Behind the players and coaches of the national team, there is a legend- a slim, dainty man, who is an icon of medical efficiency and continuity. That man is Adolf Katzenmeier- the “man with the healing hands.” Today, “Adi” Katzenmeier turns 80. He has 45 years of service with the DFB, 34 of which have been as a physio for the Germany national team. DFB.de takes a look at some of the work done by a man who got closer to the stars and superstars of the Germany team over the years than almost anyone else.
It was a day in August 2000. He was perfectly dressed in a dark suit and an elegant bow tie for the occasion that he referred to as the “noblest moment in my career.” Adolf Katzenmeier was presented with the “Magnificent Seven Award” by UEFA at an awards ceremony in Monte Carlo. The “Magnificent Seven Award” is presented by UEFA on a yearly basis to honour seven people who stand out behind the scenes in football. “For you to get this award, Mr. Katzenmeier, it pleases me a lot,” said Lennart Johansson, who was UEFA President at the time, when he handed over the award to Germany’s physio.
14 years have passed since then. Many at the time saw the award as reward for both the longest serving member of the backroom staff for the DFB-Team, as well as a reward for his work throughout his career. A career, that was still far from over at the time for the 65-year-old. And it’s still not the end, especially if he celebrates his 80th birthday today with the same dexterity.
Niersbach: “like a player that has played 100 games”
The DFB congratulated and honoured the unique “Adi” with a reception at their headquarters. “At this birthday celebration, we would like to give thanks, our deepest respect and compliments for everything you have achieved. Adi is a sensational person. At the DFB, he belongs in the same category as players that have played 100 games or long serving managers because he epitomises continuity and that has been emanated and evident in the national team for many decades,” said DFB President Wolfgang Niersbach.
Born in Frankfurt, Katzenmeier told the story of how as a 20-year-old, inspired by his father, who was a health practitioner and physio, he trained to be a “certified physio and chiropodist” after his first job as a commercial employee. He also went on to say how he opened his first surgery near to the racecourse in Niederrad and how he went on to work at the DFB headquarters from 1997.
Discovered by Sepp Herberger, “Anchor” Franz Beckenbauer
He explained that he was brought to the DFB in 1963 by Sepp Herberger and looked after the junior teams, both the amateur and Olympic teams, the Germany second team (that still existed at the time) and the first team, but only temporarily. He said that he has not broken contact with almost all the major players in German football. He began as the second physio but went on to be the head physio for the Germany national team.
Adolf Katzenmeier is like the walking encyclopedia of the DFB-Team. He has been to seven World Cups and eight European Championships, which is more than any other physio in the national team and among others, has seen Beckenbauer, Vogts, Völler and Klinsmann as both players and managers for Germany. Along with winning the European Championships in 1980, he has been a part of two World Cup winning sides: 1974 and 1990 and both times he was alongside Franz Beckenbauer. He is the anchor and the main focal point of Adolf Katzenmeier’s DFB career.
Katzenmeier: “I’ll never forget that call”
“The appointment to the team for the 1974 World Cup was the best experience of my career. I’ll never forget that call. Everything was ready and he said that I couldn’t bring anything with me but I was about to be picked up for the training camp in Malente,” recalled Katzenmeier. “After that vote of confidence from Franz and to then experience the team winning the World Cup at home was fantastic.”
Adolf Katzenmeier loves football. He was and still is a fan of the Germany national team. After Germany won the World Cup in 1954, they went to Frankfurt on their victory tour and for him it was a matter of course to run to the train station and celebrate the “Heroes from Bern.”
Podolski’s seatmate
Katzenmeier said goodbye to the national team in November 2008 at a game against England in Berlin. He had worked for 34 years in virtually every area of the DFB-Team, with the biggest players lying on his massage table with total trust in his incredible abilities, but also with the upmost confidentiality. Big secrets are locked away, but countless anecdotes were told, such as when he was Lukas Podolski’s seatmate on the team bus in 2004.
“Until then, I had always sat behind the bus driver. After taking over, Jürgen Klinsmann asked me to sit further back. There was a place free next to Poldi,” explained “Adi”, who went on to describe his approach to the Köln goal scorer. “Please could I sit next to you Reverend?” “As you asked so nicely” replied Poldi. He went on to score two goals in the next game and as a consequence, he wouldn’t let me sit anywhere else. We ended up sitting next to each other for over four years.”
Katzenmeier: “These hands are an instrument”
The intense relationship with his fingers goes hand in hand with a man who prefers to work in a short sleeved Germany shirt. So it’s no wonder that Katzenmeier has been using his fingers in his free time after playing the piano for decades.
His hands are without doubt his asset: “I’ve never insured them and it’s probably not necessary now after nearly 75 years,” he explained after he retired in December 2008. His hands have served him well for 80 years without a break and he refers to his live motto: “As long as the good lord preserves my strength, then I will continue to work in whatever capacity. These hands are an instrument and I will help whoever I can.”
[mmc/fs]
Behind the players and coaches of the national team, there is a legend- a slim, dainty man, who is an icon of medical efficiency and continuity. That man is Adolf Katzenmeier- the “man with the healing hands.” Today, “Adi” Katzenmeier turns 80. He has 45 years of service with the DFB, 34 of which have been as a physio for the Germany national team. DFB.de takes a look at some of the work done by a man who got closer to the stars and superstars of the Germany team over the years than almost anyone else.
It was a day in August 2000. He was perfectly dressed in a dark suit and an elegant bow tie for the occasion that he referred to as the “noblest moment in my career.” Adolf Katzenmeier was presented with the “Magnificent Seven Award” by UEFA at an awards ceremony in Monte Carlo. The “Magnificent Seven Award” is presented by UEFA on a yearly basis to honour seven people who stand out behind the scenes in football. “For you to get this award, Mr. Katzenmeier, it pleases me a lot,” said Lennart Johansson, who was UEFA President at the time, when he handed over the award to Germany’s physio.
14 years have passed since then. Many at the time saw the award as reward for both the longest serving member of the backroom staff for the DFB-Team, as well as a reward for his work throughout his career. A career, that was still far from over at the time for the 65-year-old. And it’s still not the end, especially if he celebrates his 80th birthday today with the same dexterity.
Niersbach: “like a player that has played 100 games”
The DFB congratulated and honoured the unique “Adi” with a reception at their headquarters. “At this birthday celebration, we would like to give thanks, our deepest respect and compliments for everything you have achieved. Adi is a sensational person. At the DFB, he belongs in the same category as players that have played 100 games or long serving managers because he epitomises continuity and that has been emanated and evident in the national team for many decades,” said DFB President Wolfgang Niersbach.
Born in Frankfurt, Katzenmeier told the story of how as a 20-year-old, inspired by his father, who was a health practitioner and physio, he trained to be a “certified physio and chiropodist” after his first job as a commercial employee. He also went on to say how he opened his first surgery near to the racecourse in Niederrad and how he went on to work at the DFB headquarters from 1997.
Discovered by Sepp Herberger, “Anchor” Franz Beckenbauer
He explained that he was brought to the DFB in 1963 by Sepp Herberger and looked after the junior teams, both the amateur and Olympic teams, the Germany second team (that still existed at the time) and the first team, but only temporarily. He said that he has not broken contact with almost all the major players in German football. He began as the second physio but went on to be the head physio for the Germany national team.
Adolf Katzenmeier is like the walking encyclopedia of the DFB-Team. He has been to seven World Cups and eight European Championships, which is more than any other physio in the national team and among others, has seen Beckenbauer, Vogts, Völler and Klinsmann as both players and managers for Germany. Along with winning the European Championships in 1980, he has been a part of two World Cup winning sides: 1974 and 1990 and both times he was alongside Franz Beckenbauer. He is the anchor and the main focal point of Adolf Katzenmeier’s DFB career.
Katzenmeier: “I’ll never forget that call”
“The appointment to the team for the 1974 World Cup was the best experience of my career. I’ll never forget that call. Everything was ready and he said that I couldn’t bring anything with me but I was about to be picked up for the training camp in Malente,” recalled Katzenmeier. “After that vote of confidence from Franz and to then experience the team winning the World Cup at home was fantastic.”
Adolf Katzenmeier loves football. He was and still is a fan of the Germany national team. After Germany won the World Cup in 1954, they went to Frankfurt on their victory tour and for him it was a matter of course to run to the train station and celebrate the “Heroes from Bern.”
Podolski’s seatmate
Katzenmeier said goodbye to the national team in November 2008 at a game against England in Berlin. He had worked for 34 years in virtually every area of the DFB-Team, with the biggest players lying on his massage table with total trust in his incredible abilities, but also with the upmost confidentiality. Big secrets are locked away, but countless anecdotes were told, such as when he was Lukas Podolski’s seatmate on the team bus in 2004.
“Until then, I had always sat behind the bus driver. After taking over, Jürgen Klinsmann asked me to sit further back. There was a place free next to Poldi,” explained “Adi”, who went on to describe his approach to the Köln goal scorer. “Please could I sit next to you Reverend?” “As you asked so nicely” replied Poldi. He went on to score two goals in the next game and as a consequence, he wouldn’t let me sit anywhere else. We ended up sitting next to each other for over four years.”
Katzenmeier: “These hands are an instrument”
The intense relationship with his fingers goes hand in hand with a man who prefers to work in a short sleeved Germany shirt. So it’s no wonder that Katzenmeier has been using his fingers in his free time after playing the piano for decades.
His hands are without doubt his asset: “I’ve never insured them and it’s probably not necessary now after nearly 75 years,” he explained after he retired in December 2008. His hands have served him well for 80 years without a break and he refers to his live motto: “As long as the good lord preserves my strength, then I will continue to work in whatever capacity. These hands are an instrument and I will help whoever I can.”
