Germany had adopted anti Semitic policies as early as 1933. Sir Walter Citrine, General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress and a decent man, expressed his concerns that having sporting relations with a country in which such an oppressive regime was in power could be perceived as tacit approval of such practices. History has blurred the way in which the British public and politicians viewed 'Herr Hitler' in the mid 1930s. There was a lot of admiration. (As late as 1938 he was Time magazines' man of the year - admittedly that was an American publication). As you can see from the response shown above, Home Secretary John Simon dismissed Sir Walter's concerns.
England played Germany at White Hart Lane on 04.12.35. It was England's 200th international, and they won 3-0 thanks to goals from George Camsell (2) and Cliff Bastin.
The Swastika flies over White Hart Lane
The TUC's stand was applauded in this journal, which also makes reference to a campaign to move the 1936 Olympic games from Germany.
