D

Spiel Ohne Grenzen 1974

Heat 1

Event Staged: Sunday 7th April 1974
Venue: Friedrich-Ebert-Halle (Friedrich Ebert Hall), Ludwigshafen am Rhein,
Rheinland-Pfalz, West Germany

Transmission:
WDR 1 (D): Sunday 7th April 1974, 3.15-4.30pm (Live)

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

Weather Conditions: Not applicable as the event was staged indoors

Theme: Walt Disneys ‘Das Dschungelbuch’
(Walt Disney’s ‘The Jungle Book’)

Teams: Ludwigshafen am Rhein v. Singen

Team Members included:
Ludwigshafen am Rhein - Werner Schuber (Team Coach), Thomas Eder, Reinhold Höffner, Ludwig Schweitzer, Markus Wolfmeyer, Adolf Zeil;
Singen - Dieter Möhrle (Team Coach), Alfred Klaiber (Team Captain), Hans-Dirk Böttcher, Dieter Britz, Regina Densel-Burmeister, Doris Caserotto, Waltraud Edel, Simon Feuerstein, Erhard Fischer, Frank Fischer, Thomas Fulmarr, Heinz Gerstner, Karl Gisy, Ewald Halder, Rainer Höttges, Peter Kierner, Brigitte Kupferer, Christa Maier, Horst Mengau, Peter Metzger, Peter Muehler, Gabriele Oehler, Martina Pertelwieser, Erved Ruiz, Max Städele, Eckhard Strehlke, Ursula Strelow, Peter Strümeyer, Sabine Sütterlin, Waltreise Wergens, Winfried Wintter.

Games: Baloo and the Balls, Bagheera and the Apples, The Hungry Vultures, The Bears and Bowling Balls, The Swinging Apes and their Apples, Kaa the Meandering Python, A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two Vultures in a Roundabout Way, Shere Khan v. Shere Khan, Colonel Hathi and the Oranges, King Louie and his Jungle Swing;
Jokers: Pineapples on Poles.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd

 S • Singen ● ●
 L • Ludwigshafen am Rhein

14
10

Singen qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Barga, Italy:
staged on Wednesday 10th July 1974

The Host Town

Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Rheinland-Pfalz

Ludwigshafen am Rhein is a city with population of around 172,000 inhabitants in the state of Rheinland-Pfalz and is located on the opposite bank of the River Rhein to the city of Mannheim, 52km (32 miles) north of Karlsruhe, 73km (45 miles) south of Frankfurt am Main, 138km (86 miles) west of Saarburg and 190km (118 miles) west of Nürnberg.

The Rhine-Neckar region was part of the territory of the Prince-elector of the Kurpfalz, (or Electorate of the Palatinate), one of the larger states within the Holy Roman Empire. The foundation of Mannheim as the new capital of the Kurpfalz was a decisive influence on the development of the area as a whole.

During the 17th century, the region was devastated and depopulated during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1848), and also during campaigns by King Louis XIV of France (1638-1715) in the later part of the century. It was only during the 18th century that the settlements around the Rheinschanze (bridgehead) began to prosper, profiting from the proximity of the capital, Mannheim.

War returned to the area with the armies of the French Revolution. Mannheim was besieged several times and all the area west of the Rhine being annexed by France from 1798 to 1813. Following the Wars of Liberation (1813-1815), in which the French were expelled, the Kurpfalz was split up into two parts, with the eastern bank of the Rhine with Mannheim given to Baden, while the western bank was granted to Bavaria.

In 1808, during the French occupation, Carl Hornig of Mannheim purchased the fortress, constructed by the Romans during the 1st century BC, from France and turned it into a way station (resting place) for passing river traffic. Hornig died in 1819, but Johann Heinrich Scharpff, a businessman from Speyer, continued Hornig's plans, which were then turned over to his son-in-law, Philipp Markus Lichtenberger, in 1830. Ludwigshafen am Rhein was officially ‘born’ in 1844, when Lichtenberger sold this property to the state of Bavaria, and the military title of the fortress was finally removed. The Bavarian king, Ludwig I (1786-1868), set forth plans to rename the settlement after himself and to start construction of an urban area as a Bavarian rival to Mannheim on the opposite bank. On 27th December 1852, King Maximilian II (1811-1864) granted Ludwigshafen am Rhein political freedom and on 8th November 1859, the settlement gained city status. At its founding, it was still a very modest settlement with just 1,500 inhabitants. Real growth began with industrialisation, and gained enormous momentum due to its ideal transport facilities. In addition to its excellent position and harbour facilities on the Rhine, a railway connecting Ludwigshafen am Rhein with the Saar coalfields was completed in 1849.

In 1865, following several discussions, BASF decided to move its factories across the river from Mannheim to the Hemshof district of Ludwigshafen am Rhein. From then on, the city's rapid growth and wealth were linked to BASF's success and its expansion into becoming one of the world's most important chemical companies. With more jobs available, the population increased rapidly. In 1899, the city was governing more than 62,000 residents (compared to 1,500 in 1852).

This population explosion looked quite ‘American’ to contemporaries and determined its character as a ‘worker's city’, but this created problematic shortages of housing and real estate. The solution was the expansion of the municipal area and the incorporation of the two nearest villages, Friesenheim and Mundenheim, in the years 1892 and 1899, respectively. Because the ground was marshy and too low to be protected from Rhine floods, all the new houses were built on raised ground, sometimes as high as five metres (16ft 5in) above the original ground. Visitors today can see the original ground level in many backyards of Ludwigshafen am Rhein, some of which are two floors below street level.

During World War I (1914-1918), the city’s industrial plants played a key role in Germany's war economy, producing chemical ingredients for munitions, as well as much of the poison gas used on the Western Front. This contributed to it having the dubious honour of being the target of the world's first strategic aerial bombardment, on 27th May 1915.

After the Second World War (1939-1945), Ludwigshafen am Rhein was part of the French occupation zone, becoming part of the newly-founded state of Rheinland-Pfalz. Reconstruction of the devastated city and revival of the economy was supported by the Allies, especially by American aid. The most important projects were the Hochstraßen (highways on stilts) and the revolutionary new main station (then the most modern station in Europe). The city's economic wealth allowed social benefits and institutions to be introduced and the population reached its all-time high in 1970 with more than 180,000 inhabitants.

Ludwigshafen am Rhein is one of the German cities that has never had a professional football club. This is all the more surprising, because it is a typical ‘workers' city’ and has quite a large stadium - the Südweststadion - with a capacity of around 40,000, constructed from debris from World War II.

The city’s most famous son is the former German chancellor Helmut Kohl (1930-2017) who was born there and remained a resident throughout his entire life until his death in 2017.

The Visiting Town

Singen is a town with a population of around 48,000 inhabitants in the state of Baden-Württemberg and is located 193km (120 miles) south of Ludwigshafen am Rhein.

The Venue

Friedrich-Ebert-Hall

The games were played at the Friedrich-Ebert-Halle (also known as Eberthalle), a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the suburb of Friesenheim. The facility, which is home to handball Bundesliga team, TSG Ludwigshafen-Friesenheim, can accommodate up to 2,250 guests. It was designed by Viennese architect Roland Rainer (1910-2004) and completed by the Munich company Dyckerhoff and Widmann in 1965. It is located in the Ebertpark and is one of the most important multi-functional halls in south-west Germany. Particularly striking is its hyperbolic-shaped roof for which it has been awarded listed-building status.

The hall offers a covered exhibition space of 3,800m² (40,903ft²) in the Great Hall in addition to a total area of 24,000m² (258,334ft²) in the side foyers. It is used for sporting events (including ice hockey), fairs, exhibitions and concerts. Past performers have included The Kinks, The Who, Dio, Rainbow and Whitesnake.

Major international sporting events staged at the arena have included the World Judo Championships in 1971, the European Judo Championships in 1977, the European Greco-Roman Wrestling Championships in 1975, the Indoor Cycling World Championships in 1988 and the Ten-Pin Bowling World Championships in 1994. It has also borne witness to national events including the German Gymnastics Championships in 1970 and 1979 and the German Weightlifting Championships in 1972.

From 1983 to 2012, the international veteran market, Veterama, Europe's largest spare parts market for vintage and classic cars, took place there over two weekends in April. Since 2013, the event takes place on the opposite side of the Rhein river in Mannheim. From 1981 until 2007, die Goldene Stimmgabel (the Golden Tuning Fork), a distinction awarded by the German music industry to German-speaking artists, took place there regularly.

The Games in Detail

Game 1 - Baloo and the Balls
(Baloo und die Bälle)

The first game - ‘Baloo and the Balls’ (Baloo und die Bälle) - was played in unison over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and witnessed Singen presenting their Joker for play. The game featured a male competitor from each team dressed as Baloo the Bear and an 18m course comprising a parallel set of zig-zagged podia. On the whistle, the competitor had to walk along the course with his legs astride the two podia and, at a given point, had to crouch down to retrieve two balls which were located on the ground between the podia. Once accomplished, he then had to turn around and return to the start and place the balls into a holding pen. He then had to repeat the course on three occasions to collect set of balls located further down the course. Once all eight balls had been collected and placed into the pen, the game would be completed. If the competitor placed his feet onto the ground, or if any balls fell from his possession, he had to stop and reposition himself at the point of error before continuing. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

Although this was a very simple and straightforward game, it appeared at first glance that Singen may have made an error in choosing this as their premium game. After just two seconds of elapsed time, their competitor lost his footing on the podia and fell to the ground. This error permitted Ludwigshafem am Rhein to storm ahead. However, their fears were short-lived, as their opponents befell the same fate on their return journey and had to be halted in their tracks. This permitted Singen to close the gap and eventually overtake them and they then continued to lead the game throughout. With intermediary return journey times of 24 seconds, 42 seconds and 1 minute 11 seconds, Singen completed the game in 1 minute 46 seconds with Ludwigshafen am Rhein (23 seconds, 52 seconds and 1 minute 38 seconds) finishing in 2 minutes 21 seconds.

Game 2 - Bagheera and the Apples
(Bagheera und die Äpfel)

The second game - ‘Bagheera and the Apples’ (Bagheera und die Äpfel) - was played individually over two minutes duration and featured a male competitor from each team dressed in a very heavy black panther costume and standing on a trampoline. Above the trampoline was a tree with eight protruding branches, each with a large apple attached by a cord. On the whistle, the competitor had to use the trampoline to grab an apple in the mouth of the costume and then once accomplished, had to drop it into a large holding pen on the other side of the equipment. A male team-mate, dressed as Mowgli the man-cub, then had to turn the canopy of the tree so that the next apple would be in line for the competitor’s next attempt. The game then had to be repeated throughout. Any apples that fell from the tree during the execution of the game or were not dropped into the holding pen would not be counted. The team collecting the greater number of apples would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward game saw the participation of Ludwigshafen am Rhein and they collected 15 apples without error in the permitted time.

The second heat featured Singen and their competitor made a complete hash of the game. Despite grabbing a total of 11 apples, he was very inept at dropping them into the large holding pen and ended the game with a total of just 7 apples.

Game 3 - The Hungry Vultures
(Die Hungrigen Geier)

The third game - ‘The Hungry Vultures’ (Die Hungrigen Geier) - was played individually over three minutes duration and featured four male competitors from each team dressed in vulture costumes as Buzzie, Dizzie, Flaps and Ziggy (the four characters from the film). On the whistle, the first competitor had to use the beak of the costume to remove one of the ten snakes that were hanging from the branch of a large tree. He then had to carry it on the beak to a given point and place it over the beak of the second competitor’s costume. He then had to pass it to the third competitor at another given point. The third competitor then had to pass the snake to the final competitor who in turn had to place it into the mouths of two hungry baby vultures located at the end of the course. Contemporaneously, the game had to be repeated by the other competitors and would continue until the end of permitted time. The team collecting the greater number of snakes would be declared the winners.

The first heat saw the participation of Ludwigshafen am Rhein and they collected a total of 6 snakes after one minute, 1 minute 21 seconds, 1 minute 43 seconds, 1 minute 59 seconds, 2 minutes 19 seconds and 2 minutes 37 seconds of elapsed time, respectively. Although a seventh attempt was executed, the first competitor permitted the snake to fall to the ground whilst passing it to the second.

The second heat featured Singen and they were more adept and collected a total of 7 snakes after 50 seconds, 1 minute 11 seconds, 1 minute 30 seconds, 1 minute 49 seconds, 2 minutes 2 seconds, 2 minutes 22 seconds and 2 minutes 49 seconds, respectively. Although an eighth attempt was made, the snake was deemed to have been placed into the mouth of the baby vulture after the final whistle.

Game 4 - The Bears and the Bowling Balls
(Die Bären und die Bowlingkugeln)

The fourth game - ‘The Bears and the Bowling Bowls’ (Die Bären und die Bowlingkugeln) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and featured a male competitor from each team dressed as Baloo the Bear standing on two over-sized bowling balls with flattened bases. On the whistle, the competitors had to walk down a straight 10m (32ft 9¾in) course whilst atop the balls. To assist them to do this, ropes had been attached to each ball which they had to use to lift the ball in order to move each foot forward. After reaching the far end of the course, they had to circumnavigate a small tree trunk and then return to the start to complete the game. If the competitor fell from the ball, they had to start again from the point of dismount. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was a very simple and straightforward game which was closely-run with both teams reaching the turnaround point after1 minute 11 seconds of elapsed time. Singen then took the lead whilst their rivals struggled to negotiate the trunk and, despite a couple of small errors on the return journey, they crossed the finishing line in 1 minute 59 seconds followed by Ludwigshafen am Rhein in 2 minutes 48 seconds.

Game 5 - The Swinging Apes and their Apples
(Die Schwingenden Affen und ihre Äpfel)

The fifth game - ‘The Swinging Apes and their Apples’ (Die Schwingenden Affen und ihre Äpfel) - was played individually over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured a male competitor from each team dressed as one of the monkey troop standing in a grapevine swing at the base of a high wall. At the top of the wall was a male team-mate armed with a number of small balls (apples). On the whistle, a second male team-mate dressed as an ape at the base of the wall had to push the swing to set it in motion. Once a clear rhythm had been accomplished, the team-mate on the wall had to release an apple down a ramp at timely intervals in order for the competitor to catch on his backward swing. He had to ensure that his timing was accurate so that the ball reached the base of the ramp at the same time as the competitor. The team collecting the greater number of apples would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward game saw the participation of Ludwigshafen am Rhein and despite releasing a total of 33 apples down the ramp, only 15 were caught by the competitor. However, the sixteenth apple was not released correctly and fell from the ramp during its descent. Although it was caught by the competitor, it was deemed as not counting and therefore the official score for Ludwigshafen am Rhein was 14 apples.

The second heat featured Singen and whilst a total of 34 apples were released within the permitted time, only 22 were caught by the competitor.

Intermission Mini-Contest -
The Coaches’ Game (Das Trainerspiel):
The Memory Game (Die Memory-Spiel)

There was a short break from the main programme whilst a small mini-contest - ‘The Coaches’ Game (Das Trainerspiel) - was contested by the two teams to raise a maximum 3,000 Deutsche Mark (approximately £492 in 1974) in cash for their respective town’s underprivileged children. Played in unison over five minutes duration, it featured two male competitors from each team (one of which was the team coach) and two large boards (one on either side of the course) each with two parallel rows of 10 hooks. In front of the boards, there were 40 slim-line wooden cases (20 on either side) each hiding one of 40 pictures (two of each) of something associated with the theme of the programme.

On the whistle, whilst the coach sat on a chair in front of the action, the second male had to lift one of the hidden pictures from its container and hang it from one of the 10 hooks on the top row of the board. He then had to find a match for that picture by lifting random pictures from the other boxes. The coach had to assist him by remembering the location of the pictures as they were revealed. If he did not find a match, he had to drop the picture back into its case and choose another until a match was found. He then had to hang it on the hook below its pair and then pick another picture, hang from the board and then find its match again. This then had to be repeated until all of his 10 pictures and matches were found. The game was made more difficult due to the fact that the 40 pictures were scattered randomly across both sides of the course and therefore the coaches had to remember the match of the selected picture as both competitors lifted the pictures. The number of correctly matched pairs would determine the amount of cash (150 Deutsche Mark for each pair) that would be awarded to each team.

This was a very straightforward game which ended with Singen matching eight pairs of pictures and receiving 1,200 Deutsche Mark (approximately £197 at time of recording) whilst Ludwigshafen am Rhein had matched seven pairs of pictures (7 x 150) = 1,050 Deutsche Mark (approximately £172).

Comparative value in 2020: £197 = £1,435 whilst £172 = £1,253.

Game 6 - Kaa the Meandering Python
(Kaa die Schlängelnde Python)

The sixth game - ‘Kaa the Meandering Python’ (Kaa die schlängelnde Python) - was played individually over two minutes duration and witnessed Ludwigshafen am Rhein presenting their Joker for play. The game featured a male competitor from each team and a 29m (95ft 2in) long meandering python, with six intermittent holes along its back, laid out on the arena floor. On the whistle, the competitor had to climb into the python costume via its mouth and then crawl along inside its abdomen until it reached the first hole. He then had to reach out and pick up a small ball and then take it with him as he crawled along to the next hole. The game was then repeated throughout until all six balls had been collected. The competitor then had to climb out of the costume via its tail and place all the collected balls into a holding pen to finish the game. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this very simple, straightforward and uneventful game saw the participation of Ludwigshafen am Rhein and they completed in 55 seconds.

The second heat featured Singen who also completed the game without mishap in 1 minute 1 second.

Game 7 - A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two Vultures in a Roundabout Way
(Ein Vogel in der Hand ist auf Umwegen Zwei Geier Wert)

The seventh game - ‘A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two Vultures in a Roundabout Way’ (Ein Vogel in der Hand ist auf Umwegen Zwei Geier Wert) - was played individually over 1 minute 30 seconds duration and featured two male competitors from each team dressed in the vulture costumes utilised earlier in the programme. In the centre of the arena was a large rock to which one of the competitors had been manacled to by his left wrist whilst his right wrist had been manacled to the left wrist of the second competitor. On the whistle, the competitors had to circumnavigate the rock whilst the outside competitor had to knock balls from three equidistant podia with the right wing of his costume. A male team-mate would replenish each ball as it was knocked down, but in doing so had to also ensure that the ball was static on the podium in order that it did not roll off before the competitors reached it. The game would continue non-stop until the end of permitted time. The team knocking down the greater number of balls would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward game saw the participation of Ludwigshafen am Rhein dressed as vultures Ziggy and Dizzy. Although they made a total of nine circumnavigations whereby a total number of 27 balls were achievable, they were only able to knock off 24 balls.

The second heat featured Singen dressed as vultures Buzzie and Flaps and whilst they also made a total of nine circumnavigations, they were only able to knock off 21 balls.

Game 8 - Shere Khan v. Shere Khan
(Shere Khan gegen Shere Khan)

The eighth game - ‘Shere Khan v. Shere Khan’ (Shere Khan gegen Shere Khan) - was played in unison over one minute duration and featured two male competitors from each team dressed in a tiger costume which was mounted on a two-wheeled trolley. Whilst the leading competitor sat on the trolley facing forward and with his feet in the front legs of the costume, the second competitor was lying face down on the trolley with his feet in the back legs of the costume. On the whistle, the two competitors had to work together using their feet to move the costume up a straight 25m (82ft) course and then knock over a small tree trunk. They then had to turn around and return to the start to end the game. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was a very simple and quickly-executed game which saw Singen complete the course in just 33 seconds whilst Ludwigshafen am Rhein were unable to complete the course. 

Game 9 - Colonel Hathi and the Oranges
(Oberst Hathi und die Orangen)

The ninth and penultimate game - ‘Colonel Hathi and the Oranges’ (Oberst Hathi und die Orangen) - was played individually over 2 minutes 45 seconds duration and featured four male competitors from each team dressed in a large elephant costume which had a magnet attached to the end of its trunk. Located on small rubber hoops on the arena floor, there were a total of 15 large oranges (in reality foam-rubber balls) each with a magnet attached to the top. On the whistle, the four competitors had to guide the elephant up the course to pick up the oranges with the trunk and then bring it back to the start for it to be placed into a holding pen by a male team-mate dressed as Mowgli the man cub. The game then had to be repeated throughout. The team collecting the greater number of oranges within the permitted time would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward game saw the participation of Ludswigshafen am Rhein and they successfully collected 7 oranges.

The second heat featured Singen and they collected a total of 8 oranges within the permitted time.

Running Scores and Positions: 1st Singen (2pts awarded / 14pts total) 2nd Lugwigshafen am Rhein (0pts / 8pts)

Comments: After winning this game, Singen had accumulated sufficient points to secure overall victory.

Game 10 - King Louie and his Jungle Swing
(König Louie und sein Dschungelschwung)

The tenth and final game - ‘King Louie and his Jungle Swing’ (König Louie und sein Dschungelschwung) - was played individually over 1 minute 30 seconds duration and featured a male competitor from each team dressed as King Louie hanging upside-down from a trapeze bar. On the whistle, a male team-mate had to push him forward to set the swing in motion in order for him to collect an orange from a podium located in front of him. Once an orange had been collected the competitor had to hurl it to his left in order for it to be caught by a second male team-mate and placed in a holding pen. The game then had to be repeated throughout. Only oranges caught cleanly would be counted. The team collecting the greater number of oranges would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward game saw the participation of Ludwigshafen am Rhein and although they collected a total of seventeen oranges, three were deemed as not being caught correctly and their score was confirmed as 14 oranges.

The second heat featured Singen and they collected a total of just 5 oranges.

Final Scores and Positions: 1st Singen (0pts awarded / 14pts total) 2nd Lugwigshafen am Rhein (2pts / 10pts)

Comments: Having already secured victory earlier, Singen appeared to somewhat dismiss this game and it could be seen that their competitor made very little effort to achieve a high score and this led to the contest, which had been a very colourful affair throughout, ending in a very subdued manner!

Presenters, Officials and Production Teams

Following Camillo Felgen’s retirement from the programme at the end of 1973, the West German Domestic series had a new main presenter in the shape of Erhard Keller. Despite his little television experience, having only commentated on three of the final four programmes of the previous year (one of which was with Felgen at the International Final and another co-hosting with him at the West German International Heat), he settled into the role with ease and would remain with the programme until 1977.

A former speed-skater, Keller specialised on the sprint distances - the 500m and the 1000m - and joined the world's sprint skating elite in 1965. In December 1967, he equalled the then world record for the 500m by skating the distance in 39.5 seconds and the next month, on 28th January 1968, he went on to beat it.

Studying dentistry at Munich University at the time, he then participated in the 1968 Winter Olympics staged in Grenoble, France. There, the ‘flying dentist’ (as he would become known) became Olympic Champion for the 500m (a distance at which he was still the world record holder).

In 1971, Keller became champion at the ISU Sprint Championships (the forerunner of the World Sprint Championships). The next year, he became Olympic Champion on the 500m again (setting a new Olympic record in the process) at the 1972 Winter Olympics staged in Sapporo, Japan. After the 1972 speed skating season, Keller became a professional speed skater and he graduated in dentistry in 1973. After 1974, Keller no longer participated in any international tournaments. He became a professional dentist in Munich in 1975 and only participated for a few more years in national tournaments.

At the Winter Olympics of 1976, 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1994, he was co-commentator for the ARD and ZDF channels during the speed-skating competitions and in 2011 he was honoured by being inducted into the German Sports Hall of Fame.

Reunions

In 2014, the surviving twenty members of the Singen team got together to celebrate their 40th anniversary of their participation in Spiel Ohne Grenzen.

Additional Information

As with the previous year, the winner of each Domestic heat was not assigned to the same numbered International Heat. It was not until the end of each of the six programmes, that the allotted venue for the winning team would be announced by presenter Erhard Keller. The seventh and final qualifier would be the losing team that had scored the highest number of points against their respective opponents, with their allotted International Heat venue being announced at the end of the sixth heat.

At the end of the competition, presenter Erhard Keller stated that the winning team of Singen would be competing in Italy in July at a venue in the city of Viareggio, located on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the west coast of Italy. By the time the Domestic Series had come to an end, this was still thought to be the venue for the Italian International Heat. It was not until the 1st June 1974, that WDR were informed by RAI television that the venue had been change to Barga!

Made in Colour • This programme exists in German archives

D

Spiel Ohne Grenzen 1974

Heat 2

Event Staged: Sunday 14th April 1974
Venue: Innenhof (Inner Courtyard), Burg Bentheim (Bentheim Castle),
Bentheim, Niedersachsen, West Germany

Transmission:
WDR 1 (D): Easter Sunday 14th April 1974, 3.15-4.30pm (Live)

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

Weather Conditions: Warm and Sunny

Theme: Der Osterhasen
(The Easter Bunny)

Teams: Bentheim v. Porta Westfalica

Team Members included:
Bentheim - Gerhard Hendricks (Team Coach), Heinrich Bertich, Reinhard Bonke, Jutta Hannig, Orta Hilner, Gert Meinhus, Gerhard Mückenheim, Siegbert Nord, Hans Stradmann, Inga Westerhof;
Porta Westfalica - Wolfgang Kardetski (Team Coach), Heinz Bushin, Bernhard Funke, Karen Funke, Wilhelm Meyer, Karen Maumer, Gerhard Opalski, Klaus Ruesch.

Games: The Easter Bells are Ringing, The Chicken’s Eggs, The Easter Bunny Football Challenge, Painting the Eggs, The Egg-Laying Chicks, Searching for the Eggs, Easter Bunny Basketball, Harvesting the Bellflowers, The Giant Easter Bunny Puppet Goalkeeper, The Great Easter Egg Race;
Jokers: Giant Rabbits.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd

 B • Bentheim ● ●
 W • Porta Westfalica

12
10

Bentheim qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Zandvoort, Netherlands:
staged on Wednesday 12th June 1974

The Host Town

Bentheim, Niedersachsen

Bad Bentheim is a town with a population of around 16,000 inhabitants in the state of Niedersachsen and is located 95km (59 miles) north of Essen, 119km (74 miles) south of Emden, 175km (109 miles) west of Hannover and just 8km (5 miles) east of the border with the Netherlands.

The first documented mention of the town came about 1050 under the name Binithem. There are various etymologies put forth for the town's name. One of the most popular is that it refers to the rushes (binsen in German) that grew on boggy land in the area in earlier times. The town's emblem is the mighty Burg Bentheim, castle of the Counts of Bentheim, which was first mentioned in a document from 1116.

About 1711, curative sulphur springs were discovered, from which grew the spa with its thermal brine and clinic. In 1895, Queen Emma of the Netherlands (1858-1934) and her 15-year-old daughter Wilhelmina (1880-1962) spent several weeks at Bentheim's baths. Before this, both Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898) and Kaiser Wilhelm I (1797-1888) had stayed there. In Otto von Bismarck's honour, a sandstone statue in his likeness was raised on the square that also bears his name, Bismarckplatz, right beneath the castle.

Bad Bentheim is not only renowned for its health spas, but also for its sandstone, known as Bentheimer Gold. It was originally quarried in the main town and shipped beyond the old county's borders between the 15th and 18th centuries into Ostfriesland (north-west coastal area of Germany), the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark. A few examples of important buildings made of this sandstone are the Royal Palace in Amsterdam, the theatre and the Church of Our Lady in Antwerp, the Catholic Church in Århus, the Martini Church's tower in Groningen (completed in 1482) and the City Hall in Münster. Supposedly, the pedestal on which New York’s Statue of Liberty stands is even made out of Bad Bentheim sandstone, but other German towns, among them Obernkirchen, claim that they furnished the stone for that undertaking.

The Bad Bentheim Sandstone Museum (Bad Bentheimer Sandsteinmuseum) is a museum housed in a farmer's townhouse, which shows the history of Bentheim sandstone (quarrying and use, trade and work) and the stone's geology.

The town was granted its arms in 1661 by Count Ernst Wilhelm of Bentheim and Steinfurt (1643-1693). The coat of arms shows a golden monogram consisting of the letters E and G on a red background, surrounded by nineteen golden balls. The letters stand for ‘Ernestus Guilelmus’, the Count's name in Latin. During the early 19th century, the bearing of these arms was banned. In the latter part of the century, the arms consisted simply of 18 golden balls on a red background, without the monogram. In 1955, the town was granted approval by the Niedersachsen ministry of the interior to bear once again the arms originally bestowed upon the town by the Count.

The so-called Weggen wegbringen is an old tradition still practised in the town. The Weggen is a one metre (3ft 3¼in) long loaf of raisin bread brought by friends and neighbours to the family, after a child's birth, to celebrate the newborn's future.

A culinary delight of the region is the Bentheimer Moppen which are rather hard, long-lasting biscuits that are baked with a great deal of caraway, and are eaten mainly around Christmas. They are supposed to be a special treat if dipped beforehand in coffee. The caraway gives them a flavour that sets them very much apart from the usual Yuletide treats.

A popular activity in the town is the Night Watchman's Walks (Nachtwächterrundgänge). These take place at 9pm every Monday, Friday and Saturday evenings starting from the lower castle gate. These walking tours are staged by the local tourist office and are free to attend. During these night-time tours through the town, visitors are treated to stories and legends about the Bad Bentheim and its castle, as well as historical data and facts.

The Visiting Town

Porta Westfalica is a town with a population of around 36,000 inhabitants in the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen and is located 121km (75 miles) east of Bad Bentheim.

The Venue

Burg Bentheim

The games were played on the inner courtyard of Burg Bentheim, the town’s crowning glory. The castle is built on a protrusion of Bentheim sandstone and stands 91.9m (301ft 6in) above sea level, Its elevated position, in an otherwise very flat landscape, provided an excellent view and thus a strategic location to build a castle.

The earliest history of the castle, which was erected from wood on the remains of an earlier refuge castle, is largely unknown. In the registries of Werden Abbey (1050), the castle is mentioned as Binedheim. A document from 1020 names Otto von Northeim (1020-1083) as the owner of the castle. In 1116, the castle was completely destroyed in the war between Herzog Lothar von Süpplinburg, better known as Lothar III (1075-1137) and Heinrich V (1081-1125). Soon after, the castle was rebuilt in stone by Otto von Salm (1080-1150), brother-in-law of the victorious Lothar III. His wife, Gertrud von Northeim (Gertrudis Palatina), used Bentheim Castle as a widow's seat after Otto's death in 1150.

In 1146, there was an armed conflict between Otto and the Bishop of Utrecht over property rights in Twente region. In the course of this dispute, Otto and his army of knights were defeated at Ootmarsum. Otto's son and only heir, Otto II von Salm-Rheineck tried to recapture the castle but fell into the hands of Hermann von Stahleck in 1148. He spent some time as a prisoner in Schönburg near Oberwesel and was strangled the next year. Following his death, Otto's daughter, Sophie von Salm-Rheineck inherited the castle. She married Dirk VI, Count of Holland (1110-1157) and the castle thus passed into the hands of the Counts of Holland. Their son, Otto the Younger, was the first of the counts of Bentheim-Holland, whose rule lasted until 1421, after which time the castle passed into the hands of Eberwin IV von Götterswick, a cousin of the last count of Bentheim-Holland.

During the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), the region was repeatedly sacked by Spanish troops. Much of the castle was destroyed in the process. This was repeated during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763), in which the Burg repeatedly came under siege from French and British troops and was taken several times. In 1795, it served as a field hospital in the war against the revolutionary French Army and was set ablaze and taken by general Dominique Joseph Vandamme (1770-1830).

Today, with the exception of a small private area in which members of the Princely House of Bentheim and Steinfurt still live - the castle serves as a museum and can be hired for weddings, in the so-called Ernst August Salon (named after King Ernst August of Hannover (1771-1851), between May to September.

Below the castle is the Schloßpark (castle park), a geometrical 12-hectare (120,000m²) parkland - laid out in its current form between 1973 and 1974 - in the style of the princely gardens of the 18th century. During the summer months, there is a fountain which shoots up into the air from a flat, sandstone basin. This fountain is surrounded by symmetrically laid-out rose and lavender beds, themselves enclosed by hedges and which line the paths. In winter, the water is pumped out and the fountain is removed. During this period, the locals, especially the younger ones, come to the park to use their sleds and slide down the steep slopes beneath the castle.

The Games in Detail

Game 1 - The Easter Bells are Ringing
(Die Osterglocken Läuten)

The first game - ‘The Easter Bells are Ringing’ (Die Osterglocken Läuten) - was played in unison over 4 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured three competitors (two males and one female) from each team dressed as rabbits and each equipped with a pair of wooden stilts. On the whistle, the competitors had to mount the stilts and walk down the 25m (82ft) straight course whilst transporting two large bellflowers which were attached to the top of each stilt. At the end of the course, the bellflowers had to be removed by a male team-mate and placed in a large vase whilst the competitor returned to the start with the stilts to repeat the game. Each team had to transport eighteen bellflowers in total, with each competitor making three journeys. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was a very straightforward game and ended with Bentheim crossing the finish line and placing all their bellflowers in the vase in 3 minutes 24 seconds. Despite Porta Westfalica crossing the finishing line after 3 minutes 24 seconds, their final four bellflowers had still not been placed into the vase. With a hint from referee Gerd Siepe, the team coach realised his error and quickly corrected it. Although not officially announced, the time for Porta Westfalica was 3 minutes 34 seconds.

Game 2 - The Hen’s Eggs
(Die Hühnereier)

The second game - ‘The Hen’s Eggs’ (Die Hühnereier) - was played individually over two minutes duration and witnessed Bentheim presenting their Joker for play. The game featured a female competitor dressed as a rabbit equipped with a hammer and standing on a trampoline. Above the game, there was a large hen perched on a roost from which a dinner gong was hanging. On the whistle, the competitor had to jump up and down on the trampoline in order to hit the gong with the hammer. Once this had been achieved, two eggs would be released from the rear end of the hen by a stagehand. The eggs then had to be caught cleanly by the competitor and placed into a small egg basket at the side of the trampoline. The game then had to be repeated throughout. The team collecting the greater number of eggs would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward game saw the participation of Bentheim and although a total of 30 eggs were released, their competitor was only able to catch 19 of them cleanly.

The second heat featured Porta Westfalica and their competitor caught 17 eggs from the 28 that were released.

Game 3 - The Easter Bunny Football Challenge
(Die Osterhasen Fußball Herausforderung)

The third game - ‘The Easter Bunny Football Challenge’ (Die Osterhasen Fußball Herausforderung) - was played in unison over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured a male competitor from each team dressed in a large rabbit costume. On the whistle, the competitor had to go up the straight 7.5m (24ft 8in) course and collect up to 40 ovoid-shaped balls by using the large feet of the costume as a scoop. He then had to move the balls towards, and into, a small netted goal at the end of the course. The competitors could attempt as many journeys as possible within the permitted time. The team collecting the greater number of balls would be declared the winners.

This was a very straightforward game which saw Bentheim collect 17 balls whilst Porta Westfalica collected 15 balls.

Game 4 - Painting the Eggs
(Die Eier Malen)

The fourth game - ‘Painting the Eggs’ (Die Eier Malen) - was played individually over two minutes duration and featured six competitors (three males and three females) from each team. Whilst the males were blindfolded and dressed as giant spotted eggs at the start of the 20m (65ft 7½in) course, the females were dressed as rabbits and equipped with paint brushes and paint at the other end. On the whistle, the males had to make their way down the course by receiving instructions being shouted to them by the three females. Each of the eggs was of different colour (red, yellow or blue) in order that each male could receive unique verbal instructions from his ‘rabbit’. Once each egg had reached the end of the course, the corresponding rabbit, had to paint over the spots of the egg with paint of a similar colour. Once all fourteen spots on the egg had been obliterated by the paint, the female had to give further instructions to guide the male to a finish line 5m (16ft 5in) further on. The time would be taken after the third male had crossed the finish line. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward game saw the participation of Bentheim and they completed the game without mishap in 1 minute 22 seconds.

The second heat featured Porta Westfalica and they also completed the course without mishap in 1 minute 21 seconds.

Game 5 - The Egg-Laying Chicks
(Die Eierlegenden Küken)

The fifth game - ‘The Egg-Laying Chicks’ (Die Eierlegenden Küken) - was played in unison over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and witnessed Porta Westfalica presenting their Joker for play. The game featured a male competitor from each team dressed as a large chick equipped with a twenty ‘eggs’ inside the costume. On the whistle, the competitor had to run down the 20m (65ft 7½in) course to where two small nests were located and then ‘lay’ an egg in each one by dropping them out from the rear of the costume. He then had to run back to the start and lay two more eggs in similar nests. The game then had to be repeated on two more occasions until a total of 12 eggs had been laid. Any eggs that were not laid correctly inside the nests would not be counted, and the competitor had to repeat the drop at that point. The team completing the course in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was another simple and straightforward game which saw Bentheim take command from the outset and finish in 1 minute 56 seconds. Although Porta Westfalica also completed the course without mishap, they did so in 2 minutes 23 seconds.

Intermission Mini-Contest -
The Coaches’ Game (Das Trainerspiel):
The Memory Game (Die Memory-Spiel)

There was a short interlude before the next game for the Trainerspiel, full details of which can be found in Heat 1.

At the end of the five minute contest, Bentheim had matched seven pairs of pictures (7 x 150) = 1,050 Deutsche Mark (approximately £172 at time of recording) whilst Porta Westfalica had matched six pairs of pictures and receiving 900 Deutsche Mark (approximately £148).

Comparative value in 2020: £172 = £1,253 whilst £148 = £1,078.

Game 6 - Searching for the Eggs
(Suchen nach den Eiern)

The sixth game - ‘Searching for the Eggs’ (Suchen nach den Eiern) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and featured a female competitor from each team equipped with an egg basket. On the whistle, the competitor had to climb on top of a 20m (65ft 7½in) long table which was covered with thick wallpaper. She then had to get on her hands and knees and feel her way along the paper searching for twenty holes in the table-top. Once found, she then had to punch her way through in order to retrieve two eggs that were lying on the ground beneath. She then had to repeat the process along the entire length of the table. If time permitted, the competitor could retrace her path to ensure that no holes had been missed. The team collecting the greater number of eggs would be declared the winners.

This was another straightforward game which, although closely-fought, saw Bentheim leading throughout. With both competitors reaching the far end of the table at almost the exact same time of 2 minutes 30 seconds, they both turned around for a final check of the table. At the end of the game, Bentheim had collected 34 eggs whilst Porta Westfalica had collected 29 eggs.

Game 7 - Easter Bunny Basketball
(Osterhasen-Basketball)

The seventh game - ‘Easter Bunny Basketball’ (Osterhasen-Basketball) - was played individually over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured two male competitors from each team dressed as rabbits. On the whistle, the leading rabbit had to make his way towards a given line where four large eggs on spikes were located. The competitor then had to guide the foot of the costume into position so that the spike was between two of the toes. He then had to lift the foot up and toss the ball backwards over his head in order for it to be caught in a net being carried on the back of the second competitor. The game then had to be repeated throughout. The second competitor was able to move backwards and forwards in order to secure the catch but could not use his hands. As each egg was tossed, it would be replaced by a female team-mate. The team collecting the greater number of eggs would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward game saw the participation of Porta Westfalica and they secured 11 of the 31 eggs tossed.

The second heat featured Bentheim and they only secured 8 of the 29 eggs tossed within the permitted time.

Game 8 - Harvesting the Bellflowers
(Die Glockenblumen Ernten)

The eighth game - ‘Harvesting the Bellflowers’ (Die Glockenblumen Ernten) - was played in unison over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured a ‘field’ of thirty 3m (9ft 10¼in) high bellflowers and two male competitors from each team dressed as rabbits equipped with a small handsaw. On the whistle, the first competitor had to use the handsaw to cut through the stems of the bellflowers. After ‘harvesting’ three flowers, he then had to carry them to a large vase and place them inside and then return to the field and repeat the game. After 1 minute 30 seconds of elapsed time, the game would be stopped and the second competitor would be handed the handsaw and take over from the exact point of stoppage. He then had to repeat the process for the final sixty seconds of permitted time. The team harvesting the greater number of flowers would be declared the winners.

This was a simple and straightforward game which would end in some controversy. Bentheim were the first to harvest their first three flowers after 46 seconds of elapsed time followed by Porta Westfalica in 56 seconds. Although both competitors had started to cut their next set of flowers, the game was stopped before either could carry them to their respective vases. The second competitors then took over at the point of stoppage and the game was restarted. Porta Westfalica took the lead after they placed their second set of flowers into the vase after 1 minute 34 seconds of elapsed time with Bentheim following suit after 1 minute 51 seconds. With time running out, Porta Westfalica placed their third set of three flowers into their vase after 2 minutes 25 seconds and Bentheim did likewise after 2 minutes 29 seconds. However, the referees deemed that the flowers of Bentheim were placed in the vase after permitted time had elapsed and did not count them. With the home crowd jeering loudly, Porta Westfalica were declared the winners by 9-6. 

Game 9 - The Giant Easter Bunny Puppet Goalkeeper
(Der Riesige Osterhasen-Marionetten Torhüter)

The ninth and penultimate game - ‘The Giant Easter Bunny Puppet Goalkeeper’ (Der Riesige Osterhasen-Marionetten Torhüter) - was played individually over 1 minute 45 seconds duration and featured a male competitor from each team dressed as a rabbit and a large wooden rabbit puppet located in front of a set of goalposts. A male opposition team member was located above the goal holding onto ropes which were connected to the puppet’s arms and legs. On the whistle, the competitor had to throw footballs at the goal to score whilst the opposition defended it by pulling and releasing the ropes to move the puppet’s limbs. The team scoring the greater number of goals would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this simple game saw the participation of Porta Westfalica and they scored a total of 14 goals from the 47 balls that were thrown.

The second heat featured Bentheim and they were less adept in their throwing accuracy and scored just 6 goals from the 49 balls that were thrown.

Running Scores and Positions: 1st Bentheim (0pts awarded / 12pts total) 2nd Porta Westfalica (2pts / 8pts)

Comments: Before the points were awarded for this game, presenter Erhard Keller explained to the television audience that, from this year, a new format to the qualifying criteria had been introduced whereby the highest-scoring losing team would also be given a place in the International series. He continued by stating that although teams may have already ‘lost’ the contest earlier in the programme, they were encouraged to continue to try and score the highest possible score. This format followed the same pattern which had been introduced and used in the British series It’s A Knockout since 1970.

Game 10 - The Great Easter Egg Race
(Das Große Ostereierrennen)

The tenth and final game - ‘The Great Easter Egg Race’ (Das Große Ostereierrennen) - was played in unison over four minutes duration and featured four competitors (three males and one female) from each team. At one end of the 25m (82ft) course, the three males were blindfolded and wearing large multicoloured Easter egg costumes with each of their names printed on them - Porta Westfalica (Bernhard, Gerhard and Heinz) and Bentheim (Gert, Heinz and Siegbert). At the other end of the course, the female was standing on a small podium and equipped with a walkie-talkie. On the whistle, the female had to give instructions via the walkie-talkie to guide the males up the course and through a narrow gate. Once through the gate, the males then had to be guided to the end of the course where the female was located and then step inside a large egg-cup and crouch down to finish the game. In order that the males could hear the instructions, speakers had been placed on the inside wall of each egg. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

Although this was one of the staple games of Jeux Sans Frontières related programmes over the years, it proved to be very funny with some of the competitors wandering all over the course. Things were made even more difficult with there being just one person giving instructions to three competitors. From the outset, four of the competitors (two from each team) had no problem negotiating the gate and course and had all completed the game within 54 seconds of elapsed time. However, it was Gerhard and Gert that were to provide the amusement and entertainment to the crowd, after they wandered off-course in opposite directions. The former found himself in his opponents’ side of the course and heading towards the main building of the castle, whilst the latter found himself becoming entangled with the television cameras on his opponents’ side of the course. After a long wait, the females were finally able to guide their final team-mates home with Porta Westfalica finishing in 2 minutes 34 seconds followed by Bentheim in 3 minutes 1 second.

Final Scores and Positions: 1st Bentheim (0pts awarded / 12pts total) 2nd Porta Westfalica (2pts / 10pts)

Comments: This was the first and only game in Jeux Sans Frontières history to be played without any commentary whatsoever. This permitted the competitors to hear all the instructions given (in most cases) and also gave presenter Erhard Keller a breather to enjoy the game and he could be seen in various long shots with a beaming smile on his face. At the end of the game, the Bentheim team lodged a protest to the referees about the result after it could be seen that the third Porta Westfalica competitor failed to pass through the gate on his way up the course. Despite this the referees upheld their decision stating that it made no difference to the outcome of the contest. However, this decision assisted Porta Westfalica to be in the running at this point as the losing team with the highest points, having equalled the score (10) set by Ludwigshafen am Rhein in the previous heat.

Additional Information

During a long overdue house clearance in 2015, competitor Reinhard Bonke unexpectedly came across a piece of Bad Bentheim television history in his cellar. Whilst removing unwanted items, he discovered the rabbit joker from the Spiel Ohne Grenzen programme of 1974. After the programme had been recorded, the teams were permitted to keep their respective jokers as souvenirs. After the memento had lain forgotten in a dark cellar for over 40 years, the Bentheim team member reluctantly donated the souvenir to the town for display during a local council meeting.

Made in Colour • This programme exists in German archives

D

Spiel Ohne Grenzen 1974

Heat 3

Event Staged: Sunday 21st April 1974
Venue: Volksparkstadion (Municipal Stadium), Rheinhausen am Niederrhein,
Nordrhein-Westfalen, West Germany

Transmission:
WDR 1 (D): Sunday 21st April 1974, 3.10-4.25pm (Live)

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

Weather Conditions: Warm and Sunny

Theme: Im Kinderland
(In a Child’s World)

Teams: Rheinhausen am Niederrhein v. Rosenheim

Team Members included:
Rheinhausen am Niederrhein - Peter Vich (Team Coach), Klaus Faustner, Ralf Kodrowicz, Werner Konratz, Dieter Luchtenberg, Manfred Luchter, Willi Uitzen, Edie Winkler;
Rosenheim - Richard Horner (Team Coach), Elvira Ankenar, Klaus Bonner, Hans Büchner, Reinhard Gellart, Reinhard Graub, Gunther Gutmeyer, Kristof Kopf, Resi Mayr, Fritz Ohlwärter, Peter Rochof, Helmut Schneider, Ingrid Schöner, Hans Wagner, Peter Wiesnach.

Games: The Baby and the Pram, The Monkey with the Cymbals, The Building Blocks, The Rocking Cradles, Sack Football, The Tin Soldier and the Pretzels, The Clockwork Dolls, One Step at a Time, Mr Punch and the Witch, The Train Set;
Jokers: Hobby Horses.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd

 RO • Rosenheim ● ●
 RH • Rheinhausen am Niederrhein

12
11

Rosenheim qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Bouillon, Belgium:
staged on Tuesday 28th May 1974

The Host Town

Rheinhausen am Niederrhein, Nordrhein-Westfalen

Rheinhausen am Niederrhein is a suburb of the city of Duisburg with a population of around 85,000 inhabitants in the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen and is located 48km (30 miles) south of Rhede, 52km (32 miles) west of Hagen, 243km (151 miles) north of Saarbrücken and 35km (22 miles) east of Niederdorf and the Dutch border. It lies on the left bank of the River Rhein, whereas the majority of the main city of Duisburg lies to the right.

The original town of Rheinhausen can be traced back to Roman times. During sewer work in the Diergardt mining settlement, the remains of a Roman guard station were found. The parishes of Hochemmerich and Friemersheim were mentioned in documents as early as AD 900 and had long been part of the district of Moers.

Rheinhausen is mentioned for the first time in the lifting register of Gerresheim Abbey (built between the 12th and 13th centuries) and Count Vincenz von Moers received the Hof Rheinhausen from the abbot as a fief in 1481. However, the development of the town did not originate from this farm, whose name only emerged with the economic and transport development in the 19th century.

In 1702, the district of Moers fell to the Kingdom of Prussia as part of a succession. Between 1794 and 1814, the region came into French occupation under Napoléon Bonaparte (1769-1821). Prussian troops entered the region on 6th December 1813 and took back control and the left bank of the Rhine was again passed to Prussia as a result of the Congress of Vienna in 1815.

In the agricultural area, of what would later become the town of Rheinhausen, there was only one brewery, the Rheingold (1827 to 1986), a vat factory and the Schrooten steam brickworks, founded in 1857, and which remained active until 1963. A number of other brickworks were added at the beginning of the 20th century.

On the initiative of Friedrich Alfred Krupp (1854-1902), the planning for the Rheinhausen ironworks was started in 1896 by the engineer Gisbert Gillhausen (1856-1917), and named Friedrich-Alfred-Hüttewerken (Friedrich Alfred Smelting Works). The first blast furnaces were blown as early as 18th December 1897. In the years before the First World War (1914-1918), the plant was considered the largest in Europe and had its own Rhine port. Its products included rails, bars and sections, semi-finished products, sleepers and wire rods.

With the settlement of the Krupp company at the end of the 19th century, a period of economic prosperity began for the town and its predecessor communities, accompanied by severe environmental pollution. For a long time, the Krupp company played an important role in the urban development of Rheinhausen. Friedrich Krupp had a model settlement built for the steel workers (Margarethensiedlung), a small station at Werkstor I (Rheinhausen-Ost station) and a hospital that bears the name of the family.

On 6th April 1923, the communities Hochemmerich and Friemersheim were amalgamated by ministerial decree to form the new rural community of Rheinhausen am Niederrhein. On 1st July 1934, passed by decree of the Prussian Minister of the Interior on 20th June, the municipality of Rheinhausen am Niederrhein received city rights.

The celebrations for the town receiving city rights were heavily infused with Nazi propaganda, with the town hailed as the ‘youngest in the Third Reich’. However, it is not clear how far the people of Rheinhausen am Niederrhein stood behind the system during the Hitler dictatorship.

After World War II (1939-1945), Rheinhausen am Niederrhein became part of the British zone of occupation. In 1947, the Krupp steelworks was removed from the dismantling list by the occupying powers and became part of the Krupp Group and then renamed Hüttenwerk Rheinhausen (Rheinhausen Smelting Works).

Around 1950, the Rheinuferpark was landscaped, and between 1955 and 1957, the Volkspark, Rheinhausen am Niederrhein's green lung, was planted. In the vacant lots between Hochemmerich and Friemersheim, new residential areas (so-called town centre developments) were created during 1950 and 1954, when a total of 3,600 residential units were built throughout the town. Further housing estates in the centre of Rheinhausen am Niederrhein were built in the 1960s.

With the decline of coal and steel, Rheinhausen am Niederrhein's economic decline began. The two mines were closed in 1967 and 1973 respectively, but fortunately most of the workers found work at the Krupp company.

Plans to incorporate the Rheinhausen am Niederrhein area into Duisburg already existed at the beginning of the 20th century. In a study by Karl Jarres (1914-1933), the Lord Mayor of Duisburg, he proposed the establishment of a Ruhr estuary with the involvement of Rheinhausen am Niederrhein and other communities on the left bank of the Rhine. Despite the barrier that the Rhine formed, close relationships had existed between the two sides of the Rhine for centuries. But the district council of the district of Moers, to which Rheinhausen am Niederrhein belonged, voted with a narrow majority against the incorporation into Duisburg.

In the 1980s, the Krupp steelworks made headlines across Germany. The rolling mill was initially closed on 3rd December 1982. In 1987, the district received great media coverage due to the resistance to the closure of the remainder of the steelworks. During the winter of 1987/88, there were large demonstrations against the closure of the remaining iron and steel works under the motto ‘AufRuhr’(Revolt). Despite all the protests, almost a hundred years of industrial history ended on 15th August 1993 with the final closure of the Krupp steelworks. Today on its site stands a centre for logistics companies, created under the name ‘Logport’.

The Visiting Town

Rosenheim is a town with a population of around 64,000 inhabitants in the state of Bayern and is located 553km (344 miles) south-east of Rheinhausen am Niederrhein.

The Venue

Volksparkstadion

The games were played in the stadium of the Volkspark, the town’s largest public green space.

In the first expansion phase between 1928 and 1930, with the support of the settlement association Ruhrkohlenbezirks (SVR), a 5-hectare (50,000m²) facility was built along Gartenstraße. It was laid out according to the plans of the garden architects Pohlenz and Müller and its lines strictly followed the models of the French Renaissance gardens.

After an allotment garden was set up on Moerserstraße in 1949, the park was expanded by 32 hectares (320,000m²) in 1950. In the course of this expansion, an area filled with rubbish was transformed into a hill and greened. In the years between 1955 and 1962, again with the support of the SVR, an area of 4.5 hectares (45,000m²) was developed like a park; another 18.6 hectares (186,000m²) was afforested in a forest-like manner. The old part of the Volkspark, which was affected by the effects of war and subsidence, was redesigned at the same time.

The facility is equipped with several play and sports facilities, water areas (flamingo pond and Johanniter grape pond), a heather garden, a 1.7 hectares (17,000m²) small animal park with its own fallow deer enclosure (also home to a small herd of East African pygmy goats, chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys), a music pavilion, a park café, a mini golf course and a large aviary housing exotic birds with brightly coloured plumage and ornamental pheasants.

The Games in Detail

Game 1 - The Baby and the Pram
(Das Baby und die Kinderwagen)

The first game - ‘The Baby and the Pram’ (Das Baby und die Kinderwagen) - was played in unison over 4 minutes 30 seconds duration and witnessed Rheinhausen am Niederrhein presenting their Joker for play. The game featured a male competitor from each team dressed as a small baby in a romper suit and equipped with a large pram on top of which were two large baby-feeding bottles. The pram was somewhat unusual in design, having its wheel configuration opposite to the norm with the large wheels being closest to the pusher. On the whistle, the competitor had to push the pram along a straight 20m (65ft 7½in) course which had five rounded wooden beams (acting as speed humps) laid out at 3m (9ft 10¼in) intervals along its length. At the end of the course, he then had to remove the bottles from the pram and place them upright on the ground. He then had to return to the start and repeat the game. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was a very simple and straightforward game which saw Rosenheim taking an early lead. However, Rheinhausen am Niederrhein were somewhat fortunate after Rosenheim suffered a mishap towards the end of the course which saw their two bottles fall from the pram whilst negotiating the final ‘speed hump’. This error enabled Rheinhausen am Niederrhein to take the lead and complete their first run in 47 seconds. Whilst Rheinhausen am Niederrhein returned to the start for their second run, the Rosenheim competitor had recomposed himself and made his way to the end of the course and successfully deposited the two bottles after 1 minute 12 seconds of elapsed time. However, his efforts were all in vain, as another faultless run by Rheinhausen am Niederrhein saw them complete their second return journey and finish the game in 2 minutes 45 seconds. Despite the outcome being a foregone conclusion, the game was played out and saw Rosenheim cross the finishing line 3 minutes 19 seconds.

Game 2 - The Monkey with the Cymbals
(Der Affe mit die Zimbal)

The second game - ‘The Monkey with the Cymbals’ (Der Affe mit die Zimbal) - was played individually over two minutes duration and featured three male competitors from each team, one of which was dressed as a performing monkey equipped with a pair of musical cymbals and standing at one end of the course. Facing him at the other end, the other two competitors were standing adjacent to a large clown effigy which was secured to a set of rockers. On the whistle, one of the two had to pull the clown effigy backwards so that the other could place a small ball into a hole in its hat. The clown then had to be released and in doing so send the ball hurling towards the competitor dressed as the monkey who had to catch it between the two cymbals. If successful, he then had to drop the ball into a holding pen. The game would then be repeated throughout. The team catching the greater number of balls correctly would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this very fast-paced game saw the participation of Rosenheim who suffered a mishap when the head of the monkey costume fell off and the game had to be stopped. The cause of this mishap was due to the competitor wearing a cloth cap which prevented the costume from hugging his head correctly. Although this incident occurred after 26 seconds of elapsed time, the on-screen clock was not halted until 34 seconds had elapsed. At the end of permitted time, Rosenheim had collected 13 balls from the total of 19 that had been hurled.

The second heat featured Rheinhausen am Niederrhein and although they completed the game without mishap, they were only able to catch 8 balls from the total of 17 that were actually hurled.

Game 3 - The Building Blocks
(Die Bausteine)

The third game - ‘The Building Blocks’ (Die Bausteine) - was played in unison over five minutes duration and featured two male competitors from each team and a series of eleven learning blocks and shapes which comprised five rollers, four triangles and two rectangular blocks each with a semi-circle indentation along one of its lengths. One of the rollers had already been placed at the end of the course in an upright position. On the whistle, the two competitors standing inside the rectangular blocks had to face each other in order that the two semi-circular indentations formed a circle. A male team-mate then had to place one of the rollers inside the circle and the triangle on top of the blocks to form a complete solid shape. The competitors then had to run (one of them travelling backwards as they were face-to-face) along the straight 25m (82ft) course. At the end of the course, another male team-mate had to remove the triangle and roller and, whilst the competitors raced back to the start individually in order to repeat the game, he had to begin building a series of houses with the two rollers as walls and the triangle as a roof (this was the reason for the predetermined placing of the fifth roller). The game then had to be repeated until all four triangles and rollers had been transported and a ‘terrace’ of four houses built at the end of the course. If any of the blocks tumbled to the ground whilst in transit, the team had to stop at that point whilst the team-mate at the start of the course ran up and assist them to rebuild the house before recommencing play. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was a straightforward game which saw Rosenheim leading for the entirety of the game, completing their first run without mishap in just 24 seconds with Rheinhausen am Niederrhein achieving the same after 27 seconds of elapsed time. Rosenheim then started to widen the gap, completing their second run in 1 minute 10 seconds whilst Rheinhausen am Niederrhein crossed the line in 1 minute 21 seconds. On their third runs, both teams experienced major mishaps but neither appeared to gain any advantage from them. Halfway along the course, the triangle fell from the top of the Rosenheim blocks but the competitors were oblivious to this and carried on regardless. Referee Gerd Siepe then stopped them in their tracks whilst their team-mate ran forward to replace the fallen item. However, the team believed that they could start from that point but presenter Erhard Keller stepped in and pointed out to the referee where the mishap had originally occurred and the team were repositioned. Despite this, Rheinhausen am Niederrhein had failed to take advantage of their rivals’ error and had made very little progress up the course during the hiatus. Towards the end of the course, Rheinhausen am Niederrhein suffered the same fate as Rosenheim after their triangle also fell from the top of their blocks. Rosenheim completed their third run in 2 minutes 14 seconds with Rheinhausen am Niederrhein doing likewise after 2 minutes 26 seconds. It was now make or break time for both teams on their final runs. Rosenheim reduced their speed and cautiously edged their way up the course. Despite this tactic, Rheinhausen am Niederrhein again failed to advantage of this and continued to trail their rivals throughout. Although Rosenheim crossed the finish line in 3 minutes 6 seconds, it took them a further 18 seconds to finish their ‘terrace’ of houses and completed the game in 3 minutes 24 seconds. Although the game was played out until Rheinhausen am Niederrhein had transported all their blocks across the finishing line in 3 minutes 34 seconds, their finishing time was unable to be determined as the on-screen clock had been stopped earlier and the need for them to complete their ‘terrace’ was not required.

Game 4 - The Rocking Cradles
(Die Schaukelwiegen)

The fourth game - ‘The Rocking Cradles’ (Die Schaukelwiegen) - was played in unison over 1 minute 30 seconds duration and featured four competitors (two males and two females) from each team and four giant baby cradles on rockers, each containing 20 cushions of a set colour (blue, green, red or white). The cradles were set in such a position that whilst two (one team) would rock from east to west, the other two (the opposing team) would rock from north to south. On the whistle, the male in each of the cradles had to rock it back and forth, and at the appropriate time, the female had to hurl the cushions to her team-mate in the opposite cradle whilst she did likewise. Contemporaneously, the other team would do the same which resulted in cushions crossing the paths of their opponents. It was therefore important that the teams accurately timed their rocking to coincide with their team-mates efforts opposite. Only cushions that were caught cleanly by hand and those thrown from the opposite cradle would be deemed valid. Any cushions still remaining in their original cradle would be discounted. Rheinhausen am Niederrhein were selected to have blue cushions in one of their cradles and white cushions in the other, whilst Rosenheim were given red and green. The team collecting the greater number of cushions would be declared the winners.

Although this game was simple and straightforward in design, it was somewhat difficult to keep track of the running scores, especially from a spectator’s point of view. However, with cushions flying in all directions, it was left to the referees to determine which team had collected the greater number of cushions. At the end of permitted time, the results clearly showed how poorly the two teams had faired. Out of a maximum possible score of 40, the referees declared that Rosenheim had collected just 6 cushions whilst Rheinhausen am Niederrhein had collected just 4 cushions.

Game 5 - Sack Football
(Sack Fußball)

The fifth game - ‘Sack Football’ (Sack Fußball) - was played in unison over two minutes duration and witnessed Rosenheim presenting their Joker for play. The game featured two male competitors from each team sealed inside cloth sacks and equipped with eight footballs. On the whistle, the first competitor had to kick one of the footballs down the straight 50m (164ft) course and ultimately into a small goal located at the end. Once this had been achieved, he then had to run back to the start whilst the referees signalled to his team-mate to start his run. This had to be repeated in the same manner throughout until the end of permitted time. The team scoring eight goals in the faster time or the one with the greatest number scored at the final whistle would be declared the winners.

Although this was a very straightforward game, it had a very close finish due to an error by one of the teams. Rosenheim was the first team to score a goal after 12 seconds of elapsed time followed by Rheinhausen am Niederrhein after 13 seconds. The teams’ second goal-times were just as close, but on this occasion Rheinhausen am Niederrhein scored first after 25 seconds with Rosenheim doing likewise after 26 seconds. By the third run, Rosenheim had not only closed the deficit but also opened up a gap of four seconds after their third goal was scored after 37 seconds and Rheinhausen am Niederrhein after 41 seconds. With the competitors beginning to tire, the time taken to score goals began to increase.

Rosenheim scored their fourth goal after 52 seconds with Rheinhausen am Niederrhein emulating the feat after 56 seconds. Rosenheim scored their sixth goal after 1 minute 23 seconds whilst Rheinhausen am Niederrhein scored their sixth after 1 minute 31 seconds. Rosenheim had now opened up an eight second lead which they were determined not to lose. However, fate was not on their side, and in his haste their competitor over-kicked the next ball and it passed by the goal. Whilst he went to retrieve it and try again, which he achieved after 1 minute 42 seconds, his rival had closed the deficit to just one second by scoring a clean sixth goal after 1 minute 43 seconds. With just 18 seconds play remaining on the game, the Rosenheim competitor stormed down the course and it appeared that he would score the winning goal after 1 minute 57 seconds. However, the ball hit the left goalpost and bounced back into his path. With a second chance to finish the game, he kicked the ball for a second time but on this occasion he hit the right-hand goalpost after 1 minute 59 seconds and the ball bounced back. Immediately after this the final whistle was blown and the game had ended in a 7-7 draw.

Intermission Mini-Contest -
The Coaches’ Game (Das Trainerspiel):
The Memory Game (Die Memory-Spiel)

There was a short interlude before the next game for the Trainerspiel, full details of which can be found in Heat 1.

At the end of the five minute contest, Rosenheim had matched eleven pairs of pictures (11 x 150) = 1,650 Deutsche Mark (approximately £274 at time of recording) whilst Rheinhausen am Niederrhein had matched seven pairs of pictures and receiving 1,050 Deutsche Mark (approximately £172).

Comparative value in 2020: £274 = £1,997 whilst £172 = £1,253.

Game 6 - The Tin Soldier and the Pretzels
(Der Zinnsoldat und die Brezeln)

The sixth game - ‘The Tin Soldier and the Pretzels’ (Der Zinnsoldat und die Brezeln) - was played individually over three minutes duration and featured four competitors (two males and two females) from each team. The males were inside a war horse costume (akin to a pantomime horse style) on top of which sat a tin soldier holding a pointed lance vertically whilst the two females were located at either end of the 10m (32ft 9¾in) course and armed with a number of giant foam-rubber pretzels. On the whistle, the two males had to walk up to the end of the course to a small trellised fence which was located approximately 2m (6ft 6¾in) in front of one of the females. They then had to turn so that the horse costume was parallel with the fence and then lean towards the female whilst she threw pretzels towards them in order to hook one over the vertical lance. Once accomplished, the males had to make their way back to the start to a second trellised gate and repeat the procedure with the second female. The game then had to be repeated throughout. The team collecting the greater number of pretzels would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this very simple, straightforward and uneventful game saw the participation of Rheinhausen am Niederrhein and they collected a total of 9 pretzels after 18 seconds, 32 seconds, 47 seconds, 1 minute 4 seconds, 1 minute 42 seconds, 1 minute 59 seconds, 2 minutes 13 seconds, 2 minutes 31 seconds and 2 minutes 52 seconds of elapsed time respectively.

The second heat featured Rosenheim and they were much faster in their execution of the game and they collected a total of 11 pretzels after 19 seconds, 29 seconds, 42 seconds, 1 minute 2 seconds, 1 minute 13 seconds, 1 minute 31 seconds, 1 minute 52 seconds, 2 minutes 5 seconds, 2 minutes 16 seconds, 2 minutes 31 seconds and 2 minutes 48 seconds of elapsed time respectively.

Game 7 - The Clockwork Dolls
(Die Uhrwerk Puppen)

The seventh game - ‘The Clockwork Dolls’ (Die Uhrwerk Puppen) - was played in unison over 1 minute 30 seconds duration and featured a male competitor from each team and a large doll set on a roller with a large handled wind-up key protruding from its back. The roller was connected to an axle inside the doll which in turn made the arms of the costume rotate. On the whistle, the competitor had to push the doll down a ‘J-shaped’ course to where a large red balloon was located. He had to ensure that he timed the rotations of the arms in order to burst the balloon with one of the large pins that was protruding outwards from its hands. Once achieved, he then had to turn the doll around and repeat the course in the opposite direction and burst a large blue balloon in the same manner. The team bursting both balloons in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was a straightforward game which saw Rosenheim burst their red balloon after 14 seconds of elapsed time with Rheinhausen am Niederrhein doing likewise after 30 seconds. After turning around and racing back to the start, Rosenheim burst their blue balloon to finish the game in 54 seconds. Despite making up some ground and reaching their blue balloon after 57 seconds, Rheinhausen am Niederrhein took a further 20 seconds to time the rotation of the doll’s arms correctly before completing the game in 1 minute 17 seconds.

Game 8 - One Step at a Time
(Ein Schritt auf Einmal)

The eighth game - ‘One Step at a Time’ (Ein Schritt auf Einmal) - was played in unison over eight rounds and featured four male competitors from each team dressed as large game board pieces. On the course were two rows of 14 small podia set at a 90° angle to each other and converging at a fifteenth podium. On the whistle, the first competitor had to make his way along the row of his podia to try and reach the final podium before his rival. The team reaching the final podium the greater number of times would be declared as the winners.

This was another very simple and straightforward game and saw Rosenheim win the first two runs to take a 2-0 lead. However, Rheinhausen am Niederrhein won the next four runs to lead their rivals by 4-2. The seventh and penultimate run saw Rosenheim take victory and they were now trailing by 4-3. Determined not to record another defeat in the competition, Rheinhausen am Niederrhein won the eighth and final run to win the game overall by 5-3. 

Game 9 - Mr Punch and the Witch
(Der Kasper und die Hexe)

The ninth and penultimate game - ‘Mr Punch and the Witch’ (Der Kasper und die Hexe) - was played individually over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured a male competitor from each team dressed as Mr Punch armed with a large foam-rubber stick standing on a podium in the middle of a circular arena filled with 20 large balloons. On the outside of the circle was an opposition female dressed as a witch and armed with a besom. On the whistle, the competitor had to begin bursting the balloons with the stick whilst the opposition moved the balloons around the circle to prevent him from doing so. The team bursting the greater number of balloons would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this very straightforward game saw the participation of Rheinhausen am Niederrhein and they burst a total of 14 balloons within the permitted time.

The second heat featured Rosenheim and they only burst a total of 9 balloons within the permitted time.

Running Scores and Positions: 1st Rosenheim (0pts awarded / 12pts total) 2nd Rheinhausen am Niederrhein (2pts / 9pts)

Game 10 - The Train Set
(Die Zuggarnitur)

The tenth and final game - ‘The Train Set’ (Die Zuggarnitur) - was played over three minutes duration and featured ten competitors (eight males and two females) from each team and a train comprising an engine and four carriages. The first three carriages had holes in the front and back of them whilst the final carriage had holes just at the front and the engine just at the rear. On the whistle, the ten competitors (two in each component) had to raise the train set off the ground, via straps around their shoulders, and place their hands through the holes in their respective component in order to grab those of their team-mate in the adjacent carriage. They then had to traverse a winding course passing through ski-gates along the route to the end of the course. They then had to do a full circumnavigation of a large bollard before returning to the start along the same route. It should be noted that due to the design of the game, the competitors at the rear of the engine and the first three carriages had to walk backwards throughout the game. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

Although this was a simple and straightforward game, it was beautifully designed from the mind of Willi Steinberg and his team. From the outset, Rheinhausen am Niederrhein were determined to win the game and head the running to be the losing team with the highest points score to take them through to the International competition. After reaching the end of the course without mishap after 50 seconds of elapsed time, they began their circumnavigation of the bollard. Contemporaneously, Rosenheim reached the end of the course and as they started their turn, the rear carriage encroached into the path of the Rheinhausen am Niederrhein engine resulting in a crash. Although this had no real effect on the Rheinhausen am Niederrhein team, Rosenheim had collided with the bollard causing it to tumble to the ground. Whilst a team-mate ran up the course to replace the bollard, Rheinhausen am Niederrhein made their way back to the start at a cautious pace. With such a large gap between the teams now having opened up, Rosenheim picked up speed and raced back to the start. However, in their haste, the competitors walking backwards could not keep up with the pace of those walking forward and disaster ensued just before the penultimate ski-gate whereby all the carriages tumbled to the ground. Despite their efforts to recompose themselves, it was to no avail as Rheinhausen am Niederrhein had by this time completed the course in 2 minutes 3 seconds. The game was played out to a finish, and although Rosenheim had reconstructed the train and get moving again, they were unable to complete the game before the final whistle was sounded.

Final Scores and Positions: 1st Rosenheim (0pts awarded / 12pts total) 2nd Rheinhausen am Niederrhein (2pts / 11pts)

Additional Information

The town of Rosenheim first applied to WDR to participate in the programme in 1972, but it was not until the end of 1973 that it received confirmation that it would be in the 1974 series. The local council were somewhat disappointed when it was told that Rosenheim had not been considered as the venue for the Domestic heat and that the team would have to travel to Rheinhausen am Niederrhein. Local councillor and leisure manager Richard Horner oversaw the training and selection process of the twelve participants - ten male and two female.

Following the opening titles and picture postcards of the two competing towns, the first 1 minute 35 seconds of the live broadcast picture feed is missing from the surviving material in German archives. However, despite this visual loss, the audio is fully intact. This may have been the result of a fault with the live feed from the arena to the studios in Köln.

Made in Colour • This programme exists in German archives

D

Spiel Ohne Grenzen 1974

Heat 4

Event Staged: Sunday 5th May 1974
Venue: Spiesel Hartplatz (Spiesel Hard Ground), Wasseralfingen,
Baden-Württemberg, West Germany

Transmission:
WDR 1 (D): Sunday 5th May 1974, 3.15-4.30pm (Live)

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

Weather Conditions: Cold with Heavy Rain

Theme: Abenteuergeschichten
(Adventure Stories)

Teams: Groß-Gerau v. Wasseralfingen

Team Members included:
Groß-Gerau - Melisse Astheimer, Karen Dildman, Richard Krumm, Klaus Winckmann;
Wasseralfingen - Hubert Nagel (Co-Team Coach), Georg Stegmaier (Co-Team Coach), Peter Borst, Thomas Deininger, Günter Dietrich, Klaus Eiberger, Paul Eiberger, Alfred Erhardt, Ernst Hegele, Siegfried Hoffmann, Marianne Höflacher, Mathias Huber, Dieter Imm, Elke Keicher, Franz Linsenmeier, Ursula Schaff, Martin Schäffauer, Evelin Schwarzer.

Games: The Four Musketeers, Robinson Crusoe, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Vikings’ Longship, The Baron and the Cannonball, Sinbad the Sailor, The Water Oars, The Aztec Treasure, Rescuing Odysseus, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza;
Jokers: Medieval Battle Axes.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd

 W • Wasseralfingen ● ●
 G • Groß-Gerau

14
10

Wasseralfingen qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Aix-les-Bains, France:
staged on Wednesday 7th August 1974

The Host Town

Wasseralfingen, Baden-Württemberg

Wasseralfingen is a suburb of the city of Aalen with a population of around 14,000 inhabitants in the state of Baden-Württemberg and is located 58km (36 miles) north of Rothenberg ob der Tauber, 69km (43 miles) east of Stuttgart, 129km (80 miles) north of Kempten im Allgäu and 146km (91 miles) east of Regensburg.

With the expansion of the Romans into the Germania region, they found themselves having to protect against Germanic tribes invading again and again. To this end, the Romans built a protective system, a line of frontier fortifications called the Limes. The current area of Wasseralfingen was near the Limes on the Roman side. In the middle of the 3rd century, the Romans withdrew and Alemannic tribes were able to settle in the now unprotected land. As in Aalen, the Alemanni established a settlement in Wasseralfingen. During the transition to the Middle Ages, the noble family of Ahelfinger emerged. It was typical for this time that the place names were formed in connection with the name of the landlord with the ending -ingen.

Wasseralfingen was first mentioned in 1337, developing around a moated castle, which was built in 1337 by the Lords of Ahelfingen.

Iron smelting was established as early as 1671 by the Prince Provost of Ellwangen. But the place (only 350 inhabitants in 1803) initially remained very small and was largely rural. With the discovery of iron ore there, Wasseralfingen became an important business location for the prince provost. There were iron ore deposits in some areas of the eastern Swabian Alb, mainly in the form of pebble ore. As in other surrounding communities, there were iron ore seams in Wasseralfingen, the mining of which was profitable up to the beginning of the 20th century. Since there were enough resources for smelting on site with the stove and the surrounding forests, the prince's ironworks was put into operation in 1671.

By 1860, the iron and steel works had become one of the largest and most important in Europe and received the title of ‘main foundry of the country’. Since the ore had to be transported down into the valley, Germany's first rack railway was put into operation in 1876. The large influx of skilled workers required new housing estates. At first, construction was carried out near the iron and steel works. The Eisenschmelze residential areas were created along Wilhelmstraße and Karlstraße and later the Westheim factory estate.

When the slag was quenched during the smelting of the iron ore, sulphur-containing residues formed in the wastewater. This sulphurous water showed healing properties and in 1823 two inns were built in Wasseralfingen that also offered sulphur baths. Both inns were in the vicinity of the ironworks.

Since most of the rock layers with high ore content had already been mined, the mining tunnels on the Braunenberg closed in 1924. In 1922, the smelting of iron ore was stopped due to a lack of profitability and the last blast furnaces closed.

The new government tried to counteract the high unemployment at the beginning of the National Socialist era in the 1930s through job creation measures. As part of their efforts to make the German Reich self-sufficient, iron ore was subsidised again in Wasseralfingen and Aalen. The Alfing company, which had specialised in crankshafts since 1913, took off with the armament of the Air Force, since crankshafts were needed as high-tech parts for aircraft engines and there were only a few manufacturers for them in Germany. Alfing reached a peak of around 4,200 employees in Wasseralfingen in 1944, while SHW employed around 2,000 people in Wasseralfingen.

The crowning glory of the town is the Parish Church of St. Stephen, which was built between 1881 and 1883 in the neo-Romanesque style. It is in the classic form of a three-aisled, monumental-looking basilica, and is the architectural landmark of the parish. It has 56m (183ft 8¼in) high tower and in 2008, it celebrated the 125th anniversary of its consecration. It received its current interior appearance during two major renovation and redesign phases. The first was in direct consequence of the Second Vatican Council in the years 1962 to 1966, with three local artists, who were still relatively young at the time, playing a key role - Sieger Köder (1925-2015) born in Wasseralfingen, his academy friend Rudolf Haegele (1926-1998) who grew up in Aalen and Helmut Schuster, who was born in Wasseralfingen in 1939, and who was Köder's pupil during his time as an art teacher in Aalen. The church underwent a second major redesign during 1995/1996 according to the plans of the Stuttgart architects / lighting planners Kreuz and Kreuz. The main objectives were a redesign of the choir and a new lighting concept which would result in its interior being even brighter than it already was. All new pieces of equipment were manufactured from the cast iron characteristic of Wasseralfingen, combined with matt brushed brass, according to the architects' specifications.

The Visiting Town

Groß-Gerau is a town with a population of around 25,000 inhabitants in the state of Hessen and is located 167km (104 miles) north-west of Wasseralfingen.

The Venue

Spiesel Hartplatz

The games were played on a small high-sided hard surface playing area located in the Spiesel district of Wasseralfingen.

Very little can be researched of the venue, but what is known is that since the date of transmission of the Spiel Ohne Grenzen programme, the area has been completely grassed over. It is today used as a play area for children and is now known as Spieselspielplatz.

However, due to its high sided grassed banks, the area regularly floods during heavy rainfall. To counter future incidents of such, the local council has agreed that the play area and the playground will be redesigned with a flood protection measure being installed at the same time.

The Games in Detail

Game 1 - The Four Musketeers
(Die Vier Musketiere)

The first game - ‘The Four Musketeers’ (Die Vier Musketiere) - was played in unison over 1 minute 30 seconds duration and featured two male competitors from each team standing on a carousel, above which 150 coloured balloons were hanging from a tree. Each competitor, standing inside a pair of oversized pirate boots which were fixed to the carousel, was equipped with a lance from which a pin protruded at the end. Before the game commenced, two stagehands had to set the carousel in motion. On the whistle, the competitors then had to burst all of their 75 respective coloured balloons (Groß-Gerau deemed yellow and Wasseralfingen deemed red). The team bursting all their balloons in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was a very simple and straightforward game which saw Wasseralfingen bursting all their balloons in just 44 seconds with Groß-Gerau having just one balloon remaining.

Game 2 - Robinson Crusoe and the Fish
(Robinsoe Crusoe und die Fisch)

The second game - ‘Robinson Crusoe and the Fish’ (Robinson Crusoe und die Fisch) - was played individually over two minutes duration and featured a male competitor from each team standing on a floating island in the middle of a large pool. Protruding out over the pool at 45° angles from the four corners of the island were palm trees, each of which had a number of rope handles hanging from its trunk. A large net was attached to the interior of the four trunks and surrounding the island was a thin circular podium attached to which were 50 fish. On the whistle, the competitor had to use the rope handles to make his way out across the pool to collect the fish. As he moved out over the pool, his weight would lower the palm’s trunk. Once a fish had been collected, he then had to hurl it towards the island and into the net. Only fish collected whilst hanging from the rope handles would be deemed valid. The team collecting the greater number of fish within permitted time would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this very straightforward game saw the participation of Groß-Gerau and they collected 14 fish from a total of 22 hurled within the permitted time.

The second heat featured Wasseralfingen and their competitor was more adept at the game and collected 20 fish from a total of 23 he hurled.

Game 3 - The Count of Monte Cristo
(Der Graf van Monte Cristo)

The third game - ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ (Der Graf van Monte Cristo) - was played in unison over 3 minutes 30 seconds duration and witnessed Wasseralfingen presenting their Joker for play. The game featured a male competitor from each team and a 100m long circular net stretched out on the ground along the course. On the whistle, the competitor had to go through a small doorway in order to climb into the net. He then had to crawl through the net until he reached the other end where could exit. He then had to climb over a small polystyrene wall and then return to the start through four more small walls - two which had already holes cut through them, one which had to have three bricks punched through and another with elasticated window-bars. Once he had passed through all the obstacles, he then had to stand up to achieve a finish. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was a very simple and straightforward game which saw Wasseralfingen leading throughout and complete without mishap in 2 minutes 13 seconds. The Groß-Gerau competitor was not as fortunate as his rival and struggled to manipulate his way through the net and had only traversed two-thirds of its length by the time Wasseralfingen had completed the game. Although the result was already known, the game was played out to a conclusion, with referee Peter Hochrath even assisting the Groß-Gerau competitor by stepping on the net to give it some tautness. However, although the competitor was able to exit the net within permitted time, he was only able to pass through two of the four walls before the final whistle was blown.

Game 4 - The Vikings’ Longship
(Das Langschiff der Wikinger)

The fourth game - ‘The Vikings’ Longship’ (Das Langschiff der Wikinger) - was played individually over two minutes duration and featured two male competitors from each team standing inside a Viking longship which had nine heavy life-sized oars hanging over one of its sides. Before the game commenced a fish (similar to that utilised in the second game earlier) had been placed at the end of each of the oars. On the whistle, the two competitors had to work together to push their end of the first oar downwards in order to raise the far end upwards and thus hurling the fish into the longship. They then had to do likewise with the other eight oars and then return to the start and repeat the game throughout. A team-mate would replenish each of the fish after each essay. Only fish landing inside the longship would be deemed valid. The team collecting the greater number of fish would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward game saw the participation of Groß-Gerau and they collected a total of 19 fish from their 25 essays.

The second heat featured Wasseralfingen and they collected a total of 22 fish from their 28 essays.

Game 5 - The Baron and the Cannonball
(Der Baron und die Kanonenkugel)

The fifth game - ‘The Baron and the Cannonball’ (Der Baron und die Kanonenkugel) - was played in unison over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured two female competitors from each team equipped with 50 balls. Hanging 4m (13ft 1½in) above the arena was a wooden caricature of Baron Münchhausen sitting on a circular open-ended cage disguised as a cannonball. On the whistle, the competitors had to hurl their respective coloured balls into the cage. Any balls that failed to go into the net could be retrieved and utilised again. The team hurling the greater number of balls into the net would be declared the winners.

This was a very simple and straightforward game which saw Groß-Gerau hurled a total of 27 balls in the cage as opposed to the 15 hurled by Wasseralfingen.

Intermission Mini-Contest -
The Coaches’ Game (Das Trainerspiel):
The Memory Game (Die Memory-Spiel)

There was a short interlude before the next game for the Trainerspiel, full details of which can be found in Heat 1.

At the end of the five minute contest, Groß-Gerau had matched nine pairs of pictures (9 x 150) = 1,350 Deutsche Mark (approximately £227 at time of recording) whilst Wasseralfingen had matched six pairs of pictures and receiving 900 Deutsche Mark (approximately £148).

Comparative value in 2020: £227 = £1,654 whilst £148 = £1,078.

Game 6 - Sinbad the Sailor
(Sinbad der Seefahrer)

The sixth game - ‘Sinbad the Sailor’ (Sinbad der Seefahrer) - was played in unison over two minutes duration and witnessed Groß-Gerau presenting their Joker for play. The game featured a male competitor from each team attired in Arabian costume and equipped with a skipping rope. Along the 25m (82ft) course there were five small square podia, set equidistant apart. On the whistle, the competitor had to stand on the first of the podia and do three clean skips with the rope. Once completed, he then had to move to the second podium and repeat the process and do likewise with each successive podium. After reaching the fifth podium, he then had to turn around, do another three skips on that podium, and repeat the game in the opposite directions until he reached the original stating podium. Once he had made three clean skips on that podium, the time was taken. The task was made somewhat difficult due to the turban of the costume being four times wider that that of the competitor. If a competitor failed to do any of the three skips cleanly, he had to restart at that point until his goal was achieved. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was the most straightforward of all the games at this heat. Although Wasseralfingen set off at a healthy pace and reached the turn around point ahead of their rivals after 33 seconds of elapsed time, a few mishaps on the first podium of their return journey, permitted Groß-Gerau to close the deficit and take the lead. Reaching the final podium ahead of Wasseralfingen, Groß-Gerau completed the game in 1 minute 6 seconds. Despite the outcome, the game was played to a finish with Wasseralfingen completing their task in 1 minute 11 seconds.

Game 7 - The Water Oars
(Die Wasserruder)

The seventh game - ‘The Water Oars’ (Die Wasserruder) - was played individually over two minutes duration and featured eight competitors (five males and three females) from each team dressed as Vikings and sitting in the longship utilised earlier in the programme. Each competitor was equipped with long pole which had a small bowl attached to its far end. On the whistle, the first competitor had to dip his bowl into a large container to collect water. He then had to pass the collected water into the second competitor’s bowl. This procedure then had to be carried out by each of the next six competitors until the water reached the eighth competitor who had to empty any remaining contents into a measuring container already containing 30cm (12in) of water. The game would be repeated continually throughout. The team collecting the greater quantity of water would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this very straightforward and uneventful game saw the participation of Wasseralfingen and they collected a total of 10cm (4in) of water in the measuring cylinder.

The second heat featured Groß-Gerau and they were unable to emulate their target and collected a total of 9.5cm (3¾in) of water.

Game 8 - The Aztec Treasure
(Der Aztekische Schatz)

The eighth game - ‘The Aztec Treasure’ (Der Aztekische Schatz) - was played in unison over a scheduled five minutes duration and featured a male competitor from each team dressed as a Spanish conquistador with a very large and heavy sword attached to his costume. Each competitor was also equipped with a large sack. On the whistle, the competitor had to make his way up the course utilised in the sixth game and on reaching the first podium had to pick up a combination of ten items comprised of jewels, precious metals and coins. Once collected, he then had to return to the start and empty the contents of the sack into a large holding pen. He then had to make his way to the second podium (where there were fifteen items to be collected) and then return to the start and again empty the contents of the sack. He then had to repeat the game on three more occasions collecting 20 items at the third podium, 25 items at the fourth and 30 items at the fifth. On his final return to the start, he simply had to stand behind the holding pen to finish the game. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was another straightforward game which saw Groß-Gerau get the better start. With no major mishaps along the way, they completed the game in 3 minute 22 seconds. Although there was still over ninety seconds remaining of play, the referees stopped the game after four minutes had elapsed and deemed Wasseralfingen to be out of time. 

Game 9 - The Rescue of Odysseus
(Die Retten des Odysseus)

The ninth and penultimate game - ‘The Rescue of Odysseus’ (Die Retten des Odysseus) - was played individually over a scheduled five minutes duration and featured a female competitor from each team and a 4m (13ft 1½in) high effigy of the Greek god Odysseus tied by rope to a stake on an island in the middle of a large pool. On the whistle, the competitor, who was sitting in a large bowl and holding one end of the rope, had to use her hands as paddles in order to make her way from the side of the pool to the island. She then had to circumnavigate the island in order to untie the effigy from the stake. Once the rope had been loosened enough, the weight of the effigy would cause it to tumble backwards into the pool and finish the game. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this very simple game saw the participation of Wasseralfingen and they released the effigy in 2 minute 37 seconds.

The second heat featured Groß-Gerau and their competitor suffered a mishap within five seconds of the whistle being blown, whereby she had failed to get her balance correct in the bowl and it sank. After recomposing herself after 37 seconds of elapsed time, her second attempt was more fruitful and she was able to stay afloat throughout. However, the time lost during the mishap was to be the team’s downfall and, despite having a five minute duration, the referees blew the final whistle after 2 minutes 40 seconds to end the game.

Running Scores and Positions: 1st Wasseralfingen (2pts awarded / 14pts total) 2nd Groß-Gerau (0pts / 8pts)

Inspiration for the Game: This game was based on the epic poem Odyssey written by Greek philosopher Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still read by contemporary audiences. As with his other work, Iliad, the poem is divided into 24 books. It follows the Greek hero Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and his journey home after the Trojan War. After the war itself, which lasted ten years, his journey lasted for ten additional years, during which time he encountered many perils and all his crew mates were killed. In his absence, Odysseus was assumed dead, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus had to contend with a group of unruly suitors who were competing for Penelope's hand in marriage.

Comments: Following the result of this game, Wasseralfingen had accumulated sufficient points to secure overall victory. In common with the second and fourth games earlier, a considerable amount of the ‘live’ broadcast time was used whilst stagehands and members of the production team reset the game equipment for the second heat. This ‘wasted’ time had resulted in a devastating effect, not only on the schedule running time of this and an earlier game but also on the final minutes of the broadcast slot assigned to this programme. Due to the over-running of this Spiel Ohne Grenzen programme, and in order to recoup some time, the referees halted this game over two minutes earlier than had been planned. However, this reduction in the running time had no overall effect on the outcome of the game.

Game 10 - Don Quixote and Sancho Panza
(Don Quijote und Sancho Panza)

The tenth and final game - ‘Don Quixote and Sancho Panza’ (Don Quijote und Sancho Panza) - was played individually over a scheduled three minutes duration and featured four male competitors from each team equipped with a horse and a donkey costume, both of which had their back legs mounted on castors. One of the competitors was attired as Don Quixote and sitting astride the horse, whilst another was attired as Sancho Panza and standing adjacent to him. On the whistle, the competitor standing on the ground had to run up the course to collect seven items - two upper arm bands, two lower arm bands, a protective shield, a hat and a lance - from three small podia. He then had to run back to the start and dress the mounted competitor with the collected items. Once completed, the standing competitor then had to mount the donkey and both had to make their way up the course - the front legs of both costumes being operated by the third and fourth competitors. After circumnavigating the course, the competitor on the horse had to burst a large balloon with the lance. Once achieved, both competitors had to cross a finishing line to end the game. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this very simple game saw the participation of Groß-Gerau and they completed the game in 1 minute 43 seconds.

The second heat featured Wasseralfingen and whilst it appeared that their performance was much faster than their rivals at the time they set off to circumnavigate the course, the live transmission ended after 1 minute 30 seconds of elapsed time. Therefore with the result having been obtained from other media sources showing the final score as below, it can only be assumed that Wasseralfingen suffered a mishap which delayed them and failed to beat the target time set by Groß-Gerau.

Final Scores and Positions: 1st Wasseralfingen (0pts awarded / 14pts total) 2nd Groß-Gerau (2pts / 10pts)

Inspiration for the Game: This game was based on the Spanish novel El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha (The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha) penned by Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) in 1605. The plot revolves around the adventures of a nobleman (hidalgo) from La Mancha named Alonso Quixano, who reads so many chivalric romances that he loses his mind and decides to become a knight-errant to revive chivalry and serve his nation, under the name Don Quixote de la Mancha. He recruits a simple farmer, Sancho Panza, as his squire, who often employs a unique, earthy wit in dealing with Don Quixote's rhetorical monologues on knighthood, already considered old-fashioned at the time.

Comments: By the start of this game, the programme’s broadcast slot was in serious danger of over-running, so much in fact, presenter Erhard Keller did not even have enough time to explain the game to the audiences on-site or at home, simply giving the countdown for the starting whistle! At the end of the first heat, and with stagehands frantically resetting the equipment, the referees started the second heat without even announcing the time set by Groß-Gerau. However, this oversight was corrected during the first ten seconds of the second heat with referee Werner Treichel announcing the time to presenter Erhard Keller. Despite all the efforts from the production team, referees and stagehands, the original broadcast ended abruptly after 75 minutes - while the final game was in progress - at which point a continuity announcer advised that the broadcast had come to an end and that the next edition would be coming from Kempten im Allgäu, the following week. Reports in Schwäbische Post and other media sources confirm that Groß-Gerau did in fact win this game, bringing the final score to 14-10, which is reflected in our mocked-up final scoreboard shown above. As the surviving recording was taken from transmission, it is therefore also incomplete. A photograph of this game was featured on Pages 40 and 41 of the It’s A Knockout Annual 1977 published by World Distributors (Manchester) Limited in the autumn of 1976.

Made in Colour • This programme exists incomplete in German archives

D

Spiel Ohne Grenzen 1974

Heat 5

Event Staged: Sunday 12th May 1974
Venue: Hofgarten (Courtyard Gardens), Kempten im Allgäu,
Bayern, West Germany

Transmission:
WDR 1 (D): Sunday 12th May 1974, 3.15-4.30pm (Live)

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

Weather Conditions: Hot and Sunny

Theme: Ein Deutscher Landgarten
(A German Country Garden)

Teams: Bayreuth v. Kempten im Allgäu

Team Members included:
Bayreuth - Peter Bietel, Anton Engelbrecht, Karin Engelbrecht, Horst Feuner, Emgard Fücher, Uschi Hacker, Peter Herzing, Dieter Heusker, Heiner Künst, Wilke Papker, Ludja Pritsch, Horst Resleinspiel, Karen Schrüdel, Hans Schub, Peter Zeitler, Klaus Zinicker;
Kempten im Allgäu - Robin Anschleißen, Marianna Fischer, Erke Geil, Bernd Hartman, Walter Hauaner, Jens Hergler, Peter Holsberger, Reuber Krepen, Reinhard Ganzer, Franz Neuert, Eberhard Safte, Angelica Spartel, Emgard Stauder, Helmut Vachter.

Games: The Gardeners and the Daisies, Watering the Flowers, The Giant Bees, The Plant Pot Stilt Walkers, Roll-a-Mark, They May Look Like Baby Steps... But They Have Giant Feet!, The Butterflies’ Sticky Tongues, The Bouquet of Flowers, The Vase of Cut Flowers, The Garden Gnomes, Tug-o-War (Tie-Break);
Jokers: Floral Bouquets.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd

 B • Bayreuth ● ●
 K • Kempten im Allgäu

12*
12

* Result decided by a tie-break. See ‘The Games in Detail’ section below

Bayreuth qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Bayreuth, West Germany:
staged on Wednesday 4th September 1974
Kempten im Allgäu qualified as the highest scoring losing team for
Jeux Sans Frontières at Northampton, Great Britain:
staged on Wednesday 21st August 1974

The Host Town

Kempten im Allgäu, Bayern

Kempten im Allgäu is a town with a population of around 70,000 inhabitants in the state of Bayern and is located 61km (38 miles) north-west of Oberammergau, 83km (51 miles) east of Konstanz, 143km (89 miles) south-east of Stuttgart, 179km (111 miles) south-west of Kelheim and 37 km (23 miles) north-west of the fairytale castle of Neueschwanstein.

In 15 BC, Roman troops led by Nero Claudius Drusus and his brother Tiberius conquered and destroyed an existing Celtic settlement. Later the settlement was named Cambodunum. In the following years, the town was rebuilt on a classical Roman town plan with baths, forum and temples. Initially in wood, the town was later rebuilt in stone after a devastating fire that destroyed almost the entire town in AD 69. Extensive archaeological excavations at the end of the 19th century and again during the 1950s, at what were then the outskirts of Kempten in Allgäu, unearthed the extensive structural foundations.

The town was again destroyed in AD 233 by the Alemanni, a Suebic tribe. The original site of Cambodunum was then abandoned and the settlement moved to a strategically safer location on the Burghalde hill overlooking the River Iller.

By the middle of the 5th century, the last Roman troops had left the area and the town was entirely taken over by the Alemanni, who moved it from the hill down to the plains located next to the river itself.

Around AD 700 a monastery - Kempten Abbey - was built, the first in the Allgäu region, founded by two Benedictine monks from the Abbey of Saint Gall, Magnus von Füssen and Theodor. Audogar was the first abbot of the new Benedictine monastery. Through the financial and lobbyist support of Charlemagne’s wife Hildegard (AD 754-783), an Allemannic princess, the monastery managed to become one of the most privileged of the Frankish Empire.

In 1213, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II (1194-1250) declared the abbots members of the Reichstag and granted the abbot the right to bear the title of Duke. However in 1289, King Rudolf I of Germany (1218-1291) also granted special privileges to the urban settlement in the river valley, making it the Free Imperial Town of Kempten. In 1525, the last property rights of the abbots in the Imperial Town were sold in the so-called "Great Purchase", marking the start of the co-existence of two independent towns bearing the same name next to each other.

In 1632, during the turmoil of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), both of the towns were destroyed by the imperial forces and the Swedish troops respectively. In 1652, Roman Giel of Gielsberg, the Abbot of Kempten, commissioned the architects Michael Beer and Johann Serro from Graubünden to build St. Lorenz Basilica as a new church to serve the parish and monastery, including a representative residence for the Duke-Abbots.

During the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815), the Duke-Abbey and Imperial Town came under Bavarian rule (1802–03). Finally, in 1819, the two rival towns were united into a single communal entity.

In 1935, Kempten was raised to the status of a city district. Since then, it has moved from a small town to a central role and function in the region. During National Socialism, a large garrison developed in the town with the Prinz-Franz-Kaserne (1936) and Scharnhorstkaserne (1937).

From autumn 1943 to April 1945, two satellite camps of the Dachau concentration camp were operated for 1,500 to 2,000 prisoners. The concentration camp inmates of the Kempten satellite camp were housed in the animal breeding hall at the train station, which was used for cattle trading.

Claude (Claudius) Honoré Desiré Dornier (1884 - 1969), born in Kempten im Allgäu, was a German aircraft engineer and founder of Dornier GmbH. His legacy remains in the few aircraft named after him, including the Dornier Do 18 and the 12-engine Dornier Do X flying boat, for decades the world's largest and most powerful airplane.

The Visiting Town

Bayreuth is a town with a population of around 75.000 inhabitants in the state of Bayern and is located 264km (164 miles) north-east of Kempten im Allgäu.

The Venue

Hofgarten

The games were played in the grounds of the Hofgarten, a palace courtyard garden of baroque origin, located north of the Prince Abbot's residence. The garden consists of terraces set at different heights and covers a total of 3.4 hectares.

From 1651, with the new construction of the princely residence and its associated buildings, a baroque garden was created in front of the entrance portal to the residence.

The lower garden included several fish ponds complete with fountains and three of the oval-shaped ponds had duck houses at their centres. This lower area was initially used for growing fruit and vegetables and which today houses the orangery. An open staircase led to the upper slope located at the front of the residence. This baroque ornamental garden was planted with flower beds and symmetrically cut hedges.

An expansion of the park took place during the time of Prince Abbot Honorius Roth von Schreckenstein (1726-1785), who ruled from 1760 until his death in 1785. He had an orangery built in the north end of the court garden. Sensitive plants that were used to warm weather conditions could over-winter in this area.

With the secularisation in 1802/3, the Electorate of Bavaria became the owner of the site. The military moved into the residence for a long time, and a parade ground with barracks and riding arenas was set up in the upper courtyard garden. The lower area by the orangery continued to be used as a vegetable garden, but was redesigned with warehouses and sheds.

With the establishment of the Prince Franz barracks and artillery barracks, the army slowly moved out from the residence to the new domiciles of the military. The grounds and the residence then lost their importance and fell into disrepair. In the autumn of 1955, after long discussions with the Free State of Bavaria, an agreement was reached with the town administration for a redesign of the upper part of the gardens.

In 1957, the Free State leased the site to the town of Kempten in Allgäu until 1982. The planned park was still covered with a thick layer of gravel from military times and overgrown undergrowth. The Schlangenbach, an artificially created canal system for the early long-distance water supply of the town, flowed through this undergrowth and through the courtyard garden.

A year later, the site was levelled in order to build exhibition halls for the Allgäu Festival Week. After the presentation of numerous proposals and drafts, work was started and flower beds and a well system were designed below the garden. Older trees from Hildegardplatz were transplanted there to restore the character of a park. In 1962, work on the upper and lower courtyard gardens was finished. After a renovation, the city library moved into the orangery.

The former location of the fish ponds was given a rectangular fountain system with fountains. This complex is flanked by two wide staircases. A rectangular mosaic water basin was created in the middle of the upper part of the park.

The oldest tree within the gardens is a robinia (more commonly known as the black locust) which is believed to date back to the end of the 18th century. The tree with a strikingly shaped trunk stands above the edge of the garden close to the western staircase.

The Games in Detail

Game 1 - The Gardeners and the Daisies
(Die Gärtner und die Gänseblümchen)

The first game - ‘The Gardeners and the Daisies’ (Die Gärtner und die Gänseblümchen) was played in unison over 3 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured three competitors (two males and one female) from each team dressed as gardeners and equipped with 180 large Marguerite daisies. On the whistle, each of the competitors had to collect a bunch of ten flowers and run down the 25m (82ft) course where eighteen podia, each containing ten holes, were located. On reaching the end of the course, they then had to plant a single stem into each of the holes and then return to the start and repeat the game on five occasions until all 180 flowers had been ‘planted’. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was a very straightforward closely-fought game which was completed without mishap by both teams with Kempten im Allgäu finishing in 2 minutes 30 seconds and Bayreuth doing likewise in 2 minutes 31 seconds.

Game 2 - Watering the Flowers
(Die Blumen Gießen)

The second game - ‘Watering the Flowers’ (Die Blumen Gießen) - was played in unison over 3 minutes 15 seconds duration and witnessed Bayreuth presenting their Joker for play. The game featured a female competitor from each team wearing elongated sandals and equipped with a watering can. On the whistle, the competitor had to make her way down the 25m (82ft) course where 14 plant pots had been placed in a triangular design (two in the first row, three in the second row, four in the third row and five in the fourth row). She then had to water each of the plants (which were in large hollow-sealed floats (ballcocks) and lying horizontally) in the pots until each of them rose upwards. Once the watering can had been emptied, she then had to return to the start and collect another can that had been filled by a male team-mate. Once all fourteen flowers were vertical, she then had to water a final larger flower and then return to the start to finish. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was another very straightforward game which again was closely-fought between the two teams. Bayreuth maintained the edge over their rivals throughout the game and completed the task in 2 minutes 48 seconds with Kempten im Allgäu doing likewise in 2 minutes 50 seconds.

Game 3 - The Giant Bees
(Die Riesigen Bienen)

The third game - ‘The Giant Bees’ (Die Riesigen Bienen) - was played individually over two minutes duration and witnessed Kempten im Allgäu presenting their Joker for play. The game featured a male competitor attired in a bee costume with giant gossamer wings. In the centre of the game was a podium from which twelve stems with coloured pollen pods were protruding vertically. Surrounding the stems were twelve other podia (on one of which the competitor was standing) and around the outside of the game were twelve pots. On the whistle the competitor had to use the wings of the costume to grab one of the stems and then turn 180° and drop it into one of the outside pots. Once completed, he then had turn back and move on to the next podium to collect the next stem and do likewise as the first. He then had to repeat the game on ten more occasions until all twelve pollen stems had been collected. Any stems that fell to the ground would play no further part in the game, but any that were dropped outside the pots but remained upright could be collected by the competitor using the wings. The team collecting all the stems in the faster time would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this very simple and straightforward game saw the participation of Bayreuth and although their competitor began moving along at a steady pace, nerves began to set in and he started to suffer a few mishaps. After collecting his first five stems, he dropped the sixth and it fell to the ground. Whilst moving the seventh stem, it also dropped from his grasp but stayed upright next to the pot and he was able to retrieve it and place it correctly. Success with his next two essays followed but with the tenth and eleventh stems he failed to score. The time permitted had now elapsed and he had scored a total of 8 stems.

The second heat featured Kempten im Allgäu and their competitor completed the game without mishap in 1 minute 47 seconds.

Game 4 - The Plant Pot Stilt Walkers
(Die Pflanzentopf-Stelzenläufer)

The fourth game - ‘The Plant Pot Stilt Walkers’ (Die Pflanzentopf-Stelzenläufer) - was played in unison over two minutes duration and featured a male competitor from each team equipped with a pair of stilts each of which had one end embedded in a foam-rubber plant pot (acting as podia to stand on). Along the 30m (98ft 5¼in) course, and at 5m (16ft 5in) equidistant intervals, were five sets of stilts standing vertically. However, each successive pair of stilts had an additional set of pots around their base. The nearest to the start had two plant pots on each stilt, the second set had three pots and so on until the fifth set which had a total of six pots on each. On the whistle, the competitor had to stand on each of the singular plant pots on his stilts and walk down the course until he reached the first set of verticals. He then had to step from the single pots onto the two pots and then walk to the second set. He then had to repeat the process until he was standing on top of the six pots on the final set of stilts. He then had to turn around and walk back down the length of the course and cross the finishing line. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was a very straightforward game which saw Bayreuth complete without delay or mishap in just 47 seconds. Despite all his efforts, the Kempten im Allgäu competitor was not as agile as his rival and suffered a few mishaps along the way but eventually crossed the finishing line in 1 minute 33 seconds.

Game 5 - Roll-a-Mark
(Eine D-Mark Rollen)

The fifth game - ‘Roll-a-Mark’ (Eine D-Mark Rollen) - was played individually over 2 minutes 15 seconds duration and featured two competitors (one male and one female) from each team equipped with forty giant 1DM coins. On the course in front of them was a wooden framework into which six small doors had been cut. Each door had a value - 2pts for the two outer doors and 1pt for each of the middle four doors. On the whistle, the competitors had to roll the coins down the course and through the doors to score points. If successful, a small floral ball would be released into a holding pen located above each of the respective doors. If all the coins were exhausted before the end of permitted time, the teams could retrieve the non-scoring coins and return to the start for further attempts. Only coins that went cleanly through the doors on their original roll would count towards the final tally. The team scoring the greater number of points would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this very simple and straightforward game saw the participation of Kempten im Allgäu and they scored a total of 14pts (3 x 2pts + 8 x 1pt).

The second heat featured Bayreuth and they scored a total of 12pts (4 x 2pts + 4 x 1pt).

Intermission Mini-Contest -
The Coaches’ Game (Das Trainerspiel):
The Memory Game (Die Memory-Spiel)

There was a short interlude before the next game for the Trainerspiel, full details of which can be found in Heat 1.

At the end of the five minute contest, it had ended in a draw with both teams matching ten pairs of pictures. Each team therefore received 1,500 (10 x 150) Deutsche Mark (approximately £255 at time of recording).

Comparative value in 2020: £255 = £1,858.

Game 6 - They May Look Like Baby Steps... But They Have Giant Feet!
(Sie Können wie Babyschritte Aussehen... Aber Sie Haben Riesige Füße!)

The sixth game - ‘They May Look Like Baby Steps... But They Have Giant Feet!’ (Sie Können wie Babyschritte Aussehen... Aber Sie Haben Riesige Füße!) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and featured a male competitor from each team dressed in a baby’s costume which comprised an all-in-one bodysuit with giant feet. Along the 30m (98ft 5¼in) course, at 3m (9ft 10¼in) intervals, there were ten floral stems protruding from the ground. On the whistle, the competitor had to collect each of the stems by using the gap between the big and second toes of the right foot to raise it off the ground and catch it in his hand. At the end of the course, the competitor had to turn around and collect another ten stems in the opposite direction. Any stems that were not caught cleanly would be repositioned by the referees but could not be attempted again at that time. Once back at the starting line, the competitor had to drop the collected stems to the ground. If there was any time remaining, the competitor could then repeat the game in order to collect any ‘missed’ or ‘failed’ stems. The team completing the game in the faster time or the one collecting the greater number of stems within permitted time would be declared the winners.

This was a very simple, straightforward and uneventful game which saw Bayreuth leading from the outset. After reaching the turnaround point after 55 seconds of elapsed time, their competitor returned to the start line and dropped all his collected flowers after 2 minutes 14 seconds. With sufficient time remaining, he then proceeded to go back up the course to collect those that had been missed or penalised. In the meantime, Kempten im Allgäu had reached the starting line and dropped all their collected floral stems after 2 minutes 54 seconds, but opted not to repeat the game. Despite his efforts, the Bayreuth competitor was unable to return to the start for a second time within the permitted time. When the results were announced, Bayreuth had collected 18 stems and Kempten im Allgäu had collected 17 stems.

Game 7 - The Butterflies’ Sticky Tongues
(Die Klebrigen Zungen der Schmetterlinge)

The seventh game - ‘The Butterflies’ Sticky Tongues’ (Die Klebrigen Zungen der Schmetterlinge) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and featured a male competitor from each team dressed as a butterfly which had a long protruding tongue with a small hook at its tip. On the whistle, the competitor had to step up onto a small gymnasium balance beam and walk along it to a given point where a large flower was located. The flower had three petals, each of which had a hole cut out. The competitor then had to use the hook on the end of the tongue to pull the petals from the flower head. Once completed, a male team-mate had to remove the petals from the tongue and discard with the flower stem. The competitor then had to move along the beam to the next flower and repeat the process. This then to be repeated on a further four occasions until a total of 18 petals from the six flowers had been collected. Any petals that fell to the ground could be replaced and attempted again and competitors would not be penalised from falling from the beam provided they stepped back onto the beam at the exact point of exit. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

Although beautifully designed, this was a very simple and straightforward game which saw Kempten im Allgäu lead from the outset and complete without mishap in 2 minutes 8 seconds. Bayreuth were only able to complete five stages of the game before the final whistle was sounded.

Game 8 - The Bouquet of Flowers
(Der Blumenstrauß)

The eighth game - ‘The Bouquet of Flowers’ (Der Blumenstrauß) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and featured three competitors (two males and one female) from each team armed with 21 large cut flowers and a 30m (98ft 5¼in) long plastic sheet laid out on the course. On the whistle, each of the competitors had to collect one of the flowers and then run to the end of the course and lay it across the sheet. All flowers had to be laid with their heads on the same side of the sheet. They then had to return to the start and collect another three flowers. They then had to repeat the game until all twenty-one flowers had been laid along the length of the sheet. Once completed, the competitors then had to run to the end of the course and start to ‘wrap’ the flowers into a bouquet. The sheet had to be wrapped around the first stem and then rolled over the second. These then had to be rolled over the third and so on until all the flowers were in the classic floral presentation. The team then had to roll the complete bouquet over the start line to achieve a finish time. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was another straightforward game which saw Bayreuth take control from the outset, although Kempten im Allgäu appeared to be make up ground on their rivals towards the closing stages. However, this was to no avail, and Bayreuth crossed the line and completed the game in exactly two minutes. Kempten im Allgäu were just a few feet behind and finished the game in 2 minutes 4 seconds. 

Game 9 - The Vase of Cut Flowers
(Die Vase mit Schnittblumen)

The ninth and penultimate game - ‘The Vase of Cut Flowers’ (Die Vase mit Schnittblumen) - was played individually over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured three competitors (one male and two females) from each team and a large wooden vase. At the start of the game, one of the females was standing at one end of the 5m (16ft 5in) course armed with forty large foam-rubber flower heads, whilst the male was at the other end armed with 25 pointed lances. On the whistle, the female had to hurl a flower head towards the male in order for him to pierce it with the lance to produce a cut floral stem. Once completed, he then had to hand the flower to the second female who was standing inside the giant vase behind him. The game then had to be repeated throughout. The team collecting the greater number of flowers would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this very straightforward game saw the participation of Bayreuth and they collected a total of 17 flowers from the 21 that were actually hurled within the permitted time.

The second heat featured Kempten im Allgäu and they collected a total of 18 flowers from the 25 that were hurled.

Running Scores and Positions: 1st Kempten im Allgäu (2pts awarded / 12pts total) 2nd Bayreuth (0pts / 10pts) ▼

Game 10 - The Garden Gnomes
(Die Gartenzwerge)

The tenth and final game - ‘The Garden Gnomes’ (Die Gartenzwerge) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and featured a male competitor from each team dressed in a gnome’s costume which comprised a large head, beard and a pair of very large weighted boots. The head of the costume was designed in such a manner to hamper the view of the competitor and in order for him to be able to see where he was going, he had to raise the lower section of the beard. On the whistle, the competitor had to walk a short distance to a podium on which twelve plant pots were located. He then had to pick up two of them and take them back to the starting point and place them into a wheelbarrow. He then had to repeat this for two more occasions until six pots had been placed in the wheelbarrow. He then had to turn the wheelbarrow 180° and walk 10m (32ft 9¾in) to the finish line, where he had to deposit the pots on the ground. After returning to his original start point, he had to repeat the whole process until all twelve pots had been transported across the finishing line. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was a very straightforward game which saw Bayreuth leading from the outset and completing in 2 minutes 20 seconds. Although the Kempten im Allgäu competitor had collected all twelve plant pots, the referees blew the whistle before he could reach the finish line.

Running Scores and Positions: =1st Bayreuth (2pts awarded / 12pts total) ▲ =1st Kempten im Allgäu (0pts / 12pts)

Comments: This competition had ended in a 12-12 draw and in order to decide which team would automatically qualify for a place in Jeux Sans Frontières, to be staged in Bayreuth itself later in the year, a tie-break game had to be played. However, with a score of 12pts, the losing team of the tie-break would almost be certain to qualify for the International series as the losing team with the highest point score.

Tie-Break - Tug-o-War
(Tauziehen)

The tie-break game - ‘Tug-o-War’ (Tauziehen) - featured four male competitors from each team and was played over a maximum of three rounds with teams changing ends at the end of each.

The first round of the tie-break was won by Bayreuth and they were leading by 1-0.

The second round was also won by Bayreuth and they had beaten Kempten im Allgäu by 2-0.

Final Scores and Positions: 1st Bayreuth (0pts awarded / 12pts total) 2nd Kempten im Allgäu (0pts / 12pts) ▼

Comments: For only the second time in eight years, a West German Domestic Heat had ended in a draw. Although this tie-break game was played, it was purely to decide a winner, with the scoreboard remaining unchanged and the official result being recorded as 12-12.

Records and Statistics

This heat marked the 50th Domestic Spiel Ohne Grenzen programme since 1967.

Additional Information

From this year, the West German Domestic series ran in tandem with Great Britain's It’s A Knockout series, whereby the losing team with the highest points qualified for the International series. However, unlike its British counterpart, this team would not necessarily participate in the West German International Heat. The first losing team with highest points were, as can be seen above, Kempten im Allgäu. After the result had been confirmed, Kempten im Allgäu were assigned to participate at the British International Heat in Northampton and would compete against the British team with the same status, whilst Bayreuth were awarded a place at the West German International Heat scheduled to be held in Bayreuth itself. If this heat had ended with the result reversed, then Bayreuth would have found themselves playing in Great Britain, whilst the West German home crowd would have had to watch national rivals Kempten im Allgäu!

Made in Colour • This programme exists in German archives

D

Spiel Ohne Grenzen 1974

Heat 6

Event Staged: Sunday 19th May 1974
Venue: Sportplatz Zittelstatt (Zittelstatt Sports Arena),
Urach, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany

Transmission:
WDR 1 (D): Sunday 19th May 1974, 3.15-4.30pm (Live)

Referees on Duty:
Hans Ebersberger, Gerd Siepe and Werner Treichel

Weather Conditions: Hot and Sunny

Theme: Ein Volksfest
(A Folk Festival)

Teams: Urach v. Weil am Rhein

Team Members included:
Urach - Annalise Buch, Hubert Kangis, Hermann Kurtz, Klaus Stoll;
Weil am Rhein - Peter Lornhardt, Thomas Marx, Christina Ottman, Jürgen Plesücht, Helmut Sietsel.

Games: A Dance for the Mayor, Flags for the Town Hall, The Water Carriers, The Carousel of Balloons, The Shepherds and the Balls of Wool, Milking the Sheep, The Cup Dance, The Sheep Rodeo, The Dairy Farmers, The Milkmaids and the Hay Carts;
Jokers: Black Sheep.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd

 U • Urach ● ●
 W • Weil am Rhein

14
8

Urach qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Avenches, Switzerland:
staged on Wednesday 24th July 1974

The Host Town

Urach, Baden-Württemberg

Bad Urach is a town with a population of around 12,500 inhabitants in the state of Baden-Württemberg and is located 72km (45 miles) south of Heilbronn, 93km (58 miles) north of Konstanz, 108km (67 miles) east of Offenburg and 299km (186 miles) west of Passau. The town possesses a late-medieval marketplace with a Town Hall and half-timbered houses that date from the 15th and 16th centuries.

Bad Urach, as it stands today, was probably founded around 1100, after the ancestors of the Counts of Urach and Achalm had given up their ancestral seat and burial place in Dettingen.

Around 1260, Urach became part of Württemberg. Nearly 100 years later, at the time when Württemberg was divided, the southern part of the region was governed from Urach, the so-called "secret capital", which was the residential home of the Dukes of Württemberg from 1442 until 1482. Eberhard I of Württemberg (1445-1496), known as Eberhard the Bearded, was born here and returned to the town frequently throughout his life.

On 11th April 1638, the city was attacked by a cavalry division under Bernhard Schaffalitzky (1591-1641) at night and briefly occupied. It can be assumed that Urach surrendered voluntarily to the Württemberg knight who served Weimar. Schaffalitzky then attacked Pfullingen and also asked Reutlingen to surrender. But the people of Weimar had to withdraw without having achieved anything on 20th April, as an imperial army, led by Johann von Götzen (1599-1645), was approaching.

Over the next several centuries, the town prospered and became a centre for weaving. It escaped serious damage during any wars and so remains in excellent historical condition.

Bad Urach has the hottest thermal spring in Baden-Württemberg at 61°C (142°F). The high heat is based on a temperature anomaly in the subsurface. In 1970, the thermal spring was opened up and today serves as the spa and medicinal baths. The mineral thermal baths AlbThermen as well as the health centre Swabian Alb use the water for their guests.

The Residenzschloß (Castle Residence), the residential home of the Counts of Württemberg-Urach where Eberhard the Bearded was born, contains rooms that date from the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods. The Goldener Saal (Golden Hall) is one of Germany's loveliest Renaissance rooms.

High on visiting tourists’ places-to-see lists is the Church of Saint Amandus dating from 1477, which was built in the Gothic style for Eberhard the Bearded. His lavish praying desk dates from 1472. The pulpit is decorated with figures of the saints and church fathers and is considered an important piece of German stone masonry. Also of interest are the ruins of the old castle (Schloß Hohenurach) which stands high above the town. Originally constructed in 1025, the castle has had quite a chequered history. It became a state prison in the late Middle Ages, is was where poet Philipp Nikodemus Frischlin (1547-1590) died whilst trying to escape over its walls in 1590 and which, during the 18th century, was razed to the ground by the town’s citizens.

The Visiting Town

Weil am Rhein is a town with a population of around 30,000 inhabitants in the state of Baden-Württemberg and is located 166km (103 miles) north-east of Bad Urach. It is the most south-westerly town in the country and marks the border between France, Switzerland and Germany. Interestingly, although officially a German town, it is actually designated as the northernmost suburb of the Swiss city of Basel!

The Venue

Sportplatz Zittelstatt

The games were played in the Sportsplatz Zittelstatt which is located along the northern stretch of Ulmer Straße in the south-west of the town.

The arena is home to TSV Urach 1847 e.V. (Turn und Sportverein Urach), the local Gymnastics and Sports Club Association. As its name suggests it was established in 1847 primarily to promote sport in the community. These sports include table tennis, handball, cycling, basketball, mountaineering, hiking and even skiing. In addition to these, local residents are able to attend fitness classes and athletics events.

One of the features of this sports ground is its natural seating grandstand which was cleverly cut into the side of the steep hill which borders onto its western side.

The Games in Detail

Game 1 - A Dance for the Mayor
(Ein Tanz für den Bürgermeister)

The first game - ‘A Dance for the Mayor’ (Ein Tanz für den Bürgermeister) - was played in unison over two minutes duration and witnessed Weil am Rhein presenting their Joker for play. The game featured two male competitors from each team wearing a combined mayor and young woman costume. Whilst the faces of the costume faced towards each other, the competitors were actually standing back-to back. On the hat of the mayor there was a protruding spike around which a 25m (82ft) long banner had been wound. The other end of the banner was attached to the façade of the replicated Town Hall building on the arena. On the whistle, the competitors had to dance in a circular movement and away from the building in order to unwind the banner. In order that the competitors could see, holes had been made at the back of each of the costume characters. The team completing the game in the faster time or the one travelling the greater distance would be declared the winners.

This was a very simple and straightforward game which was played out to strains of typical German folk music. From the outset Weil am Rhein took the lead and at the end of permitted time, they had travelled 19.1m (62ft 8in) whilst Urach had travelled 17.1m (56ft 1¼in).

Game 2 - Flags for the Town Hall
(Fahnen für das Rathaus)

The second game - ‘Flags for the Town Hall’ (Fahnen für das Rathaus) - was played individually over 2 minutes 15 seconds duration and featured two male competitors from each team armed with 20 flags on poles. One competitor was ground-based whilst the second was standing and looking out of one of the windows of the Town Hall. On the whistle, the ground-based competitor had to collect a flag and, at a given point, hurl it upwards to his team-mate who then had to catch it and place it in one of two holders located on the Town Hall façade. Any flags that were not caught and fell to the ground could be collected and reused if time permitted. The team collecting the greater number of flags would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward game saw the participation of Urach and they collected a total of 12 flags from 21 essays.

The second heat featured Weil am Rhein and they collected a total of 9 flags from 20 essays.

Game 3 - The Water Carriers
(Die Wasserträgerin)

The third game - ‘The Water Carriers’ (Die Wasserträgerin) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and featured four female competitors from each team standing behind four large buckets filled with water. Before the game started, a female team-mate had to assist each of the competitors to lift their respective bucket onto her head. On the whistle, the competitors had to walk down a straight 30m (98ft 5¼in) obstacle course which comprised of three sets of steps and three ramps. After reaching the end of the course, they then had to kneel down and empty any remaining contents into a large measuring container. They then had to return to the start, refill the buckets from a small inflated pool and repeat the game. On each of the outward journeys, the competitors could hold the buckets in place with their hands. However, on the return journeys, the empty buckets had to be balanced on their heads without being touched. The team collecting the greater volume of water would be declared the winners.

This was a very simple and straightforward game which was played out without mishap by both teams. When the official result was announced Weil am Rhein had collected 45cm (17¾in) of water whilst Urach had collected a total of 43cm (17in) of water.

Game 4 - The Carousel of Balloons
(Das Karussell der Luftballons)

The fourth game - ‘The Carousel of Balloons’ (Das Karussell der Luftballons) - was played in unison over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured a male competitor from each team and a flat carousel with a small pool of water at its centre. The carousel itself was marked out with twelve alternating coloured sections (six white and six black). Each of the sections had a total of 40 red balloons attached to it. On the whistle, the carousel was set in motion and the competitors had to jump aboard. They then had to keep their balance and, whilst doing so, burst all of the balloons in their respective sections - Urach (black sections), Weil am Rhein (white sections). The competitors could use any method they preferred (stamping, kicking etc.) but all had to be burst with their feet only. The team bursting the greater number of balloons in the faster time would be declared the winners.

Although this was a simple and straightforward game, it did provide the assembled crowd with some light-hearted moments with the Weil am Rhein competitor falling into the pool of water and then being flung off the moving carousel on two occasions. At the end of permitted time, referee Hans Ebensberger could be seen beckoning to his fellow officials to move away from the game and deliberate. Referee Werner Treichel then approached presenter Erhard Keller and stated that neither team had completed the game within the rules and therefore both had been disqualified. The Urach competitor had burst several of the balloons with his upper torso after falling onto them and the Weil am Rhein had been observed using his shoulder. This announcement was met with a barrage of boos and whistles from the crowd. No points were awarded to either team.

Game 5 - The Shepherds and the Balls of Wool
(Die Schäfer und die Wollknäuel)

The fifth game - ‘The Shepherds and the Balls of Wool’ (Die Schäfer und die Wollknäuel) - was played in unison over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and witnessed Urach presenting their Joker for play. The game featured a male competitor from each team dressed as a bearded shepherd and armed with a crook. The costume was designed with a weighted widened base which could be lifted off the ground by the competitor. On the whistle, the competitors had to move down a straight 30m (98ft 5¼in) course which was lined with twelve balls of wool. The wool had to be pulled from the outside of the course towards the competitor using the crook and placed underneath the costume. In order that each team stayed within their allotted lane, two of the referees, armed with large poles, followed the competitors down the course pushing the weighted base of their costumes back into the lanes. Once all twelve balls had been successfully placed under the costume, the competitor then had to return to the start to finish the game. The team completing the game in the faster time (with all twelve balls intact) would be declared the winners.

This was another very simple and straightforward game which Urach led from the outset and completed in 1 minute 43 seconds. Although Weil am Rhein crossed the finish line in 1 minute 56 seconds, one of their balls of wool had not been secured correctly on the outward journey and they were declared as not completing the game.

Intermission Mini-Contest -
The Coaches’ Game (Das Trainerspiel):
The Memory Game (Die Memory-Spiel)

There was a short interlude before the next game for the Trainerspiel, full details of which can be found in Heat 1.

At the end of the five minute contest, Urach had matched eight pairs of pictures (8 x 150) = 1,200 Deutsche Mark (approximately £197 at time of recording) whilst Weil am Rhein had matched six pairs of pictures and receiving 900 Deutsche Mark (approximately £148).

Comparative value in 2020: £197 = £1,435 whilst £148 = £1,078.

Game 6 - Milking the Sheep
(Die Schafe Melken)

The sixth game - ‘Milking the Sheep’ (Die Schafe Melken) - was played in unison over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured a female competitor from each team dressed as a milking maid and a large effigy of a sheep with a rubber udder. On the whistle, the competitor had to place a bucket underneath one of the teats of the udder and then squeeze the top of it. This would then activate a valve which would release water from the base of the teat and she then had to direct the milk (water) into the bucket. Once the bucket was full, she then had to run 10m (32ft 9¾in) up the course to a large measuring cylinder and empty the contents of the bucket into it. Once completed, she then had to return to the start and repeat the game throughout. The team collecting the greater volume of water would be declared the winners.

This was a very simple, straightforward and uneventful game which ended with Urach collecting 1cm (less than ½ in) more water than Weil am Rhein (the actual totals were neither picked up by the TV cameras or announced by the referees).

Game 7 - The Cup Dance
(Der Bechertanz)

The seventh game - ‘The Cup Dance’ (Der Bechertanz) - was played individually over one minute duration and featured a male competitor standing on a circular trampoline and with a life-size effigy of a young woman strapped around his neck. The effigy was positioned with the hands on top of the competitor’s shoulders and her torso in a manner that appeared to represent her jumping upwards. Above the trampoline, placed on coasters and hanging down from a circular canopy, were twelve large drinking cups. On the whistle, the competitor had to bounce on the trampoline and on his upward motion, lift the effigy so that its head knocked the base of the coaster in order to displace the cup. He then had to repeat the game whilst moving around the trampoline, positioning himself underneath each of the cups. Only cups displaced by physical contact would count towards the team total. Any displaced by the bouncing motion of the trampoline would be null and void. The team displacing the greater number of cups would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this well-designed but simple game saw the participation of Urach and they displaced a total of five cups after 11, 12, 52, 54 and 55 seconds respectively. However, only the first, second and fourth cups were knocked off by physical contact, and the team were given a total of 3 cups.

The second heat featured Weil am Rhein and although they displaced a total of four cups after 7, 20, 43 and 44 respectively, only the first was displaced by physical contact and the team were awarded a total of just 1 cup.

Game 8 - The Sheep Rodeo
(Das Schaf-Rodeo)

The eighth game - ‘The Sheep Rodeo’ (Das Schaf-Rodeo) - was played individually over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured a male competitor from each team and a large sheep effigy located in the centre of a circle which was surrounded by 12 flowers laid out flat on the ground. On the whistle, the competitor had to place his weight forward so that the head of the sheep lowered to the ground in order for one of a number of pins, attached to its nose, to burst a balloon in the centre of the flower head. Once completed, he then had to lean backwards to raise the head of the sheep and, whilst doing so, twist his body (and in doing so rotating the sheep) in order to line up for the next flower. He then had to repeat the procedure throughout. The rules stated that competitors were not permitted to hold on to the sheep whilst rotating it and had to be carried out purely by the movement of their torsos. The team bursting the greater number of balloons would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this simple, but strength-draining game, saw the participation of Weil am Rhein and they burst all twelve balloons in 1 minute 29 seconds.

The second heat featured Urach and they burst all twelve balloons in 1 minute 10 seconds. 

Game 9 - The Dairy Farmers
(Die Milchbauern)

The ninth and penultimate game - ‘The Dairy Farmers’ (Die Milchbauern) - was played individually over two minutes duration and featured a carousel with a small pool of water at its centre and three male competitors from each team armed with three plastic bottles. On the whistle, whilst one of the competitors stood on a small podium outside the equipment and adjacent to a large measuring cylinder, the other two had to collect a small plastic bottle and jump onto the spinning carousel. Each of the two then had to fill his bottle with milk (water) from the pool and then hand it to the competitor on the podium as he rotated past him. At the same time, the static competitor then had to hand back an empty bottle to him in order for him to repeat the procedure. The bottle containing water then had to be emptied into the container in readiness to be handed back to the next competitor. The game then had to be repeated throughout. The team collecting the greater volume of water would be declared the winners.

The first heat of this straightforward game saw the participation of Urach and they collected a total of 18.5cm (7¼in) of water.

The second heat featured Weil am Rhein and they collected a total of 30cm (11¾in) of water.

Running Scores and Positions: 1st Urach (0pts awarded / 12pts total) 2nd Weil am Rhein (2pts / 8pts)

Game 10 - The Milkmaids and the Hay Carts
(Die Milchmädchen und die Heuwagen)

The tenth and final game - ‘The Milkmaids and the Hay Carts’ (Die Milchmädchen und die Heuwagen) - was played in unison over three minutes duration and featured four female competitors from each team and a 50m (164ft) obstacle course comprised of three hay carts filled with hay bales and covered with netting and a series of six small stepped ramps. On the whistle, the first of the competitors had to run down the obstacle course and ascend a ramp and then descend four steps to reach the first hay cart. She then had to walk up the tongue of the cart and climb over the hay bales whilst passing under the netting cover. Once completed, she then had to drop to the ground and climb four steps and descend a ramp in order to reach the second hay cart and repeat the above procedure. This would also be the case with the third hay cart but on this occasion ascending the ramp and descending the steps. Once the competitor had dropped from the back of the third hay cart, she had to run 5m to cross the finishing line. A signal would then given by the referees for the second competitor to start her essay. This would then be repeated by the next two competitors until all four were standing behind the finishing line at the end of the course. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

This was a very straightforward and uneventful game which saw Urach take the lead from the outset and complete the first leg in 33 seconds, five seconds ahead of Weil am Rhein. Increasing their lead throughout, Urach completed the second leg after 1 minute 6 seconds followed by Weil am Rhein in 1 minute 15 seconds. Urach had increased their lead further after they completed the third leg in 1 minute 37 seconds with Weil am Rhein trailing in 1 minute 51 seconds. The game was completed by Urach in 2 minutes 10 seconds with Weil am Rhein doing likewise in 2 minutes 28 seconds.

Final Scores and Positions: 1st Urach (2pts awarded / 14pts total) 2nd Weil am Rhein (0pts / 8pts)

Records and Statistics

This programme marked the 125th Spiel Ohne Grenzen transmission (Domestic and International) that had been broadcast on West German television.

Additional Information

Although this programme exists in German archives, it is incomplete with the opening titles missing. The existing footage begins at the start of the picture postcard sections.

Made in Colour • This programme exists in German archives