Reflections on Terror: Matthias Ginter’s Experiences from Paris to Dortmund

As the tenth anniversary of the November 2015 Paris terror attacks approaches, German public broadcaster ARD has released a documentary detailing the experiences of the German national team during that fateful night in the French capital. The Stade de France was one of the epicenters of the attacks, as Joachim Löw’s national team was competing in a friendly match when three suicide bombers detonated their vests outside the stadium over a period of 40 minutes.

The situation could have escalated much further on November 13, 2015. The bombers had intended to enter the stadium and cause mass casualties, with one of them even possessing tickets for the match. Following the detonation of the first bomb, which occurred within the stadium crowd, the remaining bombers, wearing Bayern Munich track suits, waited outside to exploit the ensuing panic.

Fortunately, a French security guard intervened, preventing the first bomber from entering the stadium. The attackers resorted to detonating their vests among the gathered crowds instead. While many were injured, there was only one casualty apart from the bombers.

French authorities wisely chose not to inform the fans or players inside the stadium about the attacks, allowing the match to proceed as planned. This decision mitigated the potential for panic and a dangerous rush toward the exits, which could have led to further casualties. The German national team ultimately spent the night at the stadium for security reasons.

Matthias Ginter, now a defender for SC Freiburg, was part of the German national team during that night in Paris. Less than two years later, he found himself at the center of another tragic event: the attack on the Borussia Dortmund team bus on April 11, 2017, prior to a Champions League quarterfinal against AS Monaco.

In an interview with Kicker, Ginter reflected on both traumatic incidents. When asked about his willingness to discuss these events, his emotions were evident as he recounted his memories.

“I heard a loud bang in the 17th minute and felt a shock wave,” said Ginter, who was 21 at the time. “One is used to hearing firecrackers in the stands, but this was different. I glanced at the stands, which I rarely do, but there was nothing there. After that, I returned my focus to the game. I first realized something was amiss when the French fans did not celebrate their 2-0 victory after the match. I knew something wasn’t right.”

Ginter added, “We weren’t allowed to visit our fans after the final whistle. We were instructed to head straight to the locker room. Oliver Bierhoff informed us that there had been attacks in Paris and attempts to infiltrate the stadium. It only became real for me when I entered the locker room and opened my phone to find texts from friends and family asking if I was okay.

“Spending the night in the locker room, I remained wide awake texting family members. On our way to the airport, we drove through a deserted city. There was not a single person or car, no lights in the houses. The shutters were down everywhere. It was eerily quiet in a city known for its vibrancy.

“While I hesitate to compare the two incidents, the Dortmund attack felt more personal. When the smoke and smell filled the bus and everyone yelled ‘Get down!’, I genuinely thought, ‘This is it.’ It felt closer and more threatening than in Paris.

“After the Dortmund attack, I questioned whether continuing to play football made sense,” Ginter noted. “Following a couple of days off, I told my then-girlfriend, now my wife, ‘I can’t do this anymore. I don’t feel like it.’ I initially viewed the Paris attack as a rare stroke of bad luck, something so unrealistic that it wouldn’t happen again. When it occurred again, I wondered if it was worth it.

“I still dislike sitting by the window on the team bus, but I can board the bus without issue. A firecracker in the stadium doesn’t bother me. However, if I see an unattended backpack on a train or at a concert, I regard it differently than I did before the attacks. If a truck drives slowly past while we’re walking, I might say to my wife, ‘Let’s cross the street.’

“There is no such thing as absolute security in football or life,” Ginter concluded. “The atmosphere during the rescheduled Champions League match and the sense of solidarity made it one of the most remarkable games of my career. We faced France again in an October 2018 Nations League game, following the same routines, and I no longer had negative thoughts about the hotel, stadium, or locker room. This helped me move on from those experiences.”

— GGFN | Peter Weis