Lyrik: Oh, Helvetia You're Great Even in Defeat
Satis Shroff
June 13, 2008
The scene is at the Joggeli ,
A stadium in Basel, Switzerland.
The Czechs think the Germans are going to be behind them.
Karel Brückner wears a black muffler on this humid afternoon.
The Swiss Nati enters the arena.
Yodel songs, Alp horns, an elegant Miss Swiss saunters by,
Samba music reminiscent of Guggemusik at Fasnet,
Swiss fans with red and white flags,
Effigies of Swiss cows, blondes wearing hats,
Caps and motley headgear,
Blonde farmers on stilts, soccer ball skirts and milk-cans,
Amid cow bells and the cries of the spectators.
Mountain pixels: Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger,
Skiing figures of a Ski nation,
Barock costumes, dancing figures
In black n´ white,
The waltz and techno music.
Magic cube effects on the soccer field.
Symbols for Swiss watch industry,
Flags galore.
A coy Amanda Amman,
Miss Switzerland in scarlet silk.
"She´s half Swiss and half Czech" quips someone.
The Swiss are celebrating a big soccer festival.
The entire stadium becomes a soul,
Unified as 100,000 fans shout in defiance
Through their larynx and lungs.
From Ortenau to Schaffhausen,
The fans are streaming in,
Controlled by Swiss, German
And French security men and women,
Armed with guns, sticks, Alsatian dogs,
And Luftwaffe aircraft doing sorties in the sky,
The fear of Al Kaida is everywhere.
42000 in the St. Jakob´s arena,
35 000 in the Fan Zone,
Another 20 000 in the inns, taverns
Public viewing places in Basle.
Discussions center on
The four-man defence chain,
Tactics, strategies of trainers,
Performances in the Bundes and other leagues.
A big chance for Switzerland.
438 green balloons reach for the sky.
Fireworks,
Standing ovation from the spectators,
The Swiss hold hands
To the national hymn
Standing ovation for a knie injured captain,
Alexander Frei the surest Swiss striker,
Is in tears against the Czechs.
0:2 says the gigantic stadium neon chart,
Against the Turks.
Köbi Kuhn the dignified thoughtful Swiss man´s
Euro dream disappears.
The best Euro host takes its bow.
You can still read the disappointment on our faces.
Ach, Helvetia you´re great even in defeat.
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