D

Spiel Ohne Grenzen 1970

Heat 1

Event Staged: Saturday 25th April 1970
Venue: Sportplatz (Sports Ground), Nordufer des Altmühl (North Bank of River Altmühl),
Kelheim an Der Donau, Bayern, West Germany

Transmission:
WDR 1 (D): Saturday 25th April 1970, 3.00-4.15pm (Live)

Referees on Duty:
Hans Ebersberger and assistants Peter Hochrath and Helmut Konrad

Weather Conditions: Sunny and Warm with a Light Breeze

Theme: The Bavarian Folk Festival (Die Bayerischen Volksfest)

Teams: Kelheim an der Donau v. Neuötting

Team Members included:
Kelheim an der Donau - Olga Gasner, Rosemarie Gleischspitter, Tanz Kaldinger, Katerina Karin, Rolf Liszt, Regina Narotni, Louisa Oostermeier, Gart Peizel, Ludwig Serwagen.

Games: The Stein Carriers, The Female Passenger, Finger Wrestling, The Football Robot, The Beer Barrels, The Tug-o-War, The Meat of the Delicatessen, The Slingshot Cars, The Giant Bottles, The Air Cannons, The Display (The Special Game).

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd

 K • Kelheim an der Donau ● ●
 N • Neuötting

18
8

Kelheim an der Donau qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Como, Italy:
staged on Tuesday 9th June 1970

The Host Town

Kelheim an der Donau, Bayern

Kelheim an der Donau is a town with a population of around 17,000 inhabitants in the state of Bayern. It is located at the confluence of the Altmühl and Donau (Danube) rivers, 19km (12 miles) south-west of Regensburg, 37km (23 miles) north-east of Ingolstadt, 82km (51 miles) south-east of Nürnberg and 90km (56 miles) north of München.

The first written record of Kelheim an der Donau is 866 AD and shows that by 879 AD it had become the seat of the Kelsgaugrafen. In the 11th century, the town came into the possession of the Wittelsbach family and, in 1181, city rights were afforded on Kelheim an der Donau by Bavarian Duke Otto I (1117-1183). Until the unsolved murder of his son Louis (1173-1231), who was called ‘the Kelheimer’, in 1231 on the Danube bridge, the town was one of the favourite residences of the Bavarian ducal family. The crime was never cleared up, since the murderer had been immediately lynched, and after this incident the Wittelsbach family had an aversion to Kelheim an der Donau and it lost its status as one of the ducal residences. Despite this, the town continued to develop into an important trading centre for wine, salt, fish, cattle, stones and wood and in 1846, the Ludwig-Donau-Main Canal was opened. Named after King Ludwig I of Bavaria (1786-1868), it was constructed between 1836 and 1846 and linked the Donau at Kelheim to the Main at Bamberg. Sadly, the canal has been abandoned since 1950, after it suffered damage during World War II (1939-1945) and the cost of repairs outweighed the viability of its upkeep.

Tourism is very important to Kelheim an der Donau with tradition and customs at the forefront. These include the Fischerfest in May, the Weinfest in June, the Volksfest in August and the Spitzlmarkt celebration at the end of October. In the summer, colourful events turn the Old Town into a celebration venue. The highlight of these is the Schäfflertanz (Coopers’ or barrel-makers’ Dance), when the Schäffler in their colourful red jackets, black pants and white stockings twirl around their garlands. Twenty-five participants, comprising twenty dancers, two Reifenschwinger (hoop twirlers), two Kasperln (clowns) and one Fähnrich (flag-bearer) perform the dance during Fasching (German carnival).

The tradition of the Schäfflertanz dates back to the year 1517 when Munich was suffering from the Plague and almost half of the city’s 20,000 inhabitants had succumbed to the dreaded disease. When the Plague abated, the Schäffler journeymen took it upon themselves to renew the sense of joie de vivre among the people of Munich by dancing through the streets with hoops wrapped in greens, accompanied by lively music. As Munich’s residents heard the commotion, shutters opened, faces appeared and they slowly but surely decided it was once again safe to go out into the streets. In addition to the rousing dance, the Schäffler clowned with the crowds, bringing smiles to those who had suffered so much grief. Of all the performers, the Reifenschwinger has perhaps the most difficult job. He holds a wooden hoop with an indentation on the inside rim for a small glass filled with wine. Standing on the keg in the middle of the circle of the dancers, he twirls his hoop over his head and between his legs, being careful, of course, not to spill one drop of wine from the glass. At the end of his performance, he drinks the wine and tosses the glass over his shoulder where one of the clowns catches it in his cap. The dance is a representation of that of the glockenspiel (carillon of bells) on the tower of the new Town Hall in Munich. Unlike the painted figures on the Munich glockenspiel which perform year in and year out, Kelheim an der Donau’s real life Schäfflertänzer only perform every seven years - and have been doing so since 1911 - with the most recent ‘Schäffler year’ being 2019.

The main tourist attraction is Ludwigsplatz, the main square of the town, which runs from the intersection of the old town centre, to the east. As part of urban renewal in recent years, the square has been redesigned and, although its fundamental use is as a marketplace, locals and visitors are invited to stroll and linger within its numerous bars and restaurants. The fountain between the New Town Hall and the Sparkasse Bank symbolises the confluence of the Donau and the Altmühl rivers. In the centre of the square is a statue of the Madonna and child on a 7m high pillar, erected by Councillor Jakob Mayr in 1700. The original statue of the patron saint of Bavarian stands in Munich. To the east of the square, is a marble statue of Ludwig I (1786-1868) on the day of his coronation and in his hand are the plans for the Befreiungshalle (Hall of Liberty). The statue was completed in 1863 by master craftsman Johann Halbigs (1814-1882) who was also responsible for 18 colossal statues in the Hall of Liberty.

The Visiting Town

Neuötting is a town with a population of around 9,000 inhabitants in the state of Bayern and is located 96km (60 miles) south-east of Kelheim an der Donau.

The Venue

Sportplatz (Sports Ground)

The games were played on a small hard-surface area located on the outskirts of the town.

Unfortunately, exact details of the location were never revealed on transmission but, from the opening shots of the broadcast, it can be pinpointed to an area on the northern bank of the Altmühl river at the point where it flows into the Donau.

The Games in Detail

Game 1 - The Stein Carriers
(Die Stein Träger)

The first game - ‘The Stein Carriers’ (Die Stein Träger) - was played in unison over two minutes duration and featured five male competitors from each team armed with two large ceramic steins and a larger 40kg (88lb 3oz) stein sitting on a small podium. On the whistle, the five competitors had to place their arms through the handles of their steins and then surround the larger stein. Working together, they then had to lift the larger stein off the podium and carry it down a small 10m (32ft 9¾in) course and place it on another small podium. Once executed, two of the competitors then retired from the game and the remaining three competitors then had to lift the stein to another podium, a similar distance up the course. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

Although both teams were able to lift and carry their larger stein to their first podia, they both experienced problems when they only had three competitors, whilst trying to place the stein on the second. As time limit approached, it was obvious that neither team would complete the game. With Neuötting having progressed further up the course, it appeared that they would be awarded the victory. However, referee Hans Ebersberger stated that as neither team had completed the game in its entirety, no points would be awarded.

Game 2 - The Female Passenger
(Die Beifahrerin)

The second game - ‘The Female Passenger’ (Die Beifahrerin) - was played in unison and featured two male competitors from each team and two petrol-driven go-karts. At the rear of each go-kart, there was a female mannequin mounted on a spring. On the whistle, the competitors had to collect an item from a coat stand (a hat, an umbrella, a scarf, a string of pearls, a pair of sunglasses or a small basket of fruit) and place it on their respective mannequin and then they had to negotiate a small, meandering course comprising two small tunnels. On approach to each tunnel, the competitors had to pull their mannequins forward (hence the spring) to enable them to pass through and then return to the start where they placed the collected items onto a female team-mate standing on a podium. However, just before reaching the start line, there was a set of traffic signals which were intermittently changing from red to green throughout the game and the competitors could only continue if the signal was green. This required the drivers to time their circumnavigations of the course carefully so as not to have to stop at the red light. Once accomplished, the competitors then collected a second item from the four remaining on the coat stand and then on the third leg of the race, they collected the final two items. The team completing all three legs of the course in the faster time would be declared the winners.

Both teams started well but at the end of the first leg, Neuötting were delayed at the signals which gave Kelheim an der Donau a slight advantage. However, this was not to last for long as the second of their competitors stalled his go-kart just as he was starting his second circumnavigation and this permitted Neuötting to make up ground and take the lead. After this, there was no looking back for Neuötting and they eventually completed the course in 2 minutes 10 seconds with Kelheim an der Donau finishing in 2 minutes 17 seconds.

Game 3 - Finger Wrestling
(Fingerhalken)

The third game - ‘Finger Wrestling’ (Fingerhalken) - was played in unison and featured four well-built male competitors from each team and a pair of large hooked fingers joined together by two ropes and a chain. On the whistle, the teams had to participate in a tug-o-war contest to try and pull their opponents towards them over a designated line and burst two balloons. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

The Neuötting quartet appeared to be the stronger in muscle (if not size) and almost completed this very straightforward game after 23 seconds when they burst their two balloons. However, they had failed to pull Kelheim an der Donau over the line and the referees frantically shouted at them to continue. After quickly recomposing themselves, they completed the game on the second attempt in 56 seconds.

Game 4 - The Football Robot
(Die Fußball-Roboter)

The fourth game - ‘The Football Robot’ (Die Fußball-Roboter) - was played individually over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured two male competitors from each team and a large 3m (9ft 10¼in) high model of a footballer. Before the game started, one of the competitors climbed onto the shoulders of the other and was handed a large mallet weighing 20kg (44lb 1½oz). On the whistle, the second competitor placed a football in front of the model’s right leg and the first competitor then had to hit the head of the model with the mallet, causing its leg to kick the ball towards a goal. In the goalmouth, there was a movable goalkeeper which was operated by a male team member from the opposition. All goals did not necessarily have to be direct hits and any balls rebounding off another on its journey into the net would be counted. The team scoring the greater number of goals would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward game saw the participation of Neuötting and they scored 17 goals, which at first appeared to be a good target score.

The second heat featured Kelheim an der Donau and they emulated this total within the first two minutes and eventually scored a total of 23 goals.

Game 5 - The Beer Barrels
(Die Bierfässer)

The fifth game - ‘The Beer Barrels’ (Die Bierfässer) - was played in unison over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and witnessed Kelheim an der Donau presenting their Joker for play. The game featured three male competitors from each team standing on top of six upright large wooden beer barrels. On the whistle, the competitors had to jump down from the barrels and two of them had to transport one of the barrels through a small tunnel from which were hanging several water-filled balloons. On exiting the tunnel, they had to run back to the start to commence their second run whilst the third competitor had to stack the barrel on its side adjacent to the game. The game was repeated until all six barrels had been transported through the tunnel and had been stacked in a pyramid shape. The final task was for two of the competitors to hold the stack steady whilst the third climbed to the top barrel to stop the clock. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

From the outset of this straightforward game, it was apparent which team would be victorious and Kelheim an der Donau completed the game in 1 minute 33 seconds even before their opponents had stacked their fifth barrel.

Game 6 - The Tug-o-War
(Die Tauziehen)

The sixth game - ‘The Tug-o-War’ (Die Tauziehen) - was similar to the second game but instead of being a pulling tug-o-war this was the reverse and was a pushing tug-of-war contest. It was played in unison over a maximum of three rounds and featured three hefty male competitors from each team and a large weighted rubber caricature of a German woman with a metal frame around her lower half. On the whistle, the teams had to lift the frame and push each other over a given line. The team with the greater number of wins would be declared the winners.

This was another straightforward game and saw Kelheim an der Donau victorious on the first round after 17 seconds of elapsed time. It took a further 38 seconds for Kelheim an der Donau to win the second round, securing them a 2-0 victory on the game. Unlike other occasions with the ‘best of three’ contests, the third and final round of this game was not contested.

Game 7 - The Meat of the Delicatessen
(Das Fleisch des Feinkostgeschäft)

The seventh game - ‘The Meat of the Delicatessen’ (Das Fleisch des Feinkostgeschäft) - was played individually over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured eight competitors (seven males and one female) from each team and a chained conveyor belt rotating 4.5m (14ft 9¼in) above their heads, from which was hanging a selection of joints of meat, strings of sausages and salamis. On the whistle, the seven male competitors armed with a fireman’s blanket had to hurl the female upwards in order for her to reach the items of food. Each joint of meat was valued at 10pts and strings of sausages and salamis were valued at 5pts each. The team with the greater overall points score would be declared the winners.

The first heat saw the participation of Neuötting and they collected one joint of meat (10pts) and seven strings of sausages (7 x 5pts = 35pts) giving a total of 45pts.

The second heat featured Kelheim an der Donau and their female competitor was a little lighter and smaller in build than her opposite number and this showed in her performance. At the end of the game she had collected 7 joints of meat (7 x 10pts = 70pts), 5 strings of sausages and 2 salamis (7 x 5pts = 35pts) giving the team a total of 105pts.

Game 8 - The Slingshot Cars
(Die Schleuder Autos)

The eighth game - ‘The Slingshot Cars’ (Die Schleuder Autos) - was played in unison and featured six competitors (four males and two females) from each team and a child’s scale model racing car with four small ropes attached to its body. The four male competitors were standing around the car whilst the two females were sitting inside the car, one as a driver and one in the back seat as a passenger. In front of them was a course littered with ten caricatured skittles of differing values - 1 x 40pts, 2 x 30pts, 3 x 20pts and 4 x 10pts = 200pts. On the whistle, the four male competitors had to utilise the ropes, in the manner of a slingshot or catapult, to set the car in motion and hurl it up the course. As the car reached the skittles, the rear-seated passenger had to collect as many of the skittles as she could and place them inside the car. When the car reached the end of the course, the she had to alight from the car and push it back to the start in order to repeat the game until all skittles had been retrieved. The team collecting all the skittles and returning to the finish line in the faster time would be declared the winners.

A straightforward race saw Kelheim an der Donau completing the game first in 1 minute 52 seconds.

Game 9 - The Large Bottles
(Die Riesen Flaschen)

The ninth game - ‘The Giant Bottles’ (Die Riesen Flaschen) - was played individually over two heats of three minutes duration and witnessed Neuötting presenting their Joker for play. The game featured two male competitors from each team and a large wine bottle filled with water and pivoted on an axle. On the whistle, one of the competitors had to climb to the top of the bottle, which was weighted at the base, and climb inside the neck. He then had to swing the bottle from side to side - akin to a metronome - until the mouth of the bottle was facing far enough downwards so that the water could escape and be collected in a chalice by the other competitor. Once the water had been collected, it then had to be emptied into a large bowl and the game repeated throughout. The team collecting the greater volume of water would be declared the winners.

The first heat saw the participation of Kelheim an der Donau and after a slow start they collected a total of 29.5kg (65lb) of water.

The second heat featured Neuötting and they fared much better and collected a total of 38kg (83lb 12½oz) of water.

Game 10 - The Air Cannons
(Die Luftkanonen)

The tenth and penultimate game - ‘The Cannons’ (Die Luftkanonen) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and featured four competitors (three males and one female) from each team standing behind a Perspex shield underneath a cage of water-filled balloons and armed with a unique air cannon. The two teams were standing facing each other at a distance of 10m (32ft 9¾in) apart. On the whistle, the female competitor had to place a small missile with a pin attached to its end into the shaft of the cannon. An attachment comprising three air tubes which merged into one was inserted into the shaft and the three male competitors then had to blow down the tubes to send the missile flying down the course in an attempt to burst the balloons above their opponent’s head. The team bursting the greater number of their opponent’s balloons would be declared the winners.

An uneventful game ended with Kelheim an der Donau bursting 14 balloons whilst Neuötting could only burst 2 balloons.

Game 11 - The Display (The Special Game)
(Die Anzeige [Das Sonderspiel])

The eleventh and final game - ‘The Display (The Special Game)’ (Die Anzeige [Das Sonderspiel]) - was played in unison and featured five competitors (three males and two females) from each team having to inflate large industrial helium-filled balloons and then display them on a wire at the back of the podium. Each of the balloons was annotated with a letter from SPIEL OHNE GRENZEN. In order that there was parity, Kelheim an der Donau were given balloons with the first eight letters - SPIEL OHN - and Neuötting were given balloons with the last eight letters - E GRENZEN. Although this appeared to be an easy task, the balloons had to be inflated by foot pump and they had to be at least of a determined size - shown to the competitors before the start of the game - and they could not be any smaller than this. However, inflating them with too much helium would cause them to burst. Contemporaneously, the name of the team also had to be displayed below the balloons using eight large roll-up sheets which had been annotated with the letters of the team. Again for parity, Kelheim (7 letters) had an extra blank sheet and the two t’s of Neuötting (9 letters) were printed on the same sheet. The game had been started earlier in the contest during the two heats of the seventh game and continued since that point in the programme. The team completing the game with all the correct elements in the faster time would be declared the winners.

Within seconds of the cameras returning to the game for the conclusion, the final balloon of Kelheim an der Donau had been placed on the wire to complete their eight letters.

Additional Information

This was the final West German Spiel Ohne Grenzen programme to be filmed or broadcast in black and white. From the following heat, all programmes were filmed, recorded and broadcast in glorious colour.

Made in B/W • This programme exists in German archives

D

Spiel Ohne Grenzen 1970

Heat 2

Event Staged: Saturday 2nd May 1970
Venue: Landwirtschaftliche Flächen (Agricultural Land), Uelzen,
Niedersachsen, West Germany

Transmission:
WDR 1 (D): Saturday 2nd May 1970, 3.00-4.15pm (Live)

Referees on Duty:
Peter Hochrath and assistants Hans Ebersberger and Gerd Siepe

Weather Conditions: Sunny and Warm

Theme: Life on the Farm (Das Leben auf dem Bauernhof)

Teams: Heide v. Uelzen

Team Members included:
Heide - Reimer Moore;
Uelzen - Wolgang Empft, Monika Forres, Wilhelm Johannes, Brigitta Müllan, Manfred Müllan, Hermann Müller.

Games: The Tractor Game, The Silo, The March of the Ducks, The Pulley Block, The Cows, The Tractor Ride, The Chickens, The Milk Churns Race, The Cloth Paths, The Geese, The Net Result (The Special Game).

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd

 U • Uelzen ● ●
 H • Heide

14
12

Uelzen qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Lugano, Switzerland:
staged on Wednesday 24th June 1970

The Host Town

Uelzen, Niedersachsen

Uelzen is a town with a population of around 35,000 inhabitants in the north-east of the state of Niedersachsen. It is located on the 107km (66½ miles) long River Ilmenau, 63km (39 miles) north of Wolfsburg, 75km (47 miles) south of Hamburg, 119km (74 miles) east of Bremen and 198km (123 miles) west of Berlin. It is characterised by timber-framed architecture and also has some striking examples of North German Gothic brickwork. The town has a charming setting with its grassy river banks, small parks and water meadows. Large areas in the vicinity of Uelzen have been set aside as nature parks with moors, woods, lakes and heath land.

The roots of the present-day city (which was celebrating its 700th anniversary when this Spiel Ohne Grenzen programme was transmitted) are located in Oldenstadt, a settlement in the vicinity of a Benedictine monastery dating from the 10th century. After disagreements with their lord in 1250, the bishop of Verden unceremoniously took a portion of the population on the west bank of Ilmenau, where he planned to establish their own town. By 1270, the new settlement was equipped with all the associated rights and at that time bore the name of Loewenwolde. This is demonstrated today by an inscription on the portal of the Old Town Hall stating, "On 13 December 1270, Duke John of Brunswick (1242-1277) gave the place Loewenwolde (Ulessen) town rights."

By 1374, Uelzen was a member of the Hanseatic League and, as a result of existing traditions of the monastery at the time in Uelzen, it developed into a major brewing town with great commercial success. The Uelzener beer was very popular, quite to the dismay of competing breweries in the surrounding cities. In 1611, over 25,000 hectolitres (2,500,000 litres) of beer were produced in Uelzen and by 1649, there were 58 breweries in the town.

Uelzen is also known as the Uhlenköper town stemming from the legend that a Uelzen citizen bought owls (Ulen, Uhlen) from a farmer instead of black grouse. The legend says that a shrewd farmer came from the countryside to the city of Uelzen, his baggage full of live content. There he met a curious merchant, who asked him what he had in the bag. The farmer replied “Baarftgaans” (barefoot walkers) but the merchant wrongly understood him to say “Barkhahns” (grouse). Without looking into the bag, the peasant was paid a handsome price and once home, the merchant couldn’t wait to show his wife the newly acquired black cock. However when he opened the bag, out fluttered three owls and commenced in creating all manner of damage to the apartment of the merchant. The merchant then brought an action against the farmer. However, in court the farmer stated that he had clearly said "Baarftgaans" and the fact that the farmer had bought barefoots instead, and owls do actually walk barefoot, the judge could not deny him. So amused at the cleverness of the farmer, the judge acquitted him. Hence Uelzeners to this day have been ridiculed as ‘Uhlenköper’, i.e. owl buyers.

The town earned pan-regional fame when Friedensreich Regentag Dunkelbunt Hundertwasser (1928-2000), an Austrian (who later took on New Zealand citizenship and whose name is poetically translated as ‘a peaceful empire on a rainy day, dark and colourful surrounded by water’) was selected to redesign the station. The final work of the celebrated Viennese artist and architect was ceremonially opened in 2000, attracts almost three million visitors to Uelzen every year and won the award of Railway Station of the Year in 2009. The competition, organised by Allianz pro Schiene (Pro-Rail Alliance), started in 2004 and awards the honours to two stations - one in a city and one in a smaller town. Only stations that satisfy the needs of customers and citizens, according to a defined set of criteria, can receive the award. Objective demands such as customer information, cleanliness, and integration with the city and connections with other modes of transport are as important to clinching the vote as more subjective ‘feel-good’ factors. Initially, the station did not really impress the jury but they were finally swayed by the usually notorious ‘station conveniences’. The toilets, artistically decorated with mosaic tiling with wonderfully round wash basins, were as beautiful as they were clean!

The Visiting Town

Heide is a town with a population of around 22,000 inhabitants in the state of Schleswig-Holstein and is located 168km (104 miles) north-west of Uelzen.

The Venue

Landwirtschaftliche Flächen (Agricultural Land)

The games were themed around farming and were played on actual agricultural land running alongside Albrecht-Thaer-Straße in the east of the town.

Rain earlier in the week had turned some parts of the arena into a quagmire and the design of the games did nothing to alleviate the situation.

The Games in Detail

Game 1 - The Tractor Game
(Traktorenspiel)

The first game - ‘The Tractor Game’ (Traktorenspiel) - was played individually over three minutes duration and featured five male competitors from each team and a farm tractor which had a long L-shaped pole set at a 45° angle attached to the front. One of the competitors was the driver whilst the other four competitors stood on a platform attached to the rear of the tractor. On the whistle, the tractor had to be driven down the winding course towards an archway from which was hanging a large ring. As it approached, the four competitors had to move backwards out onto the platform and thus causing their total body weight to lift the front wheels of the tractor off the ground. This then had the effect of setting the pole at a 90° angle to the ground and it would then able to be used as a ‘needle’ to collect the ring. Once a ring had been successfully hooked, it fell to the bottom of the pole. The competitors on the rear of the platform then had to move back towards the tractor in order for the front wheels to return to terra-firma. The driver then had to turn the vehicle around and repeat the process. The team collecting the greater number of rings would be declared the winners.

The first heat saw the participation of Heide and whilst they appeared to have some trouble with their accuracy of lining up the tractor underneath the archway at the start of the game, they found their form towards the latter stages and collected a total of 3 rings.

The second heat featured Uelzen who had had the advantage of observing the events of the first heat and learning from the mistakes of their rivals. At first glance, it appeared that they would storm the game after collecting their first ring after just 17 seconds of elapsed time. However, the next two circumnavigations of the course proved less fruitful, with the rings being lost after rebounding off the pole as they were being collected. After 1 minute 20 seconds, the team had collected their second ring and 22 seconds later the team had equalled their rival’s total. The fourth and deciding ring was collected after exactly two minutes and the team eventually went on to collect a total of 7 rings.

Game 2 - The Silo
(Der Silo)

The second game - ‘The Silo’ (Der Silo) - was played in unison over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and witnessed Heide presenting their Joker for play, but this would prove be a decision that they would bitterly regret. The game featured four competitors (three males and one female) from each team and a large inverted silo of grain hanging from a trapeze. Attached to either side of the silo there was a rope, and below its mouth was a semi-circular board with holes cut out of it. On the whistle, the three male competitors had to play a tug-o-war and pull the silo towards their side of the game in order for the mouth to lie above the opening of the board and thus releasing the grain. The female competitor for their team would then be able to collect the grain in a bucket as it was falling from the silo. The team could continue to collect the grain whilst the silo was on their designated side of the game. The task of their opponents would be to pull the silo back to their side as quickly as possible to enable their female competitor to collect grain. This process was repeated throughout the game. The team collecting the greater amount of grain would be declared the winners.

Despite the aspirations of Heide playing the Joker, Uelzen had other ideas. From the outset, their three male competitors pulled the silo to their side of the game and got themselves into a locked position and the silo remained in one position for almost the duration of the game, only giving some respite to Heide a few seconds before the final whistle. The overwhelming success of Uelzen had taken everyone by surprise, even the games designer. A large Perspex container had been placed on a set of weighing scales to hold the collected grain and which would weigh up to 100kg (220lb 7¼oz). However, Uelzen had surpassed this amount after 1 minute 45 seconds of elapsed time and a large bowl had to be brought in and placed adjacent to the scales to hold the additional grain. When the final result was announced, Uelzen was declared as having collected "100kg of grain plus a large bowlful," whilst Heide had collected just 40kg (88lb 30oz)!

Game 3 - The March of the Ducks
(Der Entenmarsche)

The third game - ‘The March of the Ducks’ (Der Entenmarsche) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and witnessed Uelzen presenting their Joker for play. The game featured two male competitors from each team, armed with cabbages, and a large pool which was spanned by a floating bridge comprising a row of 13 ducks with hollowed out backs. On the whistle, the competitors had to pick up as many cabbages as they wanted and then climb a set of steps and make their way across the bridge using the hollowed out backs as stepping stones. If successful, all cabbages transported correctly had to be dropped into a container on the other side of the pool. The team collecting the greater number of cabbages would be declared the winners.

Although this was a straightforward game, it was very challenging for the competitors as the floating duck bridges were not as rigid as they first appeared. Uelzen were determined not to suffer the same fate on their Joker game as Heide had previously and, whilst their competitors moved precariously across the bridge, their rivals appeared to be in more of a hurry. This resulted in the Heide team making a catalogue of errors, particularly from the first of their two competitors. At the end of the game, Uelzen had made eight flawless crossings in total and collected 18 cabbages (the first of their two competitors risking 3 cabbages on two occasions) whilst Heide had collected just 13 cabbages.

Game 4 - The Pulley Block
(Der Flaschenzug)

The fourth game - ‘The Pulley Block’ (Der Flaschenzug) - was played in unison by two male competitors from each team and was scheduled to be played over three minutes duration. It featured a façade of a barn and halfway up there was a doorway to a hay loft. One end of a large plank of wood had been attached to the floor of the doorway whilst the other end descended to the ground and was attached by rope to a pulley hanging from a support bar above. On the whistle, the competitor on the ground had to place up to three sacks of grain (in reality they were filled with hay) onto the end of the plank and then pull the rope to raise it high enough so that the sacks would roll down towards the doorway entrance and into the hands of the other competitor. The game then had to be repeated throughout. The team collecting the greater number of sacks would be declared the winners.

From the outset, Uelzen took charge of the game and were collecting more sacks than their rivals. After 1 minute 29 seconds of elapsed time, a malfunction occurred with the equipment being used by Heide, after the rope attached to the plank had broken free from its mounting. The game was eventually stopped after 1 minute 44 seconds and, as it was apparent that it could not be fixed, it was expected that the game would be abandoned, and each team would be awarded 1pt each. However, referee Peter Hochrath declared that, although the game had been abandoned, the scores at the point of stoppage would be taken as the result. Uelzen were deemed as having collected 16 sacks whilst Heide had collected just 9 sacks.

Game 5 - The Cows
(Die Kühe)

The fifth game - ‘The Cows’ (Die Kühe) - was played in unison over two minutes duration and featured six male competitors from each team participating in pairs. Each pair was attired in a foam rubber cow costume which was attached to an elasticated rope that had been tethered to the ground. The teams were located at either end of a corral and in the middle there was a podium on which there were a number of flowers of different colours. On the whistle, the cows had to run forward to the podium and the competitor at the front of the cow had to reach out with the tongue of the cow (in reality his arm in a coloured mitten) and grab as many of the flowers as he could. The competitors then had to allow the elasticated rope to recoil in order to return them to the start where the flowers were collected by a female team-mate who was also tethered by rope. The game then had to be repeated until all the flowers had been removed from the podium. The team collecting the greater number of flowers would be declared the winners.

A straightforward game ended after 2 minutes 4 seconds and the results showed that Uelzen had collected 42 flowers and Heide had collected 39 flowers.

Game 6 - The Tractor Ride
(Die Traktorfahrt)

The sixth game - ‘The Tractor Ride’ (Die Traktorfahrt) - was played individually and featured four male competitors from each team and a tractor with a trailer laden with 60 sacks of potatoes (akin with the fourth game, the sacks were filled with hay). On the whistle, three of the competitors had to climb aboard the trailer and position themselves in a way as to prevent any of the sacks from falling from the trailer. The fourth competitor was in the driving seat of the tractor and it was his task to manoeuvre the vehicle and trailer over a muddy obstacle course comprising ski gates and large wooden beams of wood laid out on the ground. Any sacks that became dislodged from the trailer whilst traversing the course had to be retrieved by the driver before the team could continue. The team transporting all the sacks in the faster time would be declared the winners.

The first heat saw the participation of Heide and, apart from one sack becoming dislodged, it was a near-perfect round and they completed the course in a time of 2 minutes 46 seconds.

The second heat featured Uelzen and it appeared that it would be a very close finish after the team had had a flawless game up to the second from last obstacle. However, a lone sack then fell from the trailer which cost the team vital seconds to retrieve it and they crossed the line in 3 minutes 1 second.

Game 7 - The Chickens
(Die Hühner)

The seventh game - ‘The Chickens’ (Die Hühner) - was played individually over 1 minute 30 seconds duration and featured three competitors (one male and two females) from each team and three giant chickens located on a perch above their heads. A female team-mate was standing 5m (16ft 5in) down the course holding the handle of a large rubber and fabric skillet which was located on a brick oven. On the whistle, eggs were released from the hens at regular intervals and the three competitors, armed with normal-sized skillets, had to hit them down the course to be caught in the giant skillet by their team-mate. The team catching the greater number of eggs would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward game saw the participation of Uelzen and they collected a total of 30 eggs.

The second heat featured Heide and they emulated this total and collected a total of 33 eggs.

Game 8 - The Milk Churns' Race
(Wettlauf mit Milchkannen)

The eighth game - ‘The Milk Churns’ Race’ (Wettlauf mit Milchkannen) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and featured three male competitors from each team dressed in polystyrene milk churn costumes. On the whistle, the competitors had to get in line behind each other whilst a female team-mate placed a similar milk churn between the first and second and another between the second and third competitors. The team then had to work together and keep the loose churns in place by pushing against each other whilst negotiating a small obstacle course comprising ski gates and a wooden bridge. At the end of the course there was a waggon on which the two loose churns had to be loaded by a second team-mate. The competitors then ran back to the start of the game and repeated the course. Any churns that were dropped along the way had to be repositioned by the team-mate before the team could continue further. The team completing the course with all six churns on board the waggon in the faster time would be declared the winners.

From the outset, Heide appeared to be the more adept team on this game and led for the majority of the race but a small error in the closing stages permitted Uelzen to close the deficit and both teams reached the end of the course at the same moment. On loading the waggon, Heide appeared to have lost the game when the fifth churn fell to the ground after the sixth was being placed in position on the waggon. In the background, Uelzen could be seen completing the game in 2 minutes 30 seconds whilst Heide, after repositioning the fifth churn on their waggon, finished two seconds later. Incredibly however, when the result was announced, referee Peter Hochrath stated that the churn that had fallen to the ground had been deemed as having been placed in position and that Heide had ‘in fact’ completed the game first in 2 minutes 28 seconds.

Game 9 - The Cloth Paths
(Die Tuchbahnen)

The ninth game - ‘The Cloth Paths’ (Die Tuchbahnen) - was one that appeared in many guises throughout the history of Jeux Sans Frontières related programmes. The game was played individually over two minutes duration and featured three male competitors from each team carrying buckets of milk over a course comprising eight movable carpet runners. These would be pulled back and forth by 16 male members of the opposition and any milk remaining in the buckets had to be poured into a large Perspex container already containing 20cm (7¾in) of milk. The team collecting the greater amount of milk would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this very straightforward game saw the participation of Uelzen with Heide in opposition. After 40 seconds of elapsed time, the fourth runner (from the competitors’ perspective) had been permitted to break free from its mountings by the opposition and was deemed inoperable. However, as the game could not be stopped to recover the runner, it continued to a conclusion and Uelzen were declared as having collected a total of 35cm (13¾in) of milk.

With all the runners repositioned, the second heat featured Heide with Uelzen in opposition. After the final whistle was blown, it was clear that Heide had collected the greater amount of milk and this was confirmed as 39cm (15¼in).

Game 10 - The Geese
(Die Gänse)

The tenth and penultimate game - ‘The Geese’ (Die Gänse) - was played in unison over four minutes duration and would be decided more by luck than the skill or judgement of the competitors. The game featured a female competitor from each team and a pen holding a flock of 80 geese with different coloured ribbons tied around their necks. On the whistle, the pen door would be opened and the competitors had to move the geese to the far end of the course where there were two individual pens and it would be their task to separate the geese into the two pens. The geese with blue ribbons had to be guided by Uelzen into their allotted pen and those with yellow ribbons had to be guided into the other pen by Heide. The team with the greater number of geese in their pens with the correct coloured ribbon would be declared the winners.

It was apparent from the outset that neither of the competitors had any idea how to deal with such a large number of birds or how to control them. This led to many of the geese becoming distressed and losing feathers due to them flapping their wings with fright. A very cruel, tedious and monotonous game ended with Uelzen guiding 6 geese into their pen whilst Heide had failed to score.

Game 11 - The Net Result (The Special Game)
(Das Nettoergebnis [Das Sonderspiel])

The eleventh and final game - ‘The Net Result (The Special Game)’ (Das Nettoergebnis [Das Sonderspiel]) - was played in unison and featured all twenty-eight competitors (twenty males and eight females) from each team (the first time this was known to have occurred) and a 15m (49ft 2½in) long tubular net located on the ground which was secured by hoops at either end. On the whistle, it was a straight race to get all the competitors through the net and out the other end. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

After a very confusing start, where the competitors were not even sure at which end of the net they would begin, the game did not play out as expected by the designer. The nets became entangled and twisted and the exit hoops had to be removed from the ground and held by stagehands so that the competitors could free themselves. The game was eventually won by Heide in 2 minutes 45 seconds.

Additional Information

This was the first-ever Spiel Ohne Grenzen to be shot and transmitted in colour. Before the programme began, the continuity announcer explained to the viewers that although the programme was broadcast in colour, the opening titles and short ‘picture postcard’ films would be shown in monochrome. Additionally, although not mentioned, the camera trained on the scoreboard was also an older black-and-white model. These practices would continue throughout the remainder of the 1970 series until a new animated set of opening titles and theme music was introduced for the 1971 series of the programme. However, due to a visual disturbance which resulted in a brief interruption, the picture postcard films at the beginning of this heat were not seen following the opening credits. Although the pre-recorded films continued with full descriptive audio, the ‘live’ programme was completely lost after this. Full audio and visual connection was not recovered until 3 minutes 26 seconds into the broadcast. Fortunately, due to the programme being transmitted ‘live’, events on-site were halted until the fault could be rectified and none of this first ‘colour’ transmission has been lost.

Made in Colour • This programme exists in German archives

D

Spiel Ohne Grenzen 1970

Heat 3

Event Staged: Saturday 9th May 1970
Venue: Stadtbad (Town Swimming Baths), Delmenhorst,
Niedersachsen, West Germany

Transmission:
WDR 1 (D): Saturday 9th May 1970, 3.00-4.15pm (Live)

Referees on Duty:
Hans Ebersberger and assistants Helmut Konrad and Gerd Siepe

Weather Conditions: Sunny and Warm followed by Light Showers with Thunder and Lightning

Theme: Aquatic Animals and Water Games (Wassertiere und Wasserspiele)

Teams: Bad Nauheim v. Delmenhorst

Team Members included:
Delmenhorst - Jupp Schmeißner (Co-Team Coach), Storma Schmeißner (Co-Team Coach), Monika Behrmann, Bernhard Ebrecht, Uva Ellmann, Ushe Fietz, Detlef Fuge, Franck Heller, Wolfgang Heuken, Gerdha Hoffen, Juta Klaus, Rolf Koch, Karin Morgenthal, Karl Müller, Nikan Müller, Gerraut Pfink, Volker Pietrich, Jürgen Zumbro.

Games: The Dolphins, The Crocodiles, The Turtles, The Elephants, The Rafts, The Piggies, The Seagulls and the Frogs, The Town Musicians of Bremen, The Soup Ingredients, The Water Shoes, The Lindworm (The Special Game).

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd

 D • Delmenhorst ● ●
 N • Bad Nauheim

14
12

Delmenhorst qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Namur, Belgium:
staged on Wednesday 8th July 1970

The Host Town

Delmenhorst, Niedersachsen

Delmenhorst is a town with a population of around 75,000 inhabitants in the state of Niedersachsen. It is located on the River Delme, 11km (7 miles) west of Bremen, 30km (19 miles) south-east of Oldenburg, 90km (56 miles) south of Cuxhaven and 114km (71 miles) north of Bielefeld.

It was first mentioned in a charter in 1254, after the Count of Oldenburg, Otto I (1219-1251), bought the place near the river Delme in 1234. A castle to protect the newly founded settlement was established in about 1247, which his successor Count Otto II (1272-1301) made his residency. On 15th July 1371, Delmenhorst was declared an independent town under Bremen's law. Following a short period under the governance of the bishop of Bremen from 1421 to 1436, Delmenhorst returned to Oldenburg. The town would later become infamous for its robber-barons (despotic landowners) under the Count Gerd. Its reign thankfully ended in 1482, thanks to a siege laid to the castle under the leadership of the Bishop of Münster. The town then came under Münster authority until Count Anton I (1526-1573) finally won back the town (and the castle) in 1547.

When Christian, the last heir of Anton, died in 1647, Delmenhorst again fell under Oldenburg custody. As the Oldenburg regent of that time was a relative of the Danish king, Delmenhorst was thereafter under Danish control. In 1767, Delmenhorst was bought by Tsarina Katharina II (1729-1796) but was given up to Oldenburg in 1773. In 1777, Delmenhorst was declared a dukedom of Oldenburg and in 1806, a joint French-Dutch army occupied the territory, resulting in Delmenhorst becoming part of the French empire under Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) from 1811 to 1813.

Throughout the industrial age, Delmenhorst experienced great economic growth, thanks to the city of Bremen. Since it was in a different duty zone, merchants who wanted to export manufactured goods outside of Bremen had to pay high customs duties. Therefore they only exported the resources and produced their commodities in the surrounding villages. The industries arising during the period included the Jute (a spinning works and weavery) in 1871, the Delmenhorster Linoleumfabrik (a linoleum factory), in 1882, the Norddeutsche Wollkämmerei und Kammgarnspinnerei (North German wool combing and spinning of Worsted) or Nordwolle for short (another bigger spinning works), and several others.

Standing adjacent to the Town Hall, the landmark of the town is the 44m (144ft 4¼in) high water tower complex, built from 1910 to 1914 by architect Heinz Stoffregen (1879-1929).

The Visiting Town

Bad Nauheim is a town with a population of around 32,000 inhabitants in the state of Hessen and is located 299km (186 miles) south of Delmenhorst.

The Venue

Stadtbad (Town Swimming Baths)

The games were played in the open-air swimming pool complex which had originally opened in 1905. During the 1960s and early 1970s, the complex had been popular with families and was well utilised during the summer months.

As with most open-air pools of that era, it fell into decline in the late 1970s with the availability of cheap air travel and the growing trend to visit places further afield. However, despite the drop in visitors compared to its heyday, the complex remained in use throughout but fell into financial trouble in the 1990s, almost forcing it to close its doors. Amid outcries from the local population, a consortium was formed from local businessman who threw a lifeline to the complex.

Today, following mass investment and renovation, the whole complex is known as the GraftTherme (named after the park, Graft, in which it is located, and the thermals, the new hot water pools) and offers a variety of leisure facilities. The water-based area of the complex is known as Delfina (The Dolphin) and comprises indoor and outdoor water slides, flow channels and fountains.

The Games in Detail

Game 1 - The Dolphins
(Die Delphine)

The first game - ‘The Dolphins’ (Die Delphine) - was played in unison over two minutes duration and witnessed Bad Nauheim presenting their Joker for play. The game featured two female competitors from each team dressed as dolphins and a 50m (164ft) course comprising a set of five floating rollers interspersed by five podia with two giant penguins sitting on top of each. On the whistle, the first of the competitors had to dive into the pool and move down the course negotiating the obstacles by alternating methods - over the rollers and under the podia. At the end of the pool, the second competitor was tagged and repeated the course in the reverse direction for the return journey. A penalty of 10 seconds would be incurred for each obstacle negotiated incorrectly and 5 seconds for each penguin that was dislodged from its podium. The team completing the return journey in the faster overall time would be declared the winners.

It was evident from the outset, that the decision of the Bad Nauheim team to play their Joker on this straightforward opening game would be vindicated. The first of the Bad Nauheim competitors took an early lead and reached the end of the pool after 35 seconds of elapsed time, three seconds ahead of her rival. On her release, the second competitor expanded their lead and finished the course in 1 minute 15 seconds, five seconds ahead of Delmenhorst in 1 minute 20 seconds.

Game 2 - The Crocodiles
(Die Krokodile)

The second game - ‘The Crocodiles’ (Die Krokodile) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and featured two male competitors from each team inside a crocodile costume and a total of 40 various-sized blue and red water-filled balloons floating in the pool. On the whistle, the competitors had to guide the mouth of the crocodile over their designated coloured balloons (red for Bad Nauheim and blue for Delmenhorst) and burst them with the teeth of the crocodile by the lead competitor who was operating the movement of its jaws. The team bursting all the balloons in the faster time would be declared the winners.

From the outset, both teams burst their balloons with great veracity but began to slow down as the number of remaining balloons decreased. Whilst it was apparent that Delmenhorst were leading throughout, Bad Nauheim burst a crucial balloon on the stroke of three minutes. The referees declared that each of the teams had failed to burst four balloons and that the game had ended in a 16-16 draw.

Game 3 - The Turtles
(Die Schildkröten)

The third game - ‘The Turtles’ (Die Schildkröten) - was played in unison and featured two male competitors from each team wearing flippers on their feet and facing backwards inside a turtle costume. On the whistle, the competitors had to enter the water and negotiate six podia floating in individual lanes along the 50m (164ft) course. Each podium had to be passed alternately on different sides (left side then the right side) and on reaching the final podium, which had to be circumnavigated, they returned to the start in the same manner. The team completing the return journey and crossing the line in the faster time would be declared the winners.

It appeared that the game would be a one-horse race after Delmenhorst became entangled with the first podium, permitting Bad Nauheim to take a healthy lead. After reaching the final podium in 1 minute 17 seconds, 15 seconds ahead of their rivals, Bad Nauheim suffered a similar fate and permitted Delmenhorst to close the deficit. The return journey was then closely run despite Delmenhorst becoming entangled with one of the lane dividers which once again permitted their rivals to get in front, but this was not yet the end of the drama. On reaching the landing stage, Bad Nauheim had difficulty clambering out of the water and this again permitted Delmenhorst to close the deficit. The game eventually ended with Bad Nauheim exiting the pool and crossing the line in 3 minutes 19 seconds followed by Delmenhorst in 3 minutes 21 seconds.

Game 4 - The Elephants
(Die Elefanten)

The fourth game - ‘The Elephants’ (Die Elefanten) - was played in unison over four minutes duration and featured five male competitors from each team in the pool and an elephant structure comprising 21 pieces of polystyrene (four legs comprising 12 pieces, a torso and an abdomen comprising 8 pieces). On the whistle, the competitors had to lift the elephant off its floating podium and transport it to the edge of the pool located 25m (82ft) away. If any of the pieces of the elephant were dislodged and fell into the water, the team were permitted to continue their journey towards the poolside with the remaining pieces and return to collect the fallen pieces during the game. Once at the poolside, the teams had to reconstruct the elephant into its original shape. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

A straightforward game saw the elephant of Delmenhorst tumbling into the pool after just 11 seconds of elapsed time. The team quickly scrambled to the end of the course carrying as many of the body parts as possible. Off-camera, the Bad Nauheim quintet had also suffered the same fate and they too made their way to the end of the course. Delmenhorst were the first to reach the exit ramp after 34 seconds and raced to the top to start rebuilding their pachyderm whilst Bad Nauheim exited the pool with the top half of their elephant’s body after 54 seconds. Whilst members of both teams returned to the pool to collect the dropped sections, the other members struggled to get to grips with the process of rebuilding. With all four legs of the elephants in place on the poolside, the teams placed the torso of the body on top. The drama then began when the teams had to reconstruct the eight pieces of the abdomen which had rounded edges and would only fit in position if placed exactly right. With both teams dropping pieces throughout the build, it was Bad Nauheim who completed their structure first in 2 minutes 48 seconds with Delmenhorst finishing 15 seconds later in 3 minutes 3 seconds.

Game 5 - The Rafts
(Die Flöße)

The fifth game - ‘The Rafts’ (Die Flöße) - was played in unison and featured three male competitors from each team and a raft comprised of five inflated logs and five foam rubber animals - a brown bear, a kangaroo, a lion, a penguin and a rhinoceros. On the whistle, the five inflated logs had to be floated into the pool and their ends joined together by rope in order to construct a raft. Once completed, the five animals had to be placed aboard the raft and the competitors then had to transport it to the other end of 50m (164ft) course where they were unloaded. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was another straightforward game which saw Delmenhorst take the lead after setting forth with their raft after 48 seconds of elapsed time. Keeping their cool and moving at a steady pace, they reached the exit ramp after 1 minute 41 seconds. With Bad Nauheim some 8m (26ft 3in) adrift, Delmenhorst, with time on their hands, unloaded the animals and completed the game in 2 minutes 1 second. In the background, Bad Nauheim could be observed finishing in 2 minutes 12 seconds.

Game 6 - The Piggies
(Die Schweinchen)

The sixth game - ‘The Piggies’ (Die Schweinchen) - was played individually and witnessed Delmenhorst presenting their Joker for play. The game was to be the most straightforward game of the programme and featured two competitors (one male and one female) from each team, the latter being attired in a piglet costume, standing on a small podium in the pool. On the whistle, the male competitor wearing a mask and snorkel entered the pool and his ‘piglet’ climbed onto his shoulders and held his hands. He then had to walk the 25m (82ft) course and en route had to negotiate one small hurdle which had to be passed under by the piglet. At the end of the course, the female had to jump onto a similar podium to finish the game. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

The first heat saw the participation of Delmenhorst and they had a flawless run and completed the course in just 33 seconds.

The second heat featured Bad Nauheim and, although they produced another flawless run, they were slightly slower and finished the course in 39 seconds.

Game 7 - The Seagulls and the Frogs
(Die Seemöwen und die Frösche)

The seventh game - ‘The Seagulls and the Frogs’ (Die Seemöwen und die Frösche) - was played individually over 3 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured two male competitors from each team dressed as seagulls and a 25m (82ft) course comprised of 10 inflated frogs sitting on lily-pads. Attached to the end of each of the seagulls’ beaks, there was a hook and a small ring was attached to each frog. On the whistle, the two competitors had to climb onto wooden stilts and then walk around the pool collecting frogs with their beaks and dropping any they had collected into a basket at the other end of the course. The exit ramp was permitted to be used when placing the frogs in the basket and there was no limit to the number of frogs that they could carry at any one time. However, only frogs that had been placed in the basket on the sounding of the final whistle would be counted. The team collecting the greater number of frogs would be declared the winners.

The first heat saw the participation of Bad Nauheim and they collected their first frog after 1 minute 10 seconds of elapsed time with a second after 1 minute 37 seconds. The third and fourth frogs were collected together and placed in the basket after 1 minute 48 seconds and the fifth followed after 2 minutes 15 seconds. The sixth and seventh frogs, like the second and third, were collected together and placed in the basket after 2 minutes 32 seconds. With just under a minute of playing time remaining, there appeared to be plenty of time for Bad Nauheim to improve on this score. However, whilst returning to the basket with the eighth frog, the competitor tumbled from the stilts and fell into the pool. Their score was officially declared as 7 frogs.

The second heat featured Delmenhorst and it appeared that they would emulate the target that they had been set after both their competitors had collected two frogs each on their first runs after 1 minute 36 seconds and 2 minutes 5 seconds, respectively. With four frogs collected, the first competitor returned with another two after 2 minutes 26 seconds and with both competitors now back in the pool, it was a race against time to collect two more to emulate their rivals. The seventh frog was placed in the basket after 3 minutes 17 seconds whilst contemporaneously, the eighth was being hooked by the other competitor. Although he was within reaching distance of the basket, disaster struck as he turned around and the frog dropped from the hook. With very little time now remaining, there was not enough for either competitor to collect another frog and the game ended in a 7-7 draw.

Game 8 - The Town Musicians of Bremen
(Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten)

The eighth game - ‘The Town Musicians of Bremen’ (Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten) - was played in unison over 3 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured four male competitors from each team and a large floating ball with four animals - a donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster - standing on top of each other. On the whistle, the competitors, each of whom were holding a handle attached to a large metal ring around the circumference of the ball, had to work together to transport it down the 50m (164ft) course to the other end of the pool. If the ball was not kept level, the animals would topple into the pool and the team would have to reposition them before continuing. The team completing the course in the faster time would be declared the winners.

Although this appeared to be a simple straightforward game, it was apparent from the outset that both teams were finding the game difficult to deal with. Within 6 seconds of the start, the Bad Nauheim animals had toppled into the pool. However, whilst the home crowd cheered, it could be seen that Delmenhorst were also in trouble when their animals started to wobble and eventually toppled into the pool after 18 seconds. With both teams and their animals now in the pool, they struggled in vain to reposition them on the balls. Things were not made any easier by the fact that they were made of foam rubber and after being immersed in water they were much heavier. At the final whistle, neither of the teams had been able to regain their composure and complete the game. Despite Delmenhorst having moved furthest up the course before disaster struck, the game was still declared a non-scoring draw.

Game 9 - The Soup Ingredients
(Die Suppe Zutaten)

The ninth game - ‘The Soup Ingredients’ (Die Suppe Zutaten) - was played in unison over 3 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured six female competitors from each team and a line of five floating podia set at 10m (32ft 9¾in) distance apart. On the whistle, five of the competitors swam to the floating podia and climbed aboard whilst the sixth swam to a platform beyond the other five, where a number of soup ingredients were located. She then had to pass a total of 10 large carrots, 10 sacks of potatoes and then large water-filled balloons to the first of her five team-mates who then passed it to the second and so on. The fifth competitor had the most difficult task in that she had to throw the items into a large basket located on the exit ramp. Items could only be passed one at a time and any that were dropped could be retrieved from the water if they were no more than arm’s length from the podium. The team collecting the greater number of items in the basket would be declared the winners.

Delmenhorst were the first to score after 56 seconds with Bad Nauheim equalising after 1m 6 seconds. Delmenhorst took the lead for a second time after 1 minute 26 seconds but after this it became difficult to determine which team was in the lead due to the fact that the director appeared to be instructing his cameramen not to concentrate on the final competitors’ throws. At the end of the game, Delmenhorst had collected a total of 7 items and Bad Nauheim had collected a total of 8 items.

Game 10 - The Water Shoe Battle
(Die Wasser Schuh Kampf)

The tenth and penultimate game - ‘The Water Shoe Battle’ (Die Wasser Schuh Kampf) - was played in unison over three rounds of 1 minute 30 seconds duration and featured four male competitors from each team armed with an oar which had a padded end on it and five floating rafts. The feet of the four competitors had to be placed in straps and the game was designed so that the outside competitors had just one foot on a raft whilst the other competitors shared a raft with each of his neighbours. On the whistle, the teams had to make their way from the opposite sides of the pool’s edge to the middle and then, using the padded end of their oars, do battle with each other and knock their rivals into the water. The team winning the greater number of rounds would be declared the winners.

The first of the three rounds was won by Delmenhorst in 55 seconds and they were leading 1-0 on the game.

The second round saw Delmenhorst demolish their rivals almost immediately, but for one lone competitor. However, with four against one, it was a lost cause and Delmenhorst eventually sank the surviving Bad Nauheim competitor after 53 seconds.

With the outcome of the game, a 2-0 victory for Delmenhorst, already decided, the third round was not contested.

Game 11 - The Lindworm (The Special Game)
(Der Lindwurm [Das Sonderspiel])

The eleventh and final game - ‘The Lindworm (The Special Game)’ (Der Lindwurm [Das Sonderspiel]) - was played over five minutes duration and featured all twenty-two male competitors from each team and a lindworm comprised of 13 sections, 11 of which rotated, stretched across the width of the pool. On the whistle, the competitors had to line up and take it in turn to cross over the pool on the lindworm. Although all valid crossings had to be clean, the teams could adopt any method they chose. However, competitors that toppled into the pool had to return to the start. The team with the greater number of crossings would be declared the winners.

Although a straightforward game, it failed to live up to the excitement of a deciding game, with both teams struggling to get right across the pool. Although Delmenhorst had made successful crossings after 25 seconds and 35 seconds, it was not until 3 minutes 4 seconds of elapsed time that they made a third successful crossing. A fourth crossing was made 50 seconds later and a fifth, accompanied by a huge thunderbolt from the storm overhead, occurred after 4 minutes 27 seconds.

At the end of five minutes of tedium, the whistle was blown and whilst Delmenhorst had made 5 crossings, Bad Nauheim had failed to score.

Media Attention

In an article in the Delme Report dated 22nd March 2020, the local newspaper looked back to events fifty years earlier and observed that before the actual recording, a dress rehearsal had taken place in the morning under the watchful eyes of students from almost all the schools in Delmenhorst.

The gates to the arena were opened at 1.00pm for the audience to start taking their seats. Thirty minutes later, the VSK Bungerhof (the local handball and table-tennis association), the Delmenhorster Turnerbund (a local gymnastics association), the Youth Wind Orchestra of the Ganderkesee volunteer fire department and a beat band from Bad Nauheim began entertaining the assembled crowd.

At 3.30pm, Camillo Felgen took over the management of the game. After two short films in which the cities of Bad Nauheim and Delmenhorst were introduced to television viewers, the actual competition began broadcasting at 4.00pm.

The images were recorded by one black-and-white and five colour cameras and were transmitted from a mirror on a 40m (131ft 2¾in) high mast in front of the Stadtbad to the broadcasting centre in Hamburg.

Made in Colour • This programme exists in German archives

D

Spiel Ohne Grenzen 1970

Heat 4

Event Staged: Saturday 16th May 1970
Venue: Stadion Kollenberg (Kollenberg Stadium), Radevormwald,
Nordrhein-Westfalen, West Germany

Transmission:
WDR 1 (D): Saturday 16th May 1970, 3.00-4.15pm (Live)

Referees on Duty:
Werner Treichel and assistants Peter Hochrath and Gerd Siepe

Weather Conditions: Hot and Sunny

Theme: The Attractions at a Persian Market (Die Attraktionen im Persischen Markt)

Teams: Bocholt v. Radevormwald

Team Members included:
Bocholt - Marita Kemin;
Radevormwald - Hans Schaefer (Team Manager), Fritz Krumm (Co-Team Coach / Team Captain), Margret Pikker (Co-Team Coach), Hartmut Behrensmeier, Ute Butz, Jürgen Dikensmann, Renata Durmond, Dietmar Helmich, Alfred Mattern, Dieter Pferner, Axel Reischenberg, Bernd Reinbott, Lothar Reinbott, Nika Reinbott, Volker Reinbott, Bernd Richter, Heidemarie Rosendahl, Ulrich Rüsing, Inga Schutz, Günter Templin.

Games: The Uneven Carpet, The Oriental Towers, The Carpet Runners, The Small Muck, The Fakir’s Bed of Nails, The Asian Elephants, The Snake Charmers, The Flying Carpets, The Water Carriers, The Camel Long Jump, The Caliph’s Beds (The Special Game).

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd

 R • Radevormwald ● ●
 B • Bocholt

14
12

Radevormwald qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Avignon, France:
staged on Wednesday 22nd July 1970

The Host Town

Radevormwald, Nordrhein-Westfalen

Radevormwald is a town with a population of around 24,000 inhabitants in the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen. It is located 16kms (10 miles) south-east of Wuppertal, 35km (22 miles) south of Dortmund, 40km (25 miles) north-east of Köln and 40km (25 miles) east of Düsseldorf.

The first known reference in writing to the town was in the year 1050. Klaus Pampus writes in his book Urkundliche Erstnennungen oberbergischen Orte (Earliest Documentary References to Places in Oberberg) that Radevormwald came into the possession of the imperial abbey of Werden and at the time was called Rotha, meaning ‘clearing’, and this over time became corrupted to Rade. Rade was situated in the County, later Duchy, of Berg and between 1309 and 1316 Count Adolf VI von Berg conferred municipal rights on the town. The settlement which was located ‘vor dem walde’ (‘before the wood’) became known as Radevormwald meaning ‘the clearing in front of the wood’.

In 1620, Radevormwald was conquered by the Protestant Hessians under Philip the Magnanimous (1504-1567). During the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), it was used as the occasional headquarters and supply depot of the Spaniards and Austrians, under the command of Ottavio Piccolomini (1599-1656) who was one of the generals under the command of Albrecht von Wallenstein, Duke of Friedland (1583-1634). In 1635 and 1636, Dutch troops (and also by Westphalian troops in 1638,) occupied the town before it fell once again to Hesse in 1639. These military occupations were accompanied by murder, looting, arson and rape of the civil population, which was almost virtually decimated.

On the evening of 27th May 1971, just one year and 11 days after the town had appeared in Spiel Ohne Grenzen, a Deutsche Bundesbahn railbus (a lightweight type passenger rail vehicle that shares many aspects of its construction with a bus, usually having modified bus body, and having four wheels on a fixed base) ran as a special service on the Wuppertal-Radevormwald line. The train was full of schoolchildren on a school outing and was about 30 minutes behind schedule. An oncoming freight train failed to stop for reasons that remain unclear, and collided with the railbus. 46 passengers died in the accident, including 41 of the schoolchildren and 25 of the other passengers were seriously injured. The exact cause of the accident could not be determined, because the station controller died in a car accident shortly after the event. The surviving driver of the goods train stated at the inquest that the train controller had signalled green with his flashlight, indicating a free passage. Almost all of the dead schoolchildren were buried at the municipal cemetery in Radevormwald in a common enclosure with a stone monument inscribed: ‘Komme Geist von den vier Winden herbei und hauche diese Toten an, damit sie lebendig werden’ (Come spirit of the four winds and breathe on these dead, that they may come alive). This accident was the worst rail disaster in West Germany until the Eschede train disaster occurred on 3rd June 1998.

The Visiting Town

Bocholt is a town with a population of around 72,000 inhabitants in the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen and is located 88km (55 miles) north-west of Radevormwald.

The Venue

Stadion Kollenberg (Kollenberg Stadium)

The games were played at Kollenberg Stadium, which is located in the very north of the town and was originally home to the local football club Turn und Sportverein Radevormwald (Radevormwald Gymnastics and Sports Club), simply known as TuS.

Formed in 1947, TuS was a founding member of the Landesliga Niederrhein (Lower Rhine Amateur League), which at that time was the highest amateur league and in which the first football team played for three years. During this time, TuS played renowned clubs like Borussia Mönchengladbach and Duisburg during cup runs. After a fifth place finish during the 1948/49 season, the team’s successes began to wane and it spent one more year in the league before descending to the lower leagues. In 1953, it went down to the Kreisklasse, the lowest league, a position from which it failed to come back. By this time, many of the team had deserted the club and moved to clubs in the higher leagues. In 1970, TuS Radevormwald merged with TSV Schwarz-Weiß Radevormwald to become SpVg Radevormwald.

In 1990, Radevormwald tried to live up to its reputation as a sports town with the inauguration of the newly-renovated Kollenberg stadium and the indoor swimming pool Aquafun. However, these efforts suffered a setback in 2004, after the state-owned sports school closed down.

At the end of the 2006/07 season, SpVg Radevormwald celebrated the Division championship and promotion to the Verbandsliga Niederrhein but less than two years later the town’s football club was again in trouble. In August 2008, the SpVg went into liquidation and was declared insolvent. Since 2008, the tenants of the stadium have been SC 08 Radevormwald.

The Games in Detail

Game 1 - The Uneven Carpet
(Die Ungleichmäßige Teppich)

The first game - ‘The Uneven Carpet’ (Die Ungleichmäßige Teppich) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and featured three female competitors from each team and a large carpet spanned by six hurdles, each comprised of two elasticated ropes. At one end of the carpet there were 20 very large water-filled balloons hanging from a frame. On the whistle, each of the competitors had to transport a balloon from one end of the carpet to the other and hang it on another frame. They then had to return to the start via the same method and then repeat the game throughout. The team collecting the greater number of balloons would be declared the winners.

From the outset, it was a very close run race with Radevormwald having a slight edge. However, during the latter stages of the game, their competitors began to tire and this permitted Bocholt to close the deficit and eventually take the lead. The final five seconds of the game witnessed one of the Radevormwald competitors struggling to reach the end of the course and being ruled out of time just as she was about to hang her balloon. When the result was announced, this balloon had made all the difference and Bocholt were declared as having collected 13 balloons whilst Radevormwald had collected 12 balloons.

Game 2 - The Oriental Towers
(Die Orientalischen Türme)

The second game - ‘The Oriental Towers’ (Die Orientalischen Türme) - was played individually over three minutes duration and featured four competitors (three males and one female) from each team. On the course there were three domed metronomic towers each with a large spiked antenna and at the start there was a podium with a number of spheres of varying size (small, medium and large) which had holes drilled through their centres. On the whistle, each of the male competitors had to run up and climb on to each of the towers and then begin to rock them back and forth in a manner akin to a metronome. As the first tower descended, the female competitor had to place a small sphere onto its antenna. Once in place, the male competitor adjusted his weight so that his tower would descend in the opposite direction in order to meet the second competitor whose tower was already pointing towards him. The first competitor then had to transfer the sphere from his antenna to the one on the second tower. This process was then repeated by the second competitor with the one on the third tower and then the third competitor had to descend towards a static antenna and place the sphere on to it. The game then had to be repeated continuously. The spheres had to be transported in order - small, medium, large, small - with this pattern being repeated throughout the game. The competitors were only permitted to touch the spheres once they had been placed on their antenna by the previous competitor. However, in order to steady themselves, they would be permitted to assist each other by holding hands whilst the transfer was taking place. The team collecting the greater number of spheres would be declared the winners.

The first heat saw the participation of Radevormwald and it appeared that they had struck up a reasonable rhythm and secured their first sphere on the static antenna after 35 seconds of elapsed time. At the end of three minutes play, their score was declared as 9 spheres.

The second heat featured Bocholt and they were much faster than their rivals, securing their first sphere after 28 seconds. At the one minute mark and, with the same number of spheres secured, they were 8 seconds ahead of Radevormwald and by the two minute mark, they had increased this lead to 13 seconds. The final third of the game saw Bocholt securing a further four spheres, as opposed to Radevormwald who had only secured 2 spheres during the same time period, and their score was declared as 11 spheres.

Game 3 - The Carpet Runners
(Die Teppichläufer)

The third game - ‘The Carpet Runners’ (Die Teppichläufer) - was played in unison over two minutes duration and featured three competitors (two males and one female) from each team standing on a large red carpet which was wrapped around a large roller. On the whistle, the two males had to work together and, using their feet, move the roller down the 25m (82ft) course so that the carpet would unfurl. Contemporaneously, the female competitor had to keep a hula hoop twisting around her torso at all times. Once the carpet had been fully unfurled, the female had to toss the hoop over a pole and then all three competitors had to work together to roll the carpet back onto the barrel as they returned to the start. A penalty of 20 seconds would be incurred if the hoop was not successfully thrown over the pole. If any of the competitors tumbled from the barrel or the hula hoop failed to stay in motion, the team had to stop and recompose itself before continuing. The team completing the return journey in the faster overall time would be declared the winners.

This was a straightforward game which saw Radevormwald have the slight edge on their rivals with their speed on the outward run. However, after 30 seconds of elapsed time, one of their competitors tumbled to the ground and whilst the team recomposed itself, it permitted Bocholt to lessen the deficit slightly. With no further incident, the Radevormwald female successfully tossed the hoop over the pole after 39 seconds and this was followed by her rival emulating the feat after 46 seconds. The game was then stopped whilst stagehands rushed in to straighten up the rollers so that there could be no collision on the return journey. With both rollers reset in position, the game was restarted and the teams set off. Bocholt appeared to have kept their skill for this part of the game and completed the journey in just 24 seconds and finished the game in 1 minute 3 seconds. Contemporaneously, Radevormwald had tumbled from the carpet and, after recomposing themselves for a second occasion, chose not to finish the course after witnessing their rivals crossing the line.

Game 4 - The Small Muck
(Der Kleine Muck)

The fourth game - ‘The Small Muck’ (Der Kleine Muck) - was played individually over two minutes duration and witnessed Radevormwald presenting their Joker for play. The game featured a male competitor from each team dressed in a pair of wide flared trousers and a large turban. The trousers had been filled with 15kg (33lb) of weights in each leg whilst the turban weighed 5kg (11lb). On the whistle, the competitor had to negotiate a 25m (82ft) obstacle course comprising six small hurdles and two saloon-type doors. On the ground, interspersed between the obstacles, there were 30 gold coins which had to be collected and put into a small sack. The team collecting all 30 coins in the faster time would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward game saw the participation of Radevormwald and their competitor completed a flawless performance in 1 minute 32 seconds.

The second heat featured Bocholt and, from the outset, their competitor was slower than his rival and at each of the obstacles he was always one or two seconds behind on the clock. Opting for a method whereby he collected multiple coins before placing them in the sack and raising the hems of the trousers as he negotiated the hurdles did nothing to help his cause. At the final hurdle, he was already four seconds behind the time of Radevormwald at this stage and then, to make matters worse, he became entangled with the hurdle and his fate had then been sealed. He eventually completed the game in 1 minute 37 seconds.

Game 5 - The Fakir’s Bed of Nails
(Das Nagelbett des Fakirs)

The fifth game - ‘The Fakir’s Bed of Nails’ (Das Nagelbett des Fakirs) - was played individually over three minutes duration and featured a large board comprised of 400 wooden poles with nails protruding from their tops and ten competitors (five males and five females) from each team standing in pairs on opposite sides of the board. On one side of the bed there were two males and three females whilst on the other side there were three males and two females and each pair was armed with two long bamboo sticks. On the whistle, a male team-mate placed one of 25 large water-filled balloons between the sticks of the nearest competitors and they had to pass it on to the second pair who had to hold it between their two sticks, preventing the balloon from touching the nails below. They then passed it on to the third pair and they passed it on to the fourth and so on. The final pair of competitors then had to toss the balloon through a large ring into a holding pen. The game was played continuously throughout and any balloons falling from the sticks and not bursting could be retrieved by the team-mate and reused. The team collecting the greater number of balloons would be declared the winners.

The first heat saw the participation of Radevormwald and they got off to a slow start, securing their first balloon after 24 seconds. Further successes followed and by the halfway mark, the team had secured 7 balloons. With the team now firmly in their stride, they secured an additional 13 balloons during the second half of the game and their score was declared as a total of 20 balloons.

The second heat featured Bocholt and they appeared to be faster than Radevormwald. Although they had permitted several of the balloons to be burst on the nails whilst passing between the pairs, they had secured 12 balloons by the halfway mark and were well ahead of Radevormwald at this stage. However, after 2 minutes 12 seconds of elapsed time, the team had exhausted their supply of balloons as they had permitted eight of them to be burst on the nails. The referees explained that the teams were warned that they would only get a maximum of 25 balloons to use and this announcement prompted the sound of jeering and whistles to ring from the crowd. The score for Bocholt was declared as a total of 17 balloons.

Game 6 - The Asian Elephants
(Die Asiatischen Elefanten)

The sixth game - ‘The Asian Elephants’ (Die Asiatischen Elefanten) - was played in unison and featured five competitors (four males and one female) from each team and a large elephant costume. The four males were inside the legs of the elephant and had been blindfolded. On the whistle, the female had to climb aboard the elephant and shout directions to her team-mates below in order for them to move along a small 25m (82ft) course comprising 10 high jump poles. As the elephant approached the obstacles, the female had to crouch down to pass underneath. Any obstacle that failed to be negotiated correctly would incur a 10-second penalty. The team completing the game in the faster overall time would be declared the winners.

From the outset, it appeared that Radevormwald would take the lead on the scoreboard for the first time as they got the better start. To help their cause, Bocholt immediately incurred a penalty after knocking the pole off the first obstacle as they passed underneath. However, in their haste to get ahead, Radevormwald made several errors and began incurring penalties. As they reached the tenth and final obstacle, they became entangled with the equipment and this permitted Bocholt to lessen the deficit somewhat. Radevormwald crossed the finish line in 1 minute 5 seconds with Bocholt doing likewise in 1 minute 7 seconds. The final result of the game would now hinge on the number of penalties incurred. The referees announced that Bocholt had incurred a penalty of 20 seconds (2 x 10 seconds) bringing their overall time to 1 minute 27 seconds. However, Radevormwald had incurred a total of 60 seconds (6 x 10) of penalties and their overall time was declared as 2 minutes 5 seconds.

Game 7 - The Snake Charmers
(Die Schlangenbeschwörer)

The seventh game - ‘The Snake Charmers’ (Die Schlangenbeschwörer) - was played individually over three minutes duration and, although simple in format, would prove to be the best game of the programme. It featured three competitors (two males and one female) from each team and a large boa constrictor with a rotating head and neck. The competitors, armed with 33 metal hoops each, were positioned around the snake so that there was an equal distance between each other. On the whistle, the snake’s head was set in motion and as the head of the snake passed in front of each of the competitors, they had to toss the hoops over its head. Each competitor would only be given short bursts of time to use their hoops and therefore it was not a requirement to use all of the 99 hoops. The team scoring the greater number of hoops would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward game saw the participation of Radevormwald and they scored a total of 17 hoops within the permitted time.

The second heat featured Bocholt and after 2 minutes 17 seconds of elapsed time, they had already equalled the score of Radevormwald. Two seconds later, the 18th and decisive hoop was scored and victory had been secured. The game was played out and the team eventually scored a total of 25 hoops.

Game 8 - The Flying Carpets
(Die Fliegenden Teppiche)

The eighth game - ‘The Flying Carpets’ (Die Fliegenden Teppiche) - was a straight race played in unison and featured a large rectangular carpet and six male competitors from each team wearing fezzes. On the whistle, the six competitors had to get on the carpet and raise it at one end. They then had to work together by jumping forward and striking up a rhythm in order to move the carpet down the course to cross a line. Once this had been accomplished, the competitors then had to raise the other end of the carpet and repeat the game in the reverse direction. The team completing the return journey in the faster overall time would be declared the winners.

Radevormwald got the better start and were already 4m (13ft 1½in) ahead after just 10 seconds of elapsed time. This lead was sustained throughout the outward journey, with the team reaching the turnaround point after 30 seconds. They quickly recomposed themselves and commenced their return journey whilst Bocholt reached the turnaround point after 43 seconds. With Bocholt trailing by 10m (32ft 9¾in), the game was now a foregone conclusion and only a disaster impeding the Radevormwald team would alter this. The Radevormwald sextet held their nerve and completed a flawless performance, crossing the finish line in 1 minute 5 seconds.

Game 9 - The Water Carriers
(Die Wasserträger)

The ninth game - ‘The Water Carriers’ (Die Wasserträger) - was played in unison over four minutes duration and witnessed Bocholt presenting their Joker for play. The game featured an obstacle course comprising two narrow wooden beams and a steep triangular set of steps and three female competitors from each team wearing headgear with flat tops. At the end of the course there was a large Perspex container marked with centimetre graduations. On the whistle, a female team-mate had to place a Grecian urn containing water on to the head of the first competitor who then had to walk the 50m (164ft) course whilst balancing the vase on her head without touching it with her hands. Any vases transported successfully could be emptied into the container. The team collecting the greater volume of water would be declared the winners.

It was apparent from the outset, that Bocholt were not as adept with their balancing skills as one would expect from a team playing its Joker. The Radevormwald competitors in the meantime were more focused and made several more successful journeys than their rivals. Despite this, when the results were announced, the game proved to be much closer than it appeared. Radevormwald had filled their container with water to a height of 35.2cm (13¾in) whilst Bocholt had only collected sufficient water to fill their container to the 33.5cm (13¼in) mark on the graduated scale.

Game 10 - The Camel Long Jump
(Das Kamel Weitsprung)

The tenth and penultimate game - ‘The Camel Long Jump’ (Das Kamel Weitsprung) - was played in unison over individual rounds and featured two male competitors from each team, a small trampoline and a number of foam-rubber camels. On the whistle, the first of the two competitors had to run up the course and, using the trampoline, clear the three camels and land on a heavily cushioned pole vault landing mat on the other side. After each round, an additional camel was added to increase the distance to be travelled. The competitors could adopt any method of jumping but their bodies could not make any contact with the camels’ abdomens. However, if they made contact with the camels’ humps, the jump would be deemed as clean. The team which made the greater number of clearances before faltering would be declared the winners.

This was a straightforward game with the two teams adopting completely contrasting styles of execution. Whilst Radevormwald, who competed first, opted for a forward flip method, Bocholt opted for the classic straightforward leap over (see picture below). The first five rounds were executed without mishap and it was not until the sixth round when an eighth camel was put in place that anything significant occurred.

With both of the Radevormwald competitors making contact with a camel, it only required either of the Bocholt competitors to make a successful clearance from their two essays to secure victory. Although the first competitor cleared the obstacle, and in theory had won the game, the referees permitted the second competitor to attempt his sixth jump, which was also successful. The result was announced and Bocholt had won by 12-10.

Game 11 - The Caliph’s Beds (The Special Game)
(Die Betten des Kalifen [Das Sonderspiel])

The eleventh and final game - ‘The Caliph’s Beds (The Special Game)’ (Die Betten des Kalifen [Das Sonderspiel]) - was played in unison and although short in length proved to be one of the most exciting deciding games seen in all of Spiel Ohne Grenzen or its related series. It featured seventeen competitors (twelve males and five females) from each team and a very large  and heavy bed. On the whistle, the male competitors raced down the 60m (196ft 10¼in) course to the bed and had to pick up the bed and race back to the start. However, on the return journey, they had to collect the five females who were standing on podia and who had to jump on the bed as it passed. The team completing the journey with all five females on board in the faster time would be declared the winners.

Following a false start, this was a closely run race with both teams reaching their beds after 9 seconds of elapsed time. Radevormwald had the slight edge as they set off for the return journey and maintained the lead for the remainder of the game. A quick return journey saw the team cross the line in just 24 seconds.

Reunions

Bocholt and Radevormwald

In May 2003, thirty-three years after their original participation, Hartmut Behrensmeier, Head of Business Development at Bergische Morganpost, organised a reunion and a much friendlier re-match (on this occasion in Bocholt) of all surviving members from both teams.

Writing for the newspaper in 2020, Behrensmeier, who had been one of the original Radevormwald team members, explained: “What took place 17 years ago as a relaxed nostalgic event was nothing like the competition in 1970, which we all had to take very seriously, despite the fun games. Even before 16th May (1970), when the decision had been taken to stage the live broadcast against Bocholt from Radevormwald, there was hardly any other topic of discussion in the town. The town hall was inundated with requests for tickets."

Rudolf Schwanz had created an emblem for the event that "would be used in a special stamp issued by the Bundespost", wrote Bergische Morganpost editor Hans Aldermann. "The same advertising stamp would also be used by the town and the Sparkasse Bank to refer to the programme anywhere in the country, which was ultimately intended to improve the image of Radevormwald. But one thing is certain, for many Radevormwalder, participation in Spiel Ohne Grenzen had been unforgettable.”

At the reunion, and in addition to Hartmut Behrensmeier, nine other original members of the Radevormwald team - Ute Butz, Dietmar Helmich, Fritz Krumm, Ulrich Rüsing, Axel Reichenberg and family members Bernd, Lothar, Nika and Volker Reinbott - were able to make the 88km (55 miles) journey to Bocholt. Guest of honour was former Spiel Ohne Grenzen presenter Camillo Felgen. Behrensmeier warmly recalled the encounter with the singer and moderator from Luxembourg: "He was a very pleasant person to know but absolutely serious." Felgen sadly passed away two years later on 16th July 2005 at the age of 84.

Made in Colour • This programme exists in German archives

D

Spiel Ohne Grenzen 1970

Heat 5

Event Staged: Saturday 23rd May 1970
Venue: Reitersportverein Sankt Hubertus (St. Hubertus Equestrian Club),
Obrighoven, Wesel, Nordrhein-Westfalen, West Germany

Transmission:
WDR 1 (D): Saturday 23rd May 1970, 3.00-4.15pm (Live)

Referees on Duty:
Not known

Theme: Medieval Knights (Mittelalterliche Ritter)

Teams: Kleve v. Wesel

Team Members included:
Kleve - Nicole Annalies, Karl-Wilhelm Breuer, Willi Mühenhaus, Bernhard Pfier, Theo Rolfsen, Eva Schmidt, Reinhard Sieber.

Games: Stabbing the Rings (Ringstechen), The Crossbow (Die Armbrust), Obstacle Riding on Horseback (Hindernisreiten), The Sword Fight (Der Schwerterkampf), The Fool (Der Narr), Gallop Away (Galopp), The Fencers (Die Fechter), The Carousel (Das Karussell), Horseback Ball Game (Ballspiel zu Pferd), The Escape (Die Flucht), The Special Game (Das Sonderspiel).

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

1st
2nd

 K • Kleve ● ●
 W • Wesel

14
12

Kleve qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Cardiff, Great Britain:
staged on Wednesday 5th August 1970

The Host Town

Wesel, Nordrhein-Westfalen

Wesel is a town with a population of around 60,000 inhabitants in the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen. It is located at the confluence of the Rhine and Lippe rivers, 35km (22 miles) north-west of Essen, 37km (23 miles) south-east of Kleve, 75km (47 miles) south-west of Münster and 35km (22 miles) east of the border with the Netherlands.

The town originated from a Franconian manor that was first recorded in the 8th century. In the 12th century, the Duchy of Clèves took possession of Wesel and the town became a member of the Hanseatic League during the 15th century. Within the Duchy, Wesel was second only to Köln in the lower Rhine region as an entrepôt - a trading post where merchandise can be imported and exported without paying import duties, often at a profit. It was an important commercial centre and was used a clearing station for the transhipment (the shipment of goods or containers to an intermediate destination before continuing to a final destination) and trading of goods.

In 1590, the Spanish captured Wesel after a four-year siege and then the town changed hands between the Dutch and Spanish several times during the Eighty Years War (1568-1648). In 1672, a French force under Louis II de Bourbon, Prince de Condé (1621-1689) captured the town. Although it had been heavily fortified, the Prussians evacuated the town during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) and it was occupied by the French, being returned to Prussia at the end of the war. However, Wesel was ceded to the French in 1805, under the treaty of Schönbrunn. The French heavily fortified the town, constructing a rectangular fort called the Citadelle Napoleon at Büderich and the Citadelle Bonaparte on an island in the Rhine off Wesel. Though blockaded by the Allies in 1813, the town remained in French hands until after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

During World War II (1939-1945), Wesel became a target of Allied bombing. Between the 16th and 19th February 1945, it was attacked with impact and air-burst bombs, which destroyed 97% of the town. The Wehrmacht (the unified forces of Germany) blew up bridges along the Rhine and Lippe to prevent Allied forces from advancing. After the war in 1946, Wesel became part of the new state of Nordrhein-Westfalen.

Today the town relies mainly on tourism and its most prominent landmark is the Willibrordi Cathedral with its five naves in the main square. The building was severely damaged by the Allied bombings and reconstruction work began in 1947. However, it was not until 1994, with the erection of the choir rider, from which a chime sounds four times a day, that the reconstruction was completed.

The Visiting Town

Kleve is a town with a population of around 50,000 inhabitants in the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen and is located 37km (23 miles) north-west of Wesel.

The Venue

Reitersportverein Sankt Hubertus

The games were played at the Reitersportverein Sankt Hubertus, a privately owned equestrian and show-jumping ground located in Obrighoven.

Additional Information

Unfortunately, this is one of just three programmes that cannot be accessed in German archives. This programme and the one broadcast from Bardenberg in 1967 are missing completely whilst the master videotape copy of the third, broadcast from Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler in 1972, is reportedly damaged to the extent that it is unplayable. It is therefore not currently possible to confirm the scoring or to add games, theme, weather conditions and referee information regarding this heat. However, the final result has been gleaned and confirmed from other sources.

Made in Colour • This programme does not exist in German archives

D

Spiel Ohne Grenzen 1970

Heat 6

Event Staged: Saturday 30th May 1970
Venue: Ellenfeldstadion (Ellenfeld Stadium), Neunkirchen (Saar),
Saarland, West Germany

Transmission:
WDR 1 (D): Saturday 30th May 1970, 2.30-3.45pm (Live)

Referees on Duty:
Helmut Konrad and assistants Gerd Siepe and Werner Treichel

Weather Conditions: Overcast with Sunny Spells

Theme: The Adventures of Max and Moritz (Die Abenteuer von Max und Moritz)

Teams: Andernach am Rhein v. Neunkirchen (Saar)

Team Members included:
Andernach am Rhein - Anton Büller, Reiner Gabor, Peter Reiff;
Neunkirchen (Saar) - Friedel Biehl, Gretel Wagner.

Games: The Doomed Chickens, The Feast from the Chimney, The Wooden Bridge, The Sleeping Uncle, The Unusual Recipe, The Bears and the Beehives, Bath Time for the Boys, The Teacher’s Pipe, The Giant Sacks, The Miller’s Ducks, The Wall Climb (The Special Game).

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd

 A • Andernach am Rhein ● ●
 N • Neunkirchen (Saar)

16
12

Andernach am Rhein qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Groningen, Netherlands:
staged on Wednesday 19th August 1970

The Host Town

Neunkirchen (Saar), Saarland

Neunkirchen (Saar) is a town with a population of around 50,000 inhabitants in the state of Saarland. It is located on the 100km (62 miles) long River Blies, a tributary of the Saar which lends its name to the state, 17km (11 miles) north-west of Zweibrücken, 21km (13 miles) north-east of Saabrücken, 60km (37 miles) south-east of Trier and 105km (65 miles) south-west of Mainz.

The earliest settlements in the area can be dated back to 700 BC. The oldest part of the town is the village of Wiebelskirchen, north of the town centre which was recorded as early as 765 AD. The name Neunkirchen is recorded for the first time in 1281 and derives from ‘An der neuen Kirche’ meaning ‘by the new church’ and not from ‘nine churches’ as one might be tempted to assume.

Today the town is referred to as a ‘shopping town’, but originally its main industry was iron working which was first mined in the area around 1593. Much of the city's fate was influenced by the Von Stumm-Halberg family, who owned the local ironworks from 1806 onwards, and therefore had enormous influence on the local politics. Coal was also mined underground but due to the decline of the coal and steel industry, the local economy faced aggravating hardships. The last coal mine closed down in 1968 and the major part of the ironworks complex followed in 1982.

During the Second World War (1939-1945), Neunkirchen (Saar) was not spared from Allied bombing due to its impressive industrial structure (ironworks complex). During an air raid at the end of the war, almost three quarters of the entire town centre was razed to the ground. As a result, it is still possible today to find unexploded bombs which were dropped in the area during the conflict. Remnants of the former steelworks that had not been destroyed by hostilities, and later by the construction of a large shopping centre, have been preserved and renovated. They now serve as an industrial monument with parts of them being transformed into small pubs, clubs, a cinema and even a radio studio for the McDonald’s fast food chain.

There are three towns with the name of Neunkirchen within a 44km (27 miles) radius and, to avoid confusion, each has an official suffix. In addition to Neunkirchen (Saar), there is Neunkirchen (Nahe) which lies 35km (22miles) to the north-west, taking its suffix from the river on which it stands, and Neunkirchen am Potzberg which lies 42km (26 miles) to the north-east, in the neighbouring state of Rheinland-Pfalz.

The town’s most famous son is Erich Honecker (1912-1994) who, although born there, later moved to Wiebelskirchen. Honecker held the position of General Secretary of the Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands (Socialist Unity Party) of East Germany from 1971-1989 and Chairman of the Council of State of the German Democratic Republic from 1976-1989.

The Visiting Town

Andernach am Rhein is a town with a population of around 30,000 inhabitants in the state of Rheinland-Pfalz and is located 122km (76 miles) north of Neunkirchen (Saar).

The Venue

Ellenfeldstadion (Ellenfeld Stadium)

The games were played at Ellenfeldstadion which is located in the very south of the town. The stadium is home to local football club Borussia Neunkirchen and can hold a capacity crowd of 23,400 spectators. Although the official inauguration of the stadium took place on 14th July 1912 for the first national Olympic competitions, the first game was played at the stadium some three months earlier on 7th April 1912. The match, against the 105 Infantry Regiment Strasbourg, ended in a 6-3 victory for the home team.

In 1921, the first grandstand was erected and could hold up to 4,000 spectators. Built in the English style, it was made of wood and unfortunately burned down during a fire in December 1928. Five years later in 1933, a new grandstand was erected and this was much larger than its predecessor.

The land on which the stadium had been built was owned by the Neunkircher Schloßbrauerei (Neunkirchen Castle Brewery) and after facing insolvency and the threat of the stadium being demolished, the club was saved from extinction by the local council, which bought the land in 1990 for 1.2 million Deutsche Mark (approx. £450,000). In 2002, the grandstand was thoroughly refurbished during which it received a new roof and red bucket seats. However to this day, the stadium is still unable to play evening matches as it has no floodlights installed.

The official record crowd of 31,000 was achieved on 26th May 1971, when the club faced FC Nürnberg and the last time that the stadium welcomed a capacity crowd of 23,400 was on 30th August 2003, in a DFB Cup (the German equivalent to the English League Cup) match against FC Bayern München which the home team lost 5-0. This compares with a normal league game which attracts an average attendance of just 500 spectators!

The Games in Detail

The Theme - The Adventures of Max and Moritz
(Die Abenteuer von Max und Moritz)

The majority of games at this heat were based on the adventures of two noisome boys called Max and Moritz. The duo featured in a book, written and illustrated by German poet and humorist Wilhelm Busch (1832-1908), which was published in 1865.

The book – Max und Moritz - Eine Bubengeschichte in sieben Streichen (Max and Moritz - A Story of Seven Boyish Pranks) – is a highly inventive and blackly humorous tale told in rhyming couplets, telling the story of the boys whose leering faces are synonymous with mischief. The story has such appeal that many expectant German couples name male twins, Max and Moritz respectively, depending on their individual sense of humour and the intended parenting.

The story, as suggested in the title, is told in the form of seven pranks: The Widow, The Widow II, The Tailor, The Teacher, The Uncle, The Baker and The Farmer. In the final story, the boys are ground to bits and devoured by the miller’s ducks.

A plastic statue of the boys (above) sits in front of the Town Hall in Seesen and was manufactured in honour of Busch who died in the town in 1908.

Game 1 - The Doomed Chickens
(Die Verurtielt Hühner)

The first game - ‘The Doomed Chickens’ (Die Verurtielt Hühner) - was played in unison over two minutes duration and featured four competitors (two males and two females) from each team dressed in chicken costumes, the beaks of which had been joined together by four cords. On the whistle, the competitors had to work together in order to negotiate a meandering obstacle course which comprised two holes in wooden walls, a large slatted bench and a pair of narrow beams. On the outward journey, the competitors were required to burst 6 balloons laid out on the ground with the beaks and on their return journey they had to burst a further 11 balloons. At the end of the course, the team had to hook the four leashes over a tree branch (to simulate their entanglement and consequential strangulation). The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

From the outset, Andernach am Rhein took the lead and led throughout without any mishap. Although Neunkirchen (Saar) were able to emulate a faultless run, they executed the game at a slower pace. Andernach am Rhein completed the course in 1 minute 22 seconds whilst Neunkirchen (Saar) completed it in 1 minute 34 seconds.

Inspiration for the Game: The story tells of how Max and Moritz play their first prank (The Widow) by tying several crusts of bread together with thread. They then lay this trap in the chicken yard of Bolte, an old widow, causing all the chickens to become fatally entangled.

Game 2 - The Feast from the Chimney
(Das Fest aus dem Schornstein)

The second game - ‘The Feast from the Chimney’ (Das Fest aus dem Schornstein) - was played individually over 3 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured two male competitors (dressed as Max and Moritz) from each team and a house with a chimney flue. On the whistle, the two competitors had to climb a large wooden ladder to reach the roof of the house and then Max had to lower a rope with a four-barbed hook attached down the chimney. At the bottom of the chimney, there was a large polystyrene chicken ‘cooking’ on an oven, and he had to try and hook it onto one of the barbs. Once accomplished, he then had to pull it up the chimney and hand it to Moritz. He then had to descend the ladder with the chicken and place it on a bench in front of the game and then climb to the roof again. Contemporaneously, Max had to lower the rope again in order to hook another chicken and the game repeated throughout. The team collecting the greater number of chickens would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward game saw the participation of Neunkirchen (Saar) and they collected a total of 8 chickens.

The second heat featured Andernach am Rhein and they executed the game at a slightly faster pace and collected a total of 9 chickens within the permitted time.

Inspiration for the Game: The story tells of how the boys play their second prank (The Widow II) by sneaking onto the roof of the widow’s house to steal her food. Whilst she leaves her kitchen momentarily, the boys steal the chickens by lowering a hook on a fishing line down the chimney. The widow, hearing her dog barking, hurries upstairs and finds the hearth empty. She assumes that the dog has eaten the chickens and consequently beats it.

Game 3 - The Wooden Bridge
(Die Holzbrücke)

The third game - ‘The Wooden Bridge’ (Die Holzbrücke) - was played in unison over two minutes duration and witnessed Andernach am Rhein presenting their Joker for play. The game featured a male competitor from each team (Max represented by Andernach am Rhein and Moritz by Neunkirchen (Saar)) and two thick wooden beams which were attached to either side of a large pool. However, the beams only spanned three-quarters of the pool with their ends free-standing above the water. On the whistle, each competitor had to race to the end of his beam and collect a wood-saw which was hanging down from a rope above the pool. He then had to saw his way through his rival’s beam and ultimately dump him into the water. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

Although this was a very straightforward game, it was one that would take a very confident team to risk playing their Joker on. On the sound of the whistle, both competitors raced to the middle of the pool and collected their saws and then worked frantically to achieve their goal. However, the Andernach am Rhein team captain’s decision was vindicated when their competitor completed the game after just 41 seconds of elapsed time and, in the process, dumped Neunkirchen (Saar) competitor into the pool.

Inspiration for the Game: The story tells of how the boys play their third prank (The Tailor) to torment Böck, a well-liked tailor who has a fast stream flowing in front of his house. They cut through the planks of the wooden bridge with a saw, making a precarious gap, and then they taunt him by making goat noises, until he runs outside. The bridge breaks and the tailor is swept away and nearly drowns (but for two geese, which he grabs hold of and which fly him high to safety).

Game 4 - The Sleeping Uncle
(Der Schlafende Onkel)

The fourth game - ‘The Sleeping Uncle’ (Der Schlafende Onkel) - was played in unison over two minutes duration and featured ten competitors (two males and eight females) from each team and a very large bed on stilts. On the whistle, the female competitors, who were all dressed in May bug costumes, had to crawl on their hands and knees up a 20m (65ft 7½in) course and then climb up and over an arched-shaped tree. During their descent, they could be assisted by the two male competitors (dressed as Max and Moritz) and then carried to the base of the bedstead. At this point, the females then had to climb up a rope and onto the bed in which Uncle Fritz was sleeping. The team completing the game with all eight competitors on the bed in the faster time would be declared the winners.

An unusual but straightforward game saw the Andernach am Rhein female octet take the lead from the outset. After one minute of elapsed time, they had four of their competitors on the bed as opposed to the three of Neunkirchen (Saar). With neither of the teams suffering any mishap whilst executing the game, they both completed the game within the permitted time. However, Andernach am Rhein finished first in 1 minute 26 seconds whilst Neunkirchen (Saar) finished the game in 1 minute 39 seconds.

Inspiration for the Game: The story tells of how the boys play their fifth prank (The Uncle) by collecting bags full of May bugs which they promptly deposit in their Uncle Fritz's bed. The uncle is almost asleep when he feels the bugs walking on his nose. Horrified, he goes into a frenzy, killing them with a shoe.

Game 5 - The Unusual Recipe
(Die Ungewöhnliche Rezept)

The fifth game - ‘The Unusual Recipe’ (Die Ungewöhnliche Rezept) - was a wonderfully thought-out game from the ingenious mind of designer Willi Steinberg and was played individually over three minutes duration. It featured three male competitors from each team and a large baker’s mixing ‘bowl’ and oven. On the whistle, two of the competitors (Max and Moritz) had to climb a rope in order to reach the roof of the bakery. Once accomplished, they climbed into the chimney and slid down a chute into the mixing bowl in which there was a large amount of ‘dough’. The third competitor (the baker) then had to run to the mixing bowl to retrieve the first of the dough-covered boys and carry him to a work surface. The competitor then had to roll across the surface, simulating a rolling-pin, and onto a large wooden spatula. The baker then had to open the doors to the oven and push the competitor in and withdraw the spatula. He then repeated the process with the second competitor and then close and lock the oven doors. Whilst the competitors were ‘baking’, the baker had to collect a long pole with a hook at its end and then return to the oven. After re-opening the doors, he then had to remove the first of the ‘baked’ competitors (wearing a costume weighing 80kg (176lb 5oz) from the oven using the hook and stand him upright on the ground. This process then had to be repeated with the second competitor. The two competitors then had to race up a 20m (65ft 7½in) course to the finish line. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this hilarious game saw the participation of Andernach am Rhein and despite the first competitor almost falling off the work surface during the early stages, they completed the game in 2 minutes 9 seconds.

The second heat featured Neunkirchen (Saar) and, just before the start of the game, there was a total loss of picture for 38 seconds. The game continued with audio only and a caption card with the word ‘BILDSTÖRUNG’ (picture fault) was displayed on-screen. Once the visual feed had been restored, it could be seen that the team were slightly behind on the target time set by their rivals. Valuable time was then lost after the second competitor failed to lie correctly on the spatula and the baker made various errors by slipping on the grass, becoming entangled with the doors when placing him in the oven and having to take two attempts to re-open the doors. At this point, the team had just 25 seconds to complete the game in order to emulate the Andernach am Rhein target time and it was already apparent that the game would end in a fifth consecutive defeat for Neunkirchen (Saar). Despite the elapsed time passing the target set by the visitors, a point at which a loud cheer could be heard from the crowd, the game was played out and Neunkirchen (Saar) finished in 2 minutes 20 seconds.

Inspiration for the Game: The story tells of how the boys play their sixth prank (The Baker) by breaking in to a bakery which they believe is closed. Attempting to steal pretzels, they fall into a vat of dough. The baker returns, catches the breaded pair, and bakes them. But they survive, and escape by gnawing through their crusts.

Game 6 - The Bears and the Beehives
(Die Bären und die Bienenkörbe)

The sixth game - ‘The Bears and the Beehives’ (Die Bären und die Bienenkörbe) - was played individually over 1 minute 30 seconds duration and featured six male competitors from each team dressed as beehives and two male opposition members dressed in polar bear costumes. On the whistle, the six competitors had to cross a wooden beam spanning a pool of water whilst the opposition on rope swings were pushed towards them at a 90° angle by two male team-mates in order to displace them. The game was designed to be completed in a total of just six crossings. The team completing the game in the faster time or the one making the greater number of crossings would be declared the winners.

The first heat saw the participation of Neunkirchen (Saar) with Andernach am Rhein in opposition. The first of the competitors, although not touched by the opposition bears, lost his balance and tumbled into the water before reaching the safety of the other side after 22 seconds of elapsed time. Whilst the bears were swinging erratically, the next three competitors crossed the pool without mishap after 31, 40 and 49 seconds, respectively. The fifth competitor was not so fortunate and tumbled into the water after being pushed by the opposition after 52 seconds, but the team made a fourth and final successful crossing after 1 minute 5 seconds to finish the game.

The second heat featured Andernach am Rhein with Neunkirchen (Saar) in opposition and it was a completely different story to that of the first heat. Although the bears appeared to be more accurate with their swings, the competitors took more time and care whilst crossing the beam and made six successful crossings after 26, 39, 49 and 58 seconds with the final two after 1 minute 7 seconds and 1 minute 21 seconds, respectively.

Game 7 - Bath Time for the Boys
(Badezeit für die Jungen)

The seventh game - ‘Bath Time for the Boys’ (Badezeit für die Jungen) - was played in unison over two minutes duration and witnessed Neunkirchen (Saar) presenting their Joker for play. The game featured two male competitors from each team and two large tubs that were full to the brim with water. On the whistle, the two competitors (Max and Moritz) had to jump into the tubs and then work together, using only their hands, to remove as much of the water as they could within the time permitted. The team displacing the greater volume of water would be declared the winners.

This straightforward game ended with Neunkirchen (Saar) having a depth of 70cm (27½in) of water remaining in their tub whilst Andernach am Rhein had 74cm (29¼in) remaining.

Game 8 - The Teacher’s Pipe
(Das Lehrer Pfeife)

The eighth game - ‘The Teacher’s Pipe’ - was played individually over two minutes duration and featured two male competitors from each team and a giant ‘Sherlock Holmes’-style smoker's pipe on a ball hinge joint located on a high podium. In front of the podium there was a seesaw and sitting next to the pipe holding on to its mouthpiece, was a male opposition member. On the whistle, the two competitors had to climb aboard the seesaw and whilst one lowered his end to the ground, the other end was raised in order that the other competitor could reach a small cage containing 30 wooden balls. After collecting one of the balls, he had to throw it down to his team-mate and then his end of the seesaw was raised up. He then had to toss the ball into the bowl of the pipe whilst the opposition rocked it back and forth and from side to side to prevent the ball from entering. The game was then repeated throughout and at the end of the permitted time, a firecracker would cause the bowl of the pipe to explode. The team tossing the greater number of balls into the pipe before it exploded would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward game saw the participation of Andernach am Rhein and whilst they tossed a total of 21 balls, none of them actually scored.

The second heat featured Neunkirchen (Saar) and they were more successful and scored with their tenth ball and secured victory on the game after 1 minute 2 seconds of elapsed time. The team went on to toss a further 8 balls but failed to score from any of them. The game ended in a very disappointing 1-0 victory to Neunkirchen (Saar).

Inspiration for the Game: The story tells of how the boys play their fourth prank (The Teacher) by breaking into the home of their devout teacher, Lehrer Lämpel, whilst he is in church. Without his knowledge, they fill his favourite pipe with gunpowder. When he lights the pipe, the blast knocks him unconscious, blackens his skin and burns away all his hair.

Game 9 - The Giant Sacks
(Das Riesensäcke)

The ninth game - ‘The Giant Sacks’ (Das Riesensäcke) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and featured four male competitors from each team and a giant sack with effigies of Max and Moritz inside. On the whistle, the competitors had to transport the sack around a 75m (246ft) meandering obstacle course comprising two slatted benches, two rectangular holes in wooden boards, four ski gates, two narrow beams, a small wall and a flight of nine steps. On the whistle, the team had to run a short distance to the first obstacle, a slatted bench, which had to be traversed with the competitors passing underneath and the sack being passed across the top. Once accomplished, the team had to run to the first of the wooden boards and climb through the hole and then, after passing through the first of two ski gates, they had to turn 180° to pass through the second set. The next obstacle was to climb through the second hole and then walk across the two narrow beams. The team then had to run a short distance and pass through the third of the ski gates before turning 180° for a second time to pass through the final set of gates. Another short run would see the team having to negotiate the second of the two benches, but on this occasion with the sack passing underneath whilst the competitors passed across the top. The penultimate obstacle was to climb over a 2m (6ft 6¾in) high wall and finally up the steps to the hopper to dispense with the sack into a large grinding hopper. The final task was to run back down the steps and over the wall to finish. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

From the outset, Neunkirchen (Saar) got the better start and from that point led the game throughout and completed a flawless performance in 1 minute 45 seconds.

Inspiration for the Game: The story tells of how the boys play their final trick (The Farmer) by hiding out in a grain storage area and slitting open some of the sacks. Carrying away one of the sacks, Mecke the farmer immediately realises the problem and proceeds to put the boys in the sack instead. He then takes it to the mill and the boys are ground to pieces.

Game 10 - The Miller’s Ducks
(Die Enten der Müller)

The tenth and penultimate game - ‘The Miller’s Ducks’ (Die Enten der Müller) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and featured a male competitor from each team inside a large circular sphere which was disguised as a duck and weighted down at the front end. One metre in front of the duck, there were 30 wooden discs laid out on the ground in the shape of Max and Moritz with their arms raised aloft. On the whistle, the competitor had to rock the sphere back and forth pushing it forward on its downward descent. When the beak of the duck was close enough to the discs, the competitor had to reach through the mouth of the duck and collect the discs. There was no limit to the number of discs that could be collected on each essay, but the competitor’s reach was limited by the length of the duck’s neck and head. The team collecting the greater number of discs would be declared the winners.

This was a straightforward game with Andernach am Rhein adopting the better style. Although the Neunkirchen (Saar) competitor appeared to be moving forward at a faster pace, he began to drift off-course and found himself a long way from the discs, compared to that of his rival. After 1 minute 30 seconds of elapsed time, the Neunkirchen (Saar) duck found itself upside down and this was to prove the downfall of the team. Unable to right himself, his reach was somewhat hampered by the much larger, upper part of the beak which was now facing down on the ground and which ultimately hindered his view of the discs. Before the result was announced, it was clear as to which way the scoring would go and the official announcement confirmed this. Andernach am Rhein had collected 15 discs whilst Neunkirchen (Saar) had collected just 10 discs.

Inspiration for the Game: Following on from the previous game, the second part of the final prank (The Farmer) tells of how, after the boys had been ground into small pieces, Mecke the farmer scatters them on the ground. The pieces are then devoured by the miller’s ducks. Later, no one in the town expresses any regret of their demise.

Game 11 - The Wall Climb (The Special Game)
(Die Mauer Aufstieg [Das Sonderspiel])

The eleventh and final game - ‘The Wall Climb (The Special Game)’ (Die Mauer Aufstieg [Das Sonderspiel]) - was played in unison and featured twenty-four competitors (eighteen males and six females) from each team and a 4m (13ft 1½in) high wall. On the whistle, each team had to run a distance of 10m (32ft 9¾in) to the wall and then they had to work together to get everybody onto the top of the wall using any method of their choice. The team with all 24 competitors, which included the coach and manager, standing on the wall in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was a straightforward game which saw the home team complete their objective in 40 seconds whilst Andernach am Rhein were not far behind, completing the game in 42 seconds.

Additional Information

The closing credits of this heat were accompanied by what was arguably the most appropriate piece of music heard on a Jeux Sans Frontières related programme. Lasting 2 minutes 12 seconds, it was very up-tempo and would have better suited the opening titles of the colour editions of Spiel Ohne Grenzen rather than the official theme.

This was the first and only time that the Spiel Ohne Grenzen programme was to visit the state of Saarland. Apart from the three city states of Hamburg, Berlin and Bremen, it is classed as the smallest ‘actual’ state. It was formed when the French-occupied Saar Protectorate was handed back to West Germany in 1957. Interestingly, apart from Neunkirchen and Homburg, which competed in the programme in 1968, no other teams were to participate from Saarland again. This should come as no surprise as its total area is only 2,569km² (992 miles²) and has a total population of just over one million inhabitants.

Made in Colour • This programme exists in German archives

D

Spiel Ohne Grenzen 1970

Heat 7

Event Staged: Saturday 6th June 1970
Venue: Stadion FC03 Gelnhausen (Gelnhausen FC03 Stadium),
Gelnhausen an der Kinzig, Hessen, West Germany

Transmission:
WDR 1 (D): Saturday 6th June 1970, 2.14-3.30pm (Live)

Referees on Duty:
Werner Treichel and assistants Hans Ebersberger and Peter Hochrath

Weather Conditions: Hot and Sunny with a Strong Breeze

Theme: Tradesmen’s Guilds (Zünfte)

Teams: Biedenkopf v. Gelnhausen an der Kinzig

Team Members included:
Gelnhausen an der Kinzig - Andy Büllatin, Peter Hümmel, Heimer Junde, Helmut Süsch.

Games: The Jumping Sacks (The Millers), Hanging the Washing (The Launderers), Erecting the Chimney (The Masons), The Giant Shoes (The Shoemakers), Pretzel-Hoop-la (The Bakers), The Burning Wheels (The Wheelwrights), The Sausage Manufacturers (The Butchers), The Coats of Arms (The Painters), Roll Out the Barrels... and the Barrels... and the Barrels! (The Coopers), Cutting the Hair (The Barbers), Extinguish That Fire! (The Firefighters) (The Special Game).

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd

 G • Gelnhausen an der Kinzig ● ●
 B • Biedenkopf

17
11

Gelnhausen an der Kinzig qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at West-Berlin,
West Germany: staged on Wednesday 2nd September 1970

The Host Town

Gelnhausen an der Kinzig, Hessen

Gelnhausen an der Kinzig is a town with a population of around 25,000 inhabitants in the state of Hessen which at the time of transmission was celebrating its 800th anniversary year. It is located 26km (16 miles) north of Aschaffenburg, 37km (23 miles) east of Frankfurt am Main, 72km (45 miles) south-east of Marburg an der Lahn and 127km (79 miles) west of Coburg.

Founded by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (1122-1190) in 1170, its location was chosen due to the intersection of the Via Regia imperial road between Frankfurt and Leipzig and several other major trade routes. Frederick had three villages connected by streets and surrounded by a wall. At the same time, Gelnhausen received town privileges and a Kaiserpfalz (Imperial Palace) was erected on an island of the Kinzig river. The emperor also granted trade privileges like the staple right which forced travelling merchants to offer their goods in the town for three days. This led to Gelnhausen an der Kinzig being a thriving trade centre and head of a league of 16 towns of the Wetterau region.

Prosperity came to an end in 1326, when Emperor Louis IV (1282-1347) gave the town to the counts of Hanau. In 1349, Count Günther von Schwarzburg (1304-1349) received Gelnhausen an der Kinzig from Emperor Charles IV (1316-1378) for renouncing his claims as elected King of the Romans. The varying lords made continued attempts to challenge the town's imperial immediacy, but it formally remained a Reichsstadt (free imperial town). After the Austro-Prussian War (1866), the town was annexed by Prussia.

At this time, Gelnhausen an der Kinzig had completely recovered and with the Gründerzeit, an economic phase in 19th century Germany and Austria, became a centre of the German rubber industry. Veritas was founded in 1849 as Berliner Gummiwaarenfabrik (Rubberware Factory of Berlin) and is today the oldest rubber manufacturer in Germany. In 1883, the company became Berliner Gummiwaarenfabrik AG (AG standing for Aktiengesellschaft or stock company). In 1886, the company merged with Frankfurter Gummiwarenfabrik Wendt, Buchholz & Co., based in the town. The headquarters of the now Vereinigte Berlin-Frankfurter Gummiwaaren-Fabriken AG (United Rubber Factories of Berlin-Frankfurt) moved to Berlin, but a production plant remained in Barbarossastraße in Gelnhausen an der Kinzig.

It is claimed by the French Institut Géographique National (National Institute of Geographic Information) that since 1st January 2007, following Bulgaria and Romania becoming members, the geographic centre of the European Union is located on a wheat field outside the town! It should be pointed out that although the United Kingdom left the European Union on 31st January 2020, this fact still remains to be the case due to the location of the Republic of Ireland.

The Visiting Town

Biedenkopf is a town with a population of around 14,000 inhabitants in the state of Hessen and is located 92km (57 miles) north-west of Gelnhausen an der Kinzig.

The Venue

Stadion FC03 Gelnhausen (Gelnhausen FC03 Stadium)

The games were played at the home ground of local football club FC03 Gelnhausen 1912 e.V.

Very little information can be researched about this venue, but what is known is that it is a multi-purpose sports ground, catering for both junior and senior teams, and has a capacity for just 1,000 spectators.

The Games in Detail

Game 1 - The Jumping Sacks
(Die Springen Säcke)

The first game - ‘The Jumping Sacks’ (Die Springen Säcke) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and featured six male competitors from each team inside individual sacks. Ahead of them was a 25m (82ft) long obstacle course comprising three sets of pyramidic steps on the outward journey and five very small limbo poles for the return journey. On the whistle, the competitors had to descend a small ramp behind each other and then had to jump down the course negotiating the obstacles. If any of the horizontal limbo poles were dislodged during the return journey, the competitors had to stop and wait for another male team-mate to race up the course to reposition it before continuing. The team completing the course in the faster time would be declared the winners.

From the outset, it appeared that Gelnhausen an der Kinzig would storm the game, when their lead competitor reached the safety of the finish line ahead of the first Biedenkopf competitor. However, he was somewhat deprived of a victory celebration after his fellow competitors knocked down one of the limbo poles and they had to wait for it to be repositioned. This delay permitted the remaining Biedenkopf competitors to close the deficit and all get home safely in 1 minute 3 seconds. After restarting, Gelnhausen an der Kinzig eventually finished the game in 1 minute 32 seconds.

Game 2 - Hanging the Washing
(Hängen die Waschen)

The second game - ‘Hanging the Washing’ (Hängen die Waschen) - was played individually over a scheduled three minutes duration and featured a rotating carousel with a large laundry basket located at its centre and four female competitors from each team wearing aprons. However, the playing time would later be reduced to 2 minutes 30 seconds due to equipment failure during the early stages of the game. Above the game, a high tension wire had been affixed to the ground supported by props at either side of the carousel. On the whistle, the competitors had to run 10m (32ft 9¾in) up the course and jump onto the carousel and then make their way to the basket and each retrieve a dampened cloth. They then had to run against the rotation of the carousel and attach the cloth to the wire with a clothes peg. Two of the competitors had to hang the cloths on one side of the basket whilst the other two utilised the other side. Only cloths that were held intact on the line would count towards the final total. The team hanging the greater number of cloths would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward game saw the participation of Gelnhausen an der Kinzig and, although they got off to a flying start, disaster struck after 31 seconds of elapsed time when the wire came free from its support as a result of the competitors pulling downwards too hard whilst attempting to attach the cloths to it. The game was stopped and a sea of stagehands rushed in to try and fix the problem with the minimum of delay. However, their task was not as easy as it sounded due to the fact that the high tension wire had lost its tautness and this gave the production team a few problems whilst rectifying it. Despite such adversity, the equipment was reset and the game was restarted from the beginning. The second start saw the team progress without mishap and whilst the two competitors on the left-hand side had attached only 6 cloths (many others had fallen to the ground due to not being fixed securely), the two on the right-hand side had attached 23 cloths. The aggregate total for Gelnhausen an der Kinzig was declared as 29 cloths.

The second heat featured Biedenkopf and their quartet appeared much more adept in their execution of the game and in particular their securing skills. At the end of the permitted time, the two competitors on the left-hand side of the carousel had attached 21 cloths to the line whilst the duo on the right-hand side had attached an additional 19 cloths. The aggregate total for Biedenkopf was declared as 40 cloths.

Game 3 - Erecting the Chimney
(Der Kaminbau)

The third game - ‘Erecting the Chimney' (Der Kaminbau) - was played in unison over four minutes duration and featured five male competitors from each team and a small square tower of bricks (13 rows of 4 bricks) on a podium. On the whistle, the competitors had to work together to increase the height of the tower, in order to create a chimney, by placing four additional bricks on each additional layer. The bricks had to be accurately placed in position to prevent the tower from leaning and toppling over. As the tower increased in size, the ‘laying’ competitor had to be raised up on the shoulders of his team-mates to assist him with the task. The team increasing the tower to the greater height would be declared the winners.

This was a straightforward, but nevertheless exciting game and due to its nature was difficult to determine which team was leading. However, it was apparent that Biedenkopf had not been stacking the bricks as accurately as Gelnhausen an der Kinzig and it appeared that their tower would topple over. Fortunately, it remained precariously upright and the game finished with Gelnhausen an der Kinzig raising their tower an additional 27 layers whilst Biedenkopf had raised their chimney an additional 26 layers.

Game 4 - The Giant Shoes
(Die Riesigen Schuhe)

The fourth game - ‘The Giant Shoes’ (Die Riesigen Schuhe) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and featured four male competitors from each team standing inside a pair of giant shoes weighing 38kg (83lb 12½oz) and built on casters. On the whistle, the competitors had to climb out of the shoes and then, occupying only the vamps (upper fronts) and welts (rims of the soles) of the shoes, had to work together to move the shoes up the 50m (164ft) course. Once this had been achieved and they had crossed the line, they had to clamber back inside the shoes to achieve a finishing time. Teams could choose to adopt any style of their choice but none of the competitors were permitted to place their feet on the ground. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

The teams opted to use two different styles to achieve their goals and Biedenkopf opted for all four competitors standing astride the welts of the soles and moving them in a ski-like fashion. Gelnhausen an der Kinzig, on the other hand, decided to accomplish their task by having one of the competitors jumping from the vamp of one shoe and keeping it stationary whilst the other shoe was moved forward and then leaping to the opposite shoe and repeating. It appeared that latter method was the better of the two after Gelnhausen an der Kinzig held a slight advantage during the early stages of the game. However, after traversing the first 20m (65ft 7½in) of the course, Biedenkopf began to lessen the deficit and eventually overtook their rivals. They held the lead for the remainder of the course and, after crossing the finish line, they clambered back into the shoes in 1 minute 38 seconds with Gelnhausen an der Kinzig completing the game in 1 minute 59 seconds.

Game 5 - Pretzel Hoop-la
(Bretzel-Hoop-la)

The fifth game - ‘Pretzel Hoop-la’ (Bretzel-Hoop-la) - was played individually over two minutes duration and featured two female competitors from each team and a large spike set at a 45° angle towards them. On the whistle, the competitors had to collect up to a maximum of 50 pretzel-shaped quoits and toss them over the spike which was located 5m (16ft 5in) in front of them. The pretzels were of varying size with each team having 16 large (valued at 10pts each), 19 medium (20pts each) and 15 small (30pts each). The team scoring the greater total of points would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward saw the participation of Gelnhausen an der Kinzig and their competitors tossed seven pretzels successfully and achieved a total score of 120pts (4 x 10pts + 1 x 20pts + 2 x 30pts).

The second heat featured Biedenkopf and although they only tossed five pretzels successfully, they achieved a total score of 110pts (2 x 10pts + 3 x 30pts).

Game 6 - The Burning Wheels
(Die Brennenden Räder)

The sixth game - ‘The Burning Wheels’ (Die Brennenden Räder) - was the first of two games that would certainly have been subject to Health and Safety concerns in the present era. It was played in unison and featured a large cartwheel doused in fuel and a male competitor from each team dressed in fireproof clothing. On the whistle, the wheel was set on fire by a stagehand and, with the aid of a small burning stick, the competitor had to roll the wheel down a small 25m (82ft) course and steer it through a series of three ski gates. At the end of the course, and only with the aid of the stick, he had to turn the wheel around and then repeat the course in the opposite direction. On reaching the start line, the competitor had to make a second circumnavigation of the course. A penalty of 10 seconds would be incurred each time a competitor steered the wheel with his fireproof-gloved hands or if he missed or knocked down any of the ski gates. The team completing the two return journeys in the faster overall time would be declared the winners.

From the outset, Biedenkopf had the slight edge and this continued until the second run of the game when they opened up a significant gap and crossed the finish line in 50 seconds followed by Gelnhausen an der Kinzig after exactly one minute. The referees then revealed that Biedenkopf had incurred 40 seconds (4 x 10 seconds) giving them an overall time of 1 minute 30 seconds (50 + 40 = 90 seconds) whilst Gelnhausen an der Kinzig had incurred 30 seconds (3 x 10) which also gave them an overall time of 1 minute 30 seconds (60 + 30 = 90 seconds).

Game 7 - The Sausage Manufacturers
(Die Wursthersteller)

The seventh game - ‘The Sausage Manufacturers’ (Die Wursthersteller) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and featured three female competitors from each team and a large weighing scale. On the whistle, the three competitors had to run 10m (32ft 9¾in) and then ascend a greased ramp in order to reach a large container full of ‘sausage meat’ and plastic bags. They then had to fill the bags with as much meat as they chose and then secure the end with string before descending the ramp to place it on their side of the scales. They then had to repeat the process throughout and the team collecting the greater weight of sausages would be declared the winners.

It was apparent from the outset, that there would be only one winner of this straightforward game, after Biedenkopf had great difficulty in ascending the ramp. After three minutes of relatively uneventful play, Gelnhausen an der Kinzig were declared as the winners.

Game 8 - The Coats of Arms
(Die Wappen)

The eighth game - ‘The Coats of Arms’ (Die Wappen) - was played in unison over four minutes duration and featured two male competitors from each team armed with brushes, two large 4m² (13ft 1½in²) boards sporting the coat of arms of the competing teams and a spinning carousel which had a large receptacle containing green paint located at its centre. On the whistle, the competitors had to jump on the carousel and dip their brushes into the paint and then make their way to the board and begin covering it with paint. To assist them, each team had been allocated a step-ladder to reach the top of the boards. The team covering their board completely, without any white space showing, in the faster time would be declared the winners.

As was expected, this was a difficult game to judge as to which team was leading during its early stages. However, it began to emerge after 1 minute 45 seconds of elapsed time that Gelnhausen an der Kinzig were slightly ahead with the percentage of board that had been painted. They maintained this lead for the remainder of the game and they eventually completed their task in 2 minutes 58 seconds.

Game 9 - Roll Out the Barrels… and the Barrels… and the Barrels!
(Ausrollen die Fässer… und die Fässer... und die Fässer!)

The ninth game - ‘Roll Out the Barrels... and the Barrels... and the Barrels!’ (Ausrollen die Fässer… und die Fässer... und die Fässer!) - was played in unison over four minutes duration and witnessed Biedenkopf presenting their Joker for play. The game featured three male competitors from each team and a 50m (164ft) course laden with numerous barrels of varying size. On the whistle, each of the three competitors had to stand on top of open-ended barrels and use their feet to roll them down to the end of the course whilst maintaining their balance. After crossing a given line, they then had to climb into a large upright barrel on a podium and out again through its base. Once this was accomplished, they then had to crawl inside their original open-ended barrels and roll 10m (32ft 9¾in) back down the course, where they then crawled out and had to climb through two large horizontal barrels supported by chains and hanging from a framework. After a short run, the competitors then had to crawl under a bench in order to climb up through a vertical barrel and then, after exiting, climb through another horizontal barrel on top of the bench. Once this had been completed, the team had to climb into the top of another large upright barrel on a podium and out again through its base. Following this, they then had to crawl inside another set of open-ended barrels and roll another 10m to reach a gigantic barrel which all the team had to climb inside via a small opening. Their final task was to work together and roll this barrel for the final 20m (65ft 7½in) to cross the original starting line. If any of the competitors tumbled from the barrels or went off-course during the rolling sections, they had to recompose themselves from that point before continuing on. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

Both teams set off together, but it was Biedenkopf that were more adept on the outward 50m roll. With all the team's competitors reaching the end of the course after 57 seconds of elapsed time, some 15 seconds ahead of Gelnhausen an der Kinzig, they commenced their return journey. From this point, it was apparent that Biedenkopf had played the Joker wisely and they eventually crossed the finish line in 2 minutes 22 seconds (another repetitive number which was pointed out by Camillo Felgen) followed by the Gelnhausen an der Kinzig trio in 2 minutes 33 seconds.

Game 10 - Cutting the Hair
(Schneiden der Haare)

The tenth and penultimate game - ‘Cutting the Hair’ (Schneiden der Haare) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and witnessed Gelnhausen an der Kinzig presenting their Joker for play. The game featured a large effigy of a head with 70 x 1.5cm (just over ½ inch) diameter hollow rubber tubes protruding outwards anda male competitor from each team armed with a set of shears. On the whistle, the competitor had to complete a full haircut by cutting off all the tubes. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This straightforward game started with the competitor standing on the shoulders of a male team-mate so that he could cut away some of the hair in order to clear space for him to climb onto the head itself. Although it was not apparent during the early stages of the game, Gelnhausen an der Kinzig had a very slight edge on Biedenkopf throughout the game and completed the haircut in 2 minutes 10 seconds.

Game 11 - Extinguish That Fire! (The Special Game)
(Löschen das Feuer! [Das Sonderspiel])

The eleventh and final game - ‘Extinguish That Fire! (The Special Game)’ (Löschen das Feuer! [Das Sonderspiel]) - was somewhat of a shambolic affair and was the second game in this Domestic heat that would have been subject to Health and Safety concerns today. It was played in unison and featured all twenty-eight competitors (twenty males and eight females) from each team and a burning stack of wooden beams located on a fuel-soaked podium which was surrounded by a marked-out safety area. On the whistle, a stagehand set fire to the podium and this was permitted to burn for approximately 30 seconds. The referees then led the line of the competitors towards the fire and then they had to work together and pass buckets of water from one end to the other. The competitor at the front of the line was attired in a fireproof outfit and he had to douse the fire as quickly as possible with the water. The team dousing the fire completely in the faster time would be declared as the winners.

Once the fires had been set alight and the teams had been guided towards the fire, there appeared to be no actual starting signal given by the referees and this led to both teams starting at different times. Nevertheless, the game got into full swing but for a while it was difficult to judge which of the two teams was leading due to the black smoke and bright orange flames that were bellowing out from the stacks. After about 1 minute 55 seconds of elapsed time, it began to become apparent that Gelnhausen an der Kinzig had the edge and after another five buckets they had extinguished their fire and completed the game in 2 minutes 12 seconds.

Presenters, Officials and Production Team

At the end of this broadcast, presenter Camillo Felgen (and co-International Heat presenter Tim Elstner), members of the production team and referee Hans Ebersberger flew to Italy for the start of the Jeux Sans Frontières international series. Rehearsals were scheduled to begin at Villa Olmo in Como on the next day with the actual competition staged two days later on Tuesday 9th June 1970.

Made in Colour • This programme exists in German archives