An unusual photograph of a player refusing to salute the Nazis during a 1934 match in Germany has been found in a time-warp.
Adolf Hitler had ordered the players to make this gesture when Derby County FC traveled through north-western Germany for pre-season. This was more than 85 years ago.
Derby, then a highly-flying team that was among the best in the country at the time, and their contingent English internationals were invited in 1934 to play a series warm-up matches against German teams.
Historic image of the team wearing their black and white uniform giving the salute. Jack Kirby refused to do so and stood by his side, his arms extended.
England did it again four years later at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, against Germany. Stan Cullis was not able to make the match and was eventually dropped from the team.
It was located alongside football memorabilia belonging to Gilbert Dickenson (Delaware’s director, from the late 1930s through the mid-50s).
Mr Dickenson’s haul is now set to go under the hammer, where experts believe some of the items could fetch prices of more than £5,000.
This historic photo shows Jack Kirby (far left) standing with his arms at his sides, while Jack Kirby (far right), is seen in his black and white Rams kit. Jack Kirby (far right) is seen standing straight ahead with his arms folded and looking away to the crowd.
Jack Kirby (pictured) served as Derby County FC’s goalkeeper in the 1934 pre-season visit to Germany.
Derby FC traveled from Dover by train and crossed the Channel to Ostend, Belgium. They arrived in Germany for pre-season friendly matches in summer 1934.
The Nazi state emerged from the rapid rise in power of Hitler’s National Socialist party. They had already been elected to power during the 1933 elections.
Dave Holford was a 19 year-old defense player who recalled that the swastika flew everywhere he went.
‘If you said: “Good morning,” they’d reply with “Heil Hitler”. You could go into any cafe and say “Good night,” to which they’d reply “Heil Hitler.”
“Even back then you could clearly see that this country was in preparation for war.”
A house that was ‘trapped into time’ uncovered an extraordinary collection of Derby County memorabilia. Above: These players were posing while on their pre-season 1934 tour to Germany.
The Rams were looking to be ending their unremarkable preseason tour with no success after losing three matches against German top-ranked opposition and drawing another. Then Jack Kirby (goalie) was asked to do the Nazi salute
The Rams had an unremarkable preseason tour, losing three games against German opposition and drawing another.
This is until Jack Kirby (goalie) was asked to do the Nazi salute at pre-match warm-ups in order to please the German crowds.
He was remembered by his peers as insistent about not performing the gesture and choosing to ignore the rest of the group.
Rams left-back George Collin explained to the Derby Telegraph: ‘We told the manager, George Jobey, that we didn’t want to do it. He met with directors but was told by them that the British ambassador demanded it.
He said the Foreign Office were scared of creating an international problem if we didn’t comply. In a delicate time, international relations are so fragile that it would be an insult to Hitler.
“So, we did what we were told. Jack Kirby is our goalkeeper. Jack was adamant that he wouldn’t give the salute.
‘When the time came, he just kept his arm down and almost turned his back on the dignitaries, If anyone noticed, they didn’t say anything.’
Four years later, English football was subject to one of the most embarrassing episodes in its history. The national team offered Nazi salutes on the Berliner Olympic Stadium crowd that May 14th 1938.
Captain Eddie Hapgood and the rest of the team had been ordered to do it by the Foreign Office under Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s hapless appeasement policy – but Hitler wasn’t even present at the friendly game.
It came two months after Germany annexed Austria and paved the way for Chamberlain’s ‘Peace in our Time’ deal with Hitler – which led to the Nazi leader’s invasion of Czechoslovakia.
Gilbert Dickenson, ex-Derby director, died in 1959 at the age of 68. Kenneth Dickenson, his son, was also killed in 1959. His family had to move out of Littleover, Derbys, after Kenneth’s death last January.
The haul also contains documents that relate to accounts and businesses of the club – revealing how they struggled for decades prior to their financial troubles.
Recently, the Championship club was docked 12 point for going into administration. They were already struggling to pay players’ wages in 1946.
An extraordinary archive that Mr Dickenson has found throughout his house includes a photo of 1946 FA Cup winner team.
This rare edition also includes team photos, football programmes and blank player contracts.
These items include the famous photograph will be auctioned by Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall (Dereshire) on December 2. They are likely to sell for tens or thousands of pounds.
English football was subject to one of its worst episodes, as the team performed Nazi salutes in front of the public (pictured below) at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium in May 1938.
David Wilson-Turner is the head of Hansons’ sports memorabilia section. He stated: “We expect to find the 1934 commemorative album of Derby County’s trip to Germany.
‘The Rams were invited to play four friendlies at a time when the world was naïve about Hitler.
The British ambassador pressured them to accept the Nazi salute, even though the players did not want it.
The matches did not go Derby’s direction. They lost Cologne 5-0, Frankfurt 5-2, Dusseldorf 1-0, and Dortmund 1-1.
Rams fan could have a hard time finding memorabilia from the FA Cup win. This includes a Christmas 1946 souvenir booklet.
“After all this was one Derby County’s best moments. There haven’t been enough of them.” This was the first FA Cup final that took place following the Second World War.
“This is an incredible treasure trove full of memorabilia. It was fascinating to see it.
“By keeping all possible programmes and pieces of paper that were related to Dickenson’s time at Derby County during the 1930s-40s and 50s Mr Dickenson unwittingly created a treasure trove of historical information that will be fascinating for both football historians and supporters.”
Pictured: An autographed photograph from Derby County’s winning 1946 FA Cup team will be sold at an auction that is likely to bring in thousands
Another correspondence, and newspapers cuttings dating back to 1946 are related to the FA Cup final ticket scandal. Derby won at Wembley on April 27, 1946, their only FA Cup final victory.
The family’s 43-year old factory worker from Derby said, “We didn’t have a clue what would happen.”
“The house had not been used in years, and was empty for quite some time.
“Nothing was thrown out. You could find stuff all over. Everything we could find of value was put to one side.
“But we don’t really follow football and didn’t realize how important some Derby County memorabilia was, like the autographed football photo from 1946.
“At the beginning, we didn’t understand what the German picture album was about. You could find football programs everywhere. It was necessary to explore every corner and crevice.
Due to the volume of items, experts say it is too early to provide an exact overall estimate but some of the finds could sell for more than £5,000.