Unforgettable Revierderby 1969: Schalke players bitten by a police dog, lions on the pitch against Dortmund

In 1969, it was not only a game of top of the table, but also a game of bare survival on the pitch. In one of the Bundesliga’s most iconic matches, Schalke took the lead and the enthusiastic away fans stormed the Rote Erde stadium in Dortmund. The situation degenerated into utter chaos, with not only players and fans on the pitch, but also police and dogs.

Every derby offers the opportunity to become a hero and make history for famous clubs. This is what happened in the 1969 derby between Schalke and Dortmund.

Schalke defender Friedel Rausch suffered a bite to the back of the head from a police dog. Although he was injured, he continued to play and the moment became an integral part of the history of these rivals.

Schalke 04 took the lead in the first half thanks to Hans Pirkner’s goal, which was a great joy for the visiting fans. They stormed the pitch after the goal and tried to disrupt the match.

The situation escalated when the Dortmund stewards and their German shepherds also invaded the pitch. They tried to drive the spectators off the pitch, but the situation became dangerous when Rex the sheepdog attacked Schalke defender Friedel Rausch. The player suffered a serious injury to his lower body.

There was no substitution of players at that time, so Rausch had to continue the match with an injection against infection. His teammate Gerhard Neuser was also attacked but remained in the dressing room with a bitten thigh. The memorable match ended 1: 1.

The German Football Association took action immediately after the match. From then on, dogs were only allowed in the stadium with a muzzle.

And Rausch, who couldn’t sleep on his back for long nights, was compensated. “ I received compensation from Dortmund for pain and suffering in the amount of 300 marks (about 7,000 crowns), which was a lot at the time,” he said.

The retaliation from Schalke

In the return match in Gelsenkirchen, Schalke showed a sense of humour. Club boss Gunter Siebert brought in tame lions from the zoo in nearby Westerhold and had them run around with security guards.

Rausch, meanwhile, had to endure months of jeers in the street and from rival fans in the stadium, where he was greeted by loud barks. He took it in stride, however.

In fact, he quite enjoyed the fame and told his story over and over again, even on TV sports news.

He retained a sense of humour over the incident, as evidenced by his quick response to a question about what would have happened if a dog had bitten him from the front instead of the back. “Then the dog would have lost all its teeth, ” he said.

Source: DW