The FA Tour of Germany and Prague 1899

In August 1899 the F.A. received an invitation to send an England team to play three matches against an All Germany side, and another against a combined Bohemia and Austria XI.The sender was Walther Bensemann, a twenty-six year old German student, secretary of a Committee for International Soccer Matches (German football had no governing body as such at the time). Bensemann visited London in October 1899 and met with the FA selection committee.


The tour party was as follows:

Officials: John James Bentley, Charles Hughes, Charles Alcock, George Sherrington, Percy Timbs. 

Amateur Players:
Stanley Briggs (Clapton) [c]
E.D. Brown (Clapton)
Stanley Shelbourne Taylor (Cambridge University and Corinthians)
Wilfred Waller (Richmond Association)
Geoffrey Wilson (Corinthians)
Oswald Eric Wreford-Brown (Old Carthusians)
Professional Players:
Phil Bach (Sunderland)*
Billy Bassett (West Bromwich Albion)*
Edgar Chadwick (Burnley)*
Jimmy Crabtree (Aston Villa)*
Jack Cox (Derby County)*
Fred Forman (Nottingham Forest)*
Johnny Holt (Reading)*
Joe Rogers (Newcastle United) 

* these players had all represented England in a full international prior to this tour.


23.11.99  Germany 2-13 Football Association XI (Berlin)
24.11.99  Germany 2-10 Football Association XI (Berlin)
26.11.99  German-Austrian XI 0-8 Football Association XI (Prague)
28.11.99  Germany 0-7 Football Association XI (Karlsruhe)
P4 W4 D0 L0 F38 A4

Notes: one source referred to the German teams as North Germany (1st match), A Germany XI (2nd match), and Karlsruhe (4th match).

Game 1.
23.11.99. Kurfuerstendamm Berlin attendance 1,500, referee: Stanley Shelbourne Taylor .
Though not recognized as a full international it was the first match ever played by an English representative team outside the British Isles.
Germany: Eichelmann (Germania 88 Berlin) , Gasse (Fortuna Berlin), Kralle (Viktoria 89 Berlin), Ivo Schricker (Akademischen SC Berlin), Wünsch (Viktoria 89 Berlin), Erwin Stricker (Akademischen SC Berlin) , Bock (Fortuna Berlin), Jestram (Britannia 92 Berlin), Wetzler (?), Tierold (?), Gruschwitz (Viktoria 89 Berlin).
Trainer : Walther Bensemann

Game 2.
 A 10 a.m. kick off the very next day so that the English could catch the train for Prague at 1 p.m. The local press suggested that the slightly less embarrassing scoreline might have been down to the English joining in one of the legendary drinking parties that the German students were known to indulge in, usually wrapping up at about 7am.
Attendance was 500.
 Germany: Willi Langer (Karlsruher FV), Westendarp (Akademischen SC Berlin), Kohts (Akademischen SC Berlin), Ivo Schricker (Akademischen SC Berlin), Wünsch (Viktoria 89 Berlin), Zjanner (?), Bock (Fortuna Berlin), Jestram (Britannia 92 Berlin), Link (Karlsruher FV), Zierold (Germania 88 Berlin), Gruschwitz (Viktoria 89 Berlin). 
Trainer : Walther Bensemann

Germany 24.11.99 (The Black-White-Reds wore black jerseys with red and white piping on the sleeves- the colours of the German Empire)

The Football Association XI 24.11.99 

Game 3.

A combined Bohemian and Austrian XI managed to keep the FA XI down to 8-0.

Game 4.

Played at the Military Exercise Ground Karlsruhe. Attendance 3000 or 5000,referee Walther Bensemann. An improved Germany kept the FA down to single figures. The kick off was delayed by the absence of a football, a cyclist being sent to collect one.

 Germany: Willi Langer (Karlsruher FV), Erwin Schricker (Akademischen SC Berlin), Kohts (Akademischen SC Berlin), Arthur Baier (Phönix Kalsruhe), Ivo Schricker (Akademischen SC Berlin), Schuon (Karlsruher FV), Fritz Lange (Karlsruher FV), Rickmers (Karlsruher FV), Zinser (Karlsruher FV), Zierold (Germania 88 Berlin), Link (Karlsruher FV).
Trainer: Walther Bensemann

After their return home, the members of the English side received commemorative badges, whereas Bensemann, in recognition of his merits for the cause of international sporting competition, was awarded an F.A. gold badge.