On Sunday, March 30th, nearly 150 young footballers from across Cape Town came together for the Kurt Landauer Youth Cup Cape Town, a unique tournament that combined sport with an exploration of history and memory.
The event, organised by the Cape Town Holocaust & Genocide Centre (CTHGC) in partnership with Bayern Munich Football Club and Herzlia School, with the support of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, took place at the Herzlia Sports Field and featured eight participating teams – five boys’ teams and three girls’ teams.
The tournament is named in honour of Kurt Landauer, the long-serving Jewish president of FC Bayern Munich, who was forced to flee Germany under Nazi persecution. His story stands as a testament to resilience and the enduring power of sport to bring people together.
For us at the CTHGC, it is crucial to teach history in a way that is both relevant and engaging for a diverse audience, especially young learners. The Forgotten: Victims of Nazism at FC Bayern exhibition, recently on display at the Centre, has provided a powerful opportunity to explore the impact of history through the lens of sport. However, to further expand its reach and engage young people in a different way, we decided to go beyond standard programming and create this tournament, offering participants a unique and meaningful experience.
While Herzlia teams emerged victorious in both the boys’ and girls’ competitions, all participating teams displayed incredible spirit and skill, making the event a true celebration of unity, diversity, and learning. While the teams competed for a special trophy, Bayern Munich ensured that every participant was recognised by generously providing prizes and souvenirs, as well as a unique certificate of participation.
Beyond the matches, the tournament provided a platform to engage with history. As part of the programme, participants visited the exhibition at the CTHGC, which was open to the public until mid-April. The event also underscored the role that sport can play in fostering inclusivity and breaking down barriers. As Herbert Hainer, President of FC Bayern Munich, remarked: “It is a great honour for FC Bayern to host a Kurt Landauer Tournament in Cape Town. FC Bayern stands for cosmopolitanism, tolerance, and diversity. Racism, anti-Semitism, violence, and exclusion of any kind have no place in our club and in our world. Sport unites people, it has the power to overcome borders, even in people’s minds and hearts. Kurt Landauer reached out to the Germans after the crimes of National Socialism in the Second World War – he is a role model for reconciliation for all generations and all over the world. We must all keep reminding ourselves that we can only achieve truly great things together – with each other, not against each other.”
More than just a sporting event, the Kurt Landauer Youth Cup highlighted the power of education, remembrance, and sport to bring people together, proving that football is not only about competition but also about fostering understanding and unity – something that seems more critical today than ever. ●
- MAY 2025: Read the May 2025 issue in your browser as a Flipbook or a PDF.
- SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the Cape Jewish Chronicle for just R450 per year and you will remain connected. Simply email us at subscriptions@ctjc.co.za and click here for payment info.
- ADVERTISE in the Cape Jewish Chronicle and on this website. Contact Lynette on 021 464 6736 or email advertising@ctjc.co.za.
