Bram Appel
Encyclopedia
Abraham Leonardus Appel (Rotterdam
, 30 November 1921 - Geleen
, 31 October 1997) was a Dutch
football
player.
Appel played for ADO Den Haag
in the Dutch league in the 1930s. He was forced to work
in a factory in Berlin
, Germany
in 1942. The factory where he worked was bombed a year later, and Appel narrowly survived.
During the war, Appel played for Hertha BSC and for an unofficial Dutch national team, made up of Dutch forced labourers. His refusal to give the Hitler salute
before matches made the German authorities furious.
The Royal Dutch Football Association
suspended Appel after the liberation in 1945.
He was, however, a member of the Netherlands national football team
at the 1948 Summer Olympics
. He left for France
in 1949, and became an important player for Stade Reims
. He won the Coupe de France
in 1950 and the French national title
in 1953. Appel scored 96 goals in 154 matches for Stade Reims.
Appel and Theo Timmermans took the initiative for a charity match for the victims of the North Sea flood of 1953
, between France
and Dutch footballers playing abroad. The Dutch players won the match 2-1. The match was not an official international, because the Dutch players had been suspended from the Dutch national team. The Royal Dutch Football Association did not allow football players to be professionals. This match, however, paved the way for the acceptance of professional football in the Netherlands. Two years later, the ban on professionalism was lifted
Appel returned to the Netherlands in 1954, having been signed by Fortuna '54 as one of the first professional football players in the Dutch league. He became a manager in 1960, and won the 1962/63 Eredivisie
title as manager of PSV Eindhoven.
He left the world of football after the title, and became a real estate agent. He lived a reclusive life at the end, and he died on 31 October 1997, one month before his 76th birthday.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, 30 November 1921 - Geleen
Geleen
Geleen is a city in the southern part of the province of Limburg in the Netherlands. With 33,960 inhabitants, it is part of the municipality of Sittard-Geleen. Geleen is situated along the river Geleenbeek, a right tributary to the river Meuse. The town centre is situated at about 60 m above sea...
, 31 October 1997) was a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player.
Appel played for ADO Den Haag
ADO Den Haag
Alles Door Oefening Den Haag , commonly known by the abbreviated name ADO Den Haag , is a Dutch football club from the city of The Hague. The club was for a time known as FC Den Haag , with ADO representing the amateur branch of the club...
in the Dutch league in the 1930s. He was forced to work
Arbeitseinsatz
Arbeitseinsatz was forced labour during World War II when German men were called up for military service and German authorities rounded up labourers, some from Germany but more from the occupied territories, to fill in the vacancies...
in a factory in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1942. The factory where he worked was bombed a year later, and Appel narrowly survived.
During the war, Appel played for Hertha BSC and for an unofficial Dutch national team, made up of Dutch forced labourers. His refusal to give the Hitler salute
Hitler salute
The Nazi salute, or Hitler salute , was a gesture of greeting in Nazi Germany usually accompanied by saying, Heil Hitler! ["Hail Hitler!"], Heil, mein Führer ["Hail, my leader!"], or Sieg Heil! ["Hail victory!"]...
before matches made the German authorities furious.
The Royal Dutch Football Association
Royal Dutch Football Association
The Royal Dutch Football Association is the governing body of football in the Netherlands. It organises the main Dutch football leagues , the amateur leagues, the KNVB Cup, and the Dutch national football team. It is based in the municipality of Zeist.The KNVB came into being on 8 December 1889...
suspended Appel after the liberation in 1945.
He was, however, a member of the Netherlands national football team
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
at the 1948 Summer Olympics
Football at the 1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Olympic Games title was won by Sweden, managed by Englishman George Raynor.-Summary:Sweden, whose Football Association forbade professionalism within domestic football, ran out as winners and only used 12 players throughout the entire tournament but there were exceptional performances put...
. He left for France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1949, and became an important player for Stade Reims
Stade Reims
Stade de Reims is a French association football club based in Reims. The club was formed in 1911 under the name Société Sportive du Parc Pommery and currently play in Ligue 2, the second level of French football having achieved promotion to the league following the 2009–10 season...
. He won the Coupe de France
Coupe de France
The Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
in 1950 and the French national title
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
in 1953. Appel scored 96 goals in 154 matches for Stade Reims.
Appel and Theo Timmermans took the initiative for a charity match for the victims of the North Sea flood of 1953
North Sea flood of 1953
The 1953 North Sea flood was a major flood caused by a heavy storm, that occurred on the night of Saturday 31 January 1953 and morning of 1 February 1953. The floods struck the Netherlands, Belgium, England and Scotland.A combination of a high spring tide and a severe European windstorm caused a...
, between France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
and Dutch footballers playing abroad. The Dutch players won the match 2-1. The match was not an official international, because the Dutch players had been suspended from the Dutch national team. The Royal Dutch Football Association did not allow football players to be professionals. This match, however, paved the way for the acceptance of professional football in the Netherlands. Two years later, the ban on professionalism was lifted
Appel returned to the Netherlands in 1954, having been signed by Fortuna '54 as one of the first professional football players in the Dutch league. He became a manager in 1960, and won the 1962/63 Eredivisie
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
title as manager of PSV Eindhoven.
He left the world of football after the title, and became a real estate agent. He lived a reclusive life at the end, and he died on 31 October 1997, one month before his 76th birthday.