capital at the age of 12 and quickly became a GAK member. “Back then,” he remembers, “the club was more like that of the middle class.” But that wasn’t a priority, because the focus was on the desire for movement. “We were well trained. I remember there was a member who let and raced. Whoever was fastest over 400 meters got a sandwich.” The best time: When there was a ball that you might chase. Wendl did this on the field, but mostly with his hand: he was a field handball player, and as such was twice champion with the GAK and once came third in the World Cup.
As a real “Red”, he was of course always involved in football. Especially in the derby. Even as a player when they were young: “When they needed someone quick, they were happy to fall back on the handball players. So I was there in football too,” remembers Wendl. He can talk regarding this time in great detail, as well as later regarding his terrible experiences in the war. Even if he refused to switch to the SS sports community, even forego the high school diploma that was given for it, he completed it the “normal way”. “But following that I was drafted into the Wehrmacht, so I had little to say,” he sighs. The result: He suffered serious injuries both in the battle for Stalingrad (“I fought where they are fighting today”) and following recovering in the Canal Valley once morest the US troops.
But he remained connected to the sport, especially to the derby. “GAK once morest Sturm, it was always a rivalry, a real opposition. But I was never an enemy of Sturm, even though I was always a pure GAK supporter. We handball players often played our games on the Sturm pitch, and the understanding was good,” says Wendl. He, who is approaching his 90 (!) year as a GAK member, was in the stadium as often as possible, especially at derbies. “There must have been around 100,” he says. The memories of the individual games become blurred. What he still knows: that he was “satisfied” with Rudi Roth’s performance when he was in goal, he explains and laughs with the ex-president, who later brought him onto the board. Or the fact that he once had to sit with him on the Sturm pitch between Sturm fans. “We didn’t attract attention because we were happy for the GAK,” says Wendl. “In the end we got a mug of beer over our heads.”
Wendl also has a lot in common with Graz sports: As a civil engineer, he and his company designed and built the roof of the ice arena in Liebenau, which is now a listed building; also the training center in Weinzödl.
What he would like: “For the GAK to achieve promotion. Last year they were so close. I would be happy if I might still experience that.” Because: “The derby was always the highlight of the year. The hut was full there and there.” But what he wishes for: “There were fights in the past, but everyone got along. Everyone was able to go home normally.”
1698818190
#Oldest #member #Erwin #Wendl #Cup #derby