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Celebrating the "Miracle of Bern": Soccer World Cup (July 4, 1954)

West Germany’s unexpected 3:2 victory over the favored Hungarians in the World Cup final in Bern, Switzerland, on July 4, 1954, unleashed waves of jubilation in the Federal Republic and soon became known as the "Miracle of Bern." For many, the day represented the "true birth" or "actual founding date" of the FRG. Either way, the victory gave rise to a sense of new beginnings in Germany – contemporaries described the feeling as a sense of "being somebody again," a sense that Germany was once again part of the international community. The photograph shows members of the West German team on the field at Wankdorf Stadium in Bern, moments after victory. Photo by Hanns Hubmann.

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Celebrating the "Miracle of Bern": Soccer World Cup (July 4, 1954)

© Bildarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz