Kiev - Start Stadium

Before the Second World War, Dynamo Kiev was a world-class football team and consisted of what you could say a number of Soviet national team players. When the Germans occupied Kiev (and Ukraine), series games were banned and the team disbanded. But the german occupiers were interested that life in Kiev would return to some kind of normality. Football was something that people could gather around and therefore the germans allowed new teams to form and play sporadic matches. One team formed was FC Start which consisted of several former Dynamo Kiev players, but also players from Lokomotiv Kiev.

In June and July 1942, Start played seven games against teams from Ukraine, Hungary and Germany, winning easily. The team and the matches became popular and the Germans decided to start their own professional team to challenge Start. The German team was called Flakelf and consisted of former football players, albeit at a lower level than FC Starts players. The first match between FC Start and Flakelf was played at Zenit stadium August 6, 1942, and won by FC Start with 5 – 1. The Germans ”required” a re-match and three days later the re-match was played. The match was played in front of 2000 people at Zenit stadium and as the previous match this match was won by FC Start, albeit not as superior, with 5 – 3.

The match has been surrounded by several persistent myths. For instance, the Germans before the match threatened the players with reprisals if they did not lose. Another myth is that the Start players at half time was threatened yet again to loose, but did not succumb to the Germans’ threats. A third myth is that the players immediately after the game were arrested. Yet another myth is that some players were shot in retaliation for the loss. Although, given the circumstances, one can’t say it was a game on equal terms, but none of the myths have proved to be true. Start played one more match against a Ukrainian team in mid-August and won 8 – 0. Later in August, eight Start players were arrested, but not because of the match against Flakelf, but probably because they were suspected of being Soviet agents. In February 1943 three players were executed, but not because of the match.