On the occasion of the 120th birthday of Sepp Herberger, the German Football Museum presented the exhibition “Herberger’s World of Books.” Designed by TRIAD Berlin, the exhibition was an impressive homage to the world champion coach of 1954. For the first time, fans were given access to Herberger’s estate.
Herberger’s catchphrases, including “you have to be eleven friends” or “the ball is round and the game lasts 90 minutes,” are well known to every football fan. By translating his complex strategies into simple sayings, the legendary trainer succeeded in bringing the players closer to his vision of “simple football.” When Germany became world champion by complete surprise with the “Miracle of Bern,” Herberger’s quotes became famous.Add Row
TRIAD Berlin took up the world-champion visions of the future scenographically. An accessible library with solid wood bookshelves and the original workspace (typewriter, desk, and chair) conveyed the feeling of Herberger’s simple and middle-class lifestyle. Around 1,500 books from his estate – meticulously edited with his unreadable handwriting and equipped with complicated tactical markings – gave an indication of how the first coach of the postwar period found inspiration in his books by connecting their contents and reinterpreting them.
With simple scenographic execution and playful graphics, TRIAD Berlin was able to contribute staging that was worthy of the complex personality. “Herberger’s World of Books” offered an exciting insight into Sepp Herberger’s way of thinking and working, illustrating why he is regarded as a visionary trainer who was ahead of his time.
