»In the world of antiquity, the Formula 1 started at the Circus Maximus; its Michael Schumacher was called Gutta«. En passant, Manfred Koch tells the story of the cultural history of sport.
To entertain his people, the emperor gave them bread and games, panem et circenses. However the idea was not to do away with passion altogether, but to steer it in a different direction. How does someone become a fan? This is the question Manfred Koch asks, pointing towards the meaning of the Latin word fanaticus: »moved by the Gods and set into a state of wild enthusiasm«. Up until the 19th century, the term fanatic was only used when referring to a religious zealot. Although it is also often used today to describe negative excesses of hooliganism, Manfred Koch shows that it is not necessarily a new phenomenon - as early as the year 27 AD, an amphitheatre collapsed under the onslaught of sports tourists; Tacitus reports that 50,000 people were severely injured or killed. And the bloodthirsty battle cry of the spectators at gladiator contests was Iugula! (»Cut his throat!«).
Manfred Koch recounts the story of the contests and sports festivals knowledgeably and succinctly. He describes the rituals, the warlike elements, the role of mass psychosis in sport. Although the main focus of the book is on football, the author also often refers to wrestling, boxing, handball and cycling.
The Author
Manfred Koch, born in Stuttgart in 1955, studied philosophy, German and history. He works as a freelance publicist and literary critic. Publications include: »Schlimme Ehen. Ein Hochzeitsbuch« (Bad Marriages. A Book on Weddings, in cooperation with Angelika Overath, 2000); »Weimaraner Weltbewohner. Zur Genese von Goethes Begriff Weltliteratur« (World Citizens of Weimar. the Genesis of Goethe`s term »World Literature«, 2002); »Schlaflos. Das Buch der hellen Nächte« (Sleepless. The Book of the White Nights, ed. in cooperation with Angelika Overath, 2002).
