1939 Irish National Team, paying respect to the visiting German team
EDIT: corrected
AI Overview
Yes, the Irish national football team performed a Nazi salute before an international match against Germany in Bremen in May 1939.
Why Did They Give the Salute?
• Diplomatic Protocol: Officials from the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and Irish diplomatic services explicitly instructed the players to perform the gesture as a goodwill gesture and sign of respect to their hosts during the playing of the German national anthem.
• Avoiding International Incidents: Complying with the formal state customs of a host country was considered standard international diplomatic practice in the 1930s before the outbreak of World War II.
• Not an Isolated Practice: Other nations complied with similar directives; notably, the English national football team was ordered by the British Foreign Office to perform the Nazi salute during a match in Berlin in May 1938.
• No Ideological Alignment: The gesture was done strictly out of adherence to formal protocol rather than any political or fascist sympathy from the players or team management
