Culture
On June 3, a group of ten students from Johns Hopkins University (JHU) arrived in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany’s most populous state, to explore the history of sports in the region and discuss current challenges in international sports alongside local partners. With the UEFA European Men’s Championship and the Paris Summer Olympics just around the corner, the tour’s theme carried significant relevance. The timing coincided with the NRW-USA Year, creating an opportunity to compare the histories and organizational differences of sports in Germany and the U.S. Both regions share similarities: Baltimore, home to JHU, lies at the southern tip of America’s “Rust Belt,” a region where local sports teams became sources of pride after the decline of coal and steel industries, much like the Ruhr region in Germany.
Upon their arrival, the group was welcomed at the German Sport University Cologne by Professor Jürgen Mittag, Director of the Institute for European Sport Development and Leisure Studies. He provided insights into the contrasting organizational structures of sports in the U.S. and Europe, particularly Germany, where amateur and club sports rely heavily on volunteer work. Professor Mittag highlighted how the decline in volunteerism has led to a crisis even in football (soccer), Germany’s national sport. After a barbecue with Master’s students in International Sport Development and Politics, discussions turned to political and societal challenges in the EU, crises in international football, and the upcoming UEFA European Championship, just two days after the European Parliament elections.
A week later, the JHU students reconnected with their peers to meet Michael Mronz, former CEO of Rhein Ruhr City and a recent member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). As one of Germany’s most influential sports entrepreneurs and event managers, Mronz spent 90 minutes answering questions about his career, the interplay of sports and politics, doping, Russia’s exclusion from international events, and China’s role in the Olympic movement.
After a visit to the German Sport & Olympic Museum, where Director Dr. Andreas Höfer presented its history and mission, the group experienced a highlight: meeting Maya Weber, Emma Lattus, and Olesja Arslan, players from 1. FC Köln’s U20 team. For two hours, the players fielded questions from the U.S. students, many of whom are avid Bundesliga fans. The discussion touched on topics such as their personal journeys, disparities in support for women’s and men’s football, experiences with racism, and career aspirations. The students had previously delved into German football history through films like The Miracle of Bern and the award-winning documentary Black Eagles by Broadview TV.
This exchange was facilitated by Shary Reeves, a Cologne-born former professional footballer and one of two German women featured in Black Eagles. The next day, Reeves met with the group again to discuss her experiences and generational shifts in football over the last 30 years.
The group used their sole free afternoon to explore Düsseldorf before traveling to Essen for the “Scripting Futures for Urban Sustainability” conference led by Professor Dr. Barbara Buchenau. They noted the strong local pride and rivalries between Ruhr area football clubs. Simone Raskob, a representative of Essen, spoke about preparations for the upcoming FISU World Games, which will take place across the Rhine-Ruhr region, including Essen, next summer.
The group spent a full day at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Zeche Zollverein. A private tour detailed the coal mining process, from a model of the site to the roof of the colliery and its coking plant. The students also explored the Ruhr Museum, which presented the region’s history, emphasizing topics like the environment, labor unions, immigration, and sports.
Although the Signal Iduna Park (home to Borussia Dortmund) and Cologne’s RheinEnergieStadion were cordoned off, the students made time to visit the Westfalenstadion. They also enjoyed an engaging tour of the visually stunning German Football Museum. Highlights included a treasure room of trophies, a 3D-animated meeting of Bundesliga stars, and a video of Germany’s 2014 World Cup victory.
In Bonn, the group participated in a five-hour workshop at the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). Following an introduction by NADA’s Chairman Dr. Lars Mortsiefer, the agency’s departments—including prevention, medicine, law, and testing—offered insights into their work. Staff discussed challenges in implementing globally standardized testing and sanctions. Afterward, the group visited the House of History museum before heading to the Telekom Dome in Bonn’s Hardtberg district. There, Sport Manager Daniel Seffern and Sporting Director Savo Milovic gave a lively tour, explaining youth development, talent scouting, and international recruitment for the Basketball Bundesliga team—a stark contrast to the U.S. system.
The tour concluded in Frankfurt, starting with a visit to the German Olympic Academy near the Waldstadion (now Deutsche Bank Park), another host venue for the European Championship. Director Dr. Gerald Fritz and colleagues presented the Academy’s educational programs and reviewed Germany’s Olympic bids, both successful and unsuccessful. In the evening, the group visited Frankfurt’s Fan Zone at the Main Riverbank before enjoying a farewell dinner.
On their final day, the students toured the Jewish Museum in the former Palais Rothschild. In the afternoon, they experienced a true German tradition: public viewing of the European Championship’s opening match between Germany and Scotland. They joined fans in the Fan Zone for the first half, but as rain set in, they relocated to their nearby hotel for the second half.
The students found the trip immensely rewarding. Experts and partners were exceptionally welcoming, knowledgeable, and open to candid discussions, even on sensitive topics. Despite the mixed public sentiment in Germany during the summer, the students were particularly impressed with Germany’s public transport system. Equipped with Germany Tickets, they explored extensively, finding it efficient despite occasional delays. The Rhine promenades in Cologne and Bonn, pedestrian zones, and diverse dining options also left a strong impression, as did the exceptional breakfast buffets at the hotels. After two eventful weeks, the group departed from Frankfurt Airport on June 15, heading to destinations around the world.
Dr. Victoria Harms
The study trip, “Sports – A Force for Good? The Rhine-Ruhr Valley as a Case Study,” was funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with support from the German Foreign Office, Johns Hopkins University’s Office of the Dean for Undergraduate Studies, and the Global Education Office.
