The German Football Association has announced a conversation after a disrespectful contribution by DFB Vice President Hermann Winkler about the Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyj. Winkler wrote on Instagram on Sunday: “Berlin this morning. Thanks to a general decree due to a visit from a former Ukrainian actor, the city is largely sealed off, and the Spree is partially closed to tourists.”
Zelenskyy was in Berlin early Sunday morning and arrived in Germany for the first time since Russia attacked Ukraine. In the afternoon he and his people were awarded the Charlemagne Prize in Aachen.
“My description of the observation,” defends DFB Vice Winkler
Winkler, who is also President of the Northeast German Football Association, also shared a picture of himself at the Soviet War Memorial in Berlin’s Treptow district in his post. “It’s still quiet in Treptower Park – the memorial commemorating all war victims is still there,” wrote the 60-year-old. Winkler confirmed the authenticity of his post to the German Press Agency: “It’s my personal account and my description of the observation.”
The DFB, which according to the association has no influence on the contributions of the members of the presidency in the social media, said on Sunday afternoon that they wanted to have a conversation with Winkler about the post this Monday. The national team will play their 1000th international match in Bremen on June 12 against the Ukraine. Numerous users on the Internet criticized Winkler’s contribution.
