Peter Joseph "Peco" Bauwens (24 December 1886 – 24 November 1963) was a German international
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...
who played as a
forward
Forward is a relative direction, the opposite of backward.
Forward may also refer to:
People
* Forward (surname)
Sports
* Forward (association football)
* Forward (basketball), including:
** Point forward
** Power forward (basketball)
** Sm ...
, referee and controversial administrator with the
German Football Association
The German Football Association (german: Deutscher Fußball-Bund ; DFB ) is the governing body of football in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB has jurisdiction for the German football league system and is in charge of t ...
(DFB). In total he was associated with the national game in that country from 1904 until 1962.
Early career
Born in
Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...
, Bauwens had only got into football as a result of a childhood accident; his mother having been encouraged to push him into the sport by a doctor. The suggestion worked, Bauwens leg (which had been threatened with amputation) was saved and the young player even went as far as turning out for the
German national side in a 3-0 reverse to
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
in May, 1910. However, it was hardly auspicious, being substituted in the second half with the hosts already two goals down. Bauwens had been a member of the Cologne club from 1904.
Refereeing
A member of the upper middle class, Bauwens reputedly attained his doctorate in law in
Leipzig
Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...
on 7 April 1914 but there are questions as to whether this was a genuinely acquired title. He was instrumental in assisting in the Post-War development of German football as a result of a role he assumed with the German-Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce.
At this time Bauwens decided upon becoming a referee. Bauwens became involved in a wide range of representative matches, and matches of national significance. He took charge of a Brazilian selection against Frankfurt-on-Main in which he awarded a penalty to the guest side only to be kissed by
Baltazar the Brazilian player. He was also referee during the 1922 German Cup Final in which
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein e.V. (), commonly known as Hamburger SV () or Hamburg (), is a German sports club based in Hamburg, with its largest branch being its football section. Though the current HSV was founded in June 1919 from a merger of three ...
and
1. FC Nürnberg played out two lengthy draws only for the second game to be abandoned when Nürnberg were reduced to six outfield players and a goalkeeper. The DFB awarded the title to Hamburg.
Political Situation
Professionally, he worked within the construction industry (and for a company that had dealings with the
Third Reich
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
and which, later, allegedly, operated a forced labour camp during the Second World War). His marriage to
Elizabeth Gidion, from a Jewish family in Cologne, in 1920 (having two children with her) got him into trouble with the authorities; his company being banned from affiliation with the National Socialist Factory Organisation (
NSDAP
The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that crea ...
) in May 1933 a year after he had applied to join. The marriage suffered on account of the deteriorating political situation in Germany in the 1930s, and because of Bauwens entering into extramarital affairs (from which one daughter was conceived). Mrs Bauwens committed suicide on 16 April 1940.
[
]
International Referee
In total he was the referee in 82 international matches, including the famous 1931 international at Highbury
Highbury is a district in North London and part of the London Borough of Islington
in Greater London that was owned by Ranulf brother of Ilger and included all the areas north and east of Canonbury and Holloway Roads.
The manor house was situ ...
between England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
and Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
(in which Ricardo Zamora
Ricardo Zamora Martínez (; 14 February 1901 – 8 September 1978) was a Spanish footballer and manager. He played as a goalkeeper for, among others, RCD Espanyol, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. As an international he played for both the Cata ...
conceded seven goals), both games on England's 1933 European tour and the 1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics (German: ''Olympische Sommerspiele 1936''), officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad (German: ''Spiele der XI. Olympiade'') and commonly known as Berlin 1936 or the Nazi Olympics, were an international multi-sp ...
Gold medal match at the Olympia Stadion
The stadium at the archaeological site of Olympia, Greece, is located to the east of the sanctuary of Zeus. It was the location of many of the sporting events at the Ancient Olympic Games.
History
During the 2004 Summer Olympics, it hosted th ...
, in Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
between Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
and Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
in front of 90,000. He became the first foreigner to referee a match in the British Home Championship
The British Home Championship
* sco, Hame Internaitional Kemp
* gd, Farpais lìg eadar-nàiseanta
* cy, Pencampwriaeth y Pedair Gwlad, name=lang (historically known as the British International Championship or simply the International Champio ...
when he took on Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
versus Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
in 1934. Bauwens was also the referee during the Italy v England match on 14 May 1939 in Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
where Silvio Piola
Silvio Piola (; 29 September 1913 – 4 October 1996) was an Italian footballer who played as a striker. He is known as a highly prominent figure in the history of Italian football due to several records he set, and he is regarded as one of the ...
punched the ball into England's goal. The Italian Crown Prince was discouraged by Stanley Rous
Sir Stanley Ford Rous (25 April 1895 – 18 July 1986) was an English football referee and the 6th President of FIFA, serving from 1961 to 1974. He also served as secretary of the Football Association from 1934 to 1962 and was an international ...
, as he then was, from stopping play to explain to Bauwens what had happened. He served on the executive committee of FIFA
FIFA (; stands for ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' ( French), meaning International Association Football Federation ) is the international governing body of association football, beach football and futsal. It was found ...
between 1932 and 1942 and became the fifth President of the DFB in 1950, an office he held until his death, a year before the setting up of the Bundesliga
The Bundesliga (; ), sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga () or 1. Bundesliga (), is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of the German football league system, the Bundesliga is Germany's primary footba ...
in 1962; his position as president being taken on by Hermann Gösmann
Hermann Gösmann (9 January 1904 – 21 January 1979) was a German lawyer and football administrator, and from 1962 to 1975 he was president of the German Football Association (german: Deutscher Fußball-Bund, DFB).
Gösmann participated along w ...
.
1954 World Cup Final
He was outspoken on occasion, being responsible for the break in transmission of the radio broadcast following the 1954 FIFA World Cup
The 1954 FIFA World Cup was the fifth edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football tournament for senior men's national teams of the nations affiliated to FIFA. It was held in Switzerland from 16 June to 4 July. Switzerla ...
final, after what were perceived to have been nationalistic comments he made to the national team at the Löwenbräukeller
Löwenbräukeller is a beer hall and event center located in Maxvorstadt, Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It has hosted concerts by artists such as Def Leppard, Ozzy Osbourne and Kiss.
It was used as a substitute site for the anniversaries of the 192 ...
beer hall in Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
following their victory in Bern
german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese
, neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen
, website ...
. He said that 'the Gods in Heaven had marched side by side with the team', precipitating a critical response across mainland Europe. Der Spiegel
''Der Spiegel'' (, lit. ''"The Mirror"'') is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. With a weekly circulation of 695,100 copies, it was the largest such publication in Europe in 2011. It was founded in 1947 by John Seymour Chaloner ...
reported: "During the victory party with championship team Dr. Peco Bauwens, president of the DFB-German Soccer Association, conjured the old Germanic god of thunder, with a 'wild swell of Teutonic phrases.' He also condemned the envy of the romance (welsch) peoples and confirmed to the players that they had carried 'the flag in their hearts'" (113).
His coffin was accompanied by ex-national players Toni Turek
Anton Turek (18 January 1919 – 11 May 1984) was a German footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
Career
Born in Duisburg, Turek started his career at Duisburger Sportverein, but he soon switched to TuS Duisburg 48/99. He first came to the at ...
, Fritz Walter
Friedrich "Fritz" Walter (, ; 31 October 1920 – 17 June 2002) was a German footballer who spent his entire senior career at 1. FC Kaiserslautern. He usually played as an attacking midfielder or inside forward. In his time with the Germany a ...
, Werner Liebrich
Werner Liebrich (18 January 1927 – 20 March 1995) was a German footballer who played in the centre back position. He is notable for his role in the West Germany triumph in the 1954 FIFA World Cup, and spending his entire playing career of almos ...
and Horst Eckel
Horst Eckel (8 February 1932 – 3 December 2021) was a German footballer. He was part of the West Germany national team that won the 1954 FIFA World Cup. He was the last surviving player of the 1954 World Cup Final.
Club career
Eckel debuted ...
.
References
External links
*
Referee profile
at worldfootball.net
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bauwens, Peco
1886 births
1963 deaths
German football referees
Footballers from Cologne
People from the Rhine Province
German footballers
Germany international footballers
German football chairmen and investors
German footballers needing infoboxes
Association football forwards