Herbert Zimmermann

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For the German footballer, see Herbert Zimmermann (footballer). For other uses of "Zimmermann", see Zimmermann (disambiguation).

Herbert Zimmermann (29 November 1917 - 16 December 1966) was a popular German football commentator.

He did one of the most famous pieces of commentary in German language during the World Cup final in 1954 by "recommending" the goal that won the The Miracle of Bern for Germany.

Schäfer nach innen geflankt... Kopfball... Abgewehrt. Aus dem Hintergrund müßte Rahn schießen... Rahn schießt! Tor! Tor! Tor! Tor!
(silence)
Tor für Deutschland! Drei zu zwei führt Deutschland. Halten Sie mich für verrückt, halten Sie mich für übergeschnappt!

Schäfer puts in the cross... header... Cleared. Rahn should shoot from deep... Rahn shoots! Goal! Goal! Goal! Goal!
(Zimmermann fell silent for eight seconds before he spoke again)
Goal for Germany! Germany lead 3-2. Call me mad, call me crazy!"

After the final he was criticized for praising the goal keeper Turek by calling him Toni du bist ein Teufelskerl, Toni du bist ein Fußballgott (Toni you are a devil chap. Toni you are a football god.). Zimmermann, who rode a tank and held a major's rank during the war, was also criticized for the somewhat militaristic vocabulary he had used during the match.

He also commented the world championships in 1958, 1962 and 1966 over the radio. However, TV was more prominent now as most people had access to TV sets, so fewer and fewer people heard his reports.

On 11 December 1966 Zimmermann, who was known as a notoriously bad driver^{[citation needed]}, had an accident with his car. He succumbed to the injuries sustained in that accident five days later.

Zimmermann was the uncle of the German Green Party politician Hans-Christian Ströbele. The family holds the rights to his reports which still generates revenue.