Emergency services from the police, fire department, rescue service and public order office pose together with fans of various European Championship matches that will take place at the four North Rhine-Westphalian venues. Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Cologne and Gelsenkirchen had searched for supporters of the various nations on their social media channels in advance. As a result, not only the uniforms of various authorities and organizational units of the city and police can be seen at a photo shoot in Dortmund, but also different jerseys and national colors.
The reason for the colourful hustle and bustle and the many beaming faces is the FAIRPLAY + RESPECT campaign for the European Football Championship. To coincide with the matches between the national teams, the respective fans will be photographed with officers from the respective cities and police authorities. "The aim is to make all international fans feel welcome in North Rhine-Westphalia during the European Championship," says Andrea Wommelsdorf from the "Der Mensch dahinter" initiative. As she has already cooperated closely with the North Rhine-Westphalian police, she came up with the idea of setting up a joint project for UEFA EURO 2024.
One of the people taking pictures for the Düsseldorf police headquarters is police superintendent Christopher Heuts. The 30 year old will be working in press and public relations during the European Championships. "We are looking forward to the EURO, but we have a lot of preparatory work to do. It's the same for the other venue authorities," says Heuts. The mood at the photo shoot is exuberant. "Everyone is involved in the campaign and pulling in the same direction. You can immediately feel the bond with the other emergency services here."
And the interaction with the international fans also makes this day something special. "It's great that so many soccer fans have come forward to support our campaign," says a delighted Wommelsdorf. A Polish family and a Scotsman with bagpipes are among those taking part. There is great anticipation for the European Championships in Germany. "We all want to have fun at the event and hope that it goes off peacefully. By taking part, the fans are also showing their gratitude for the emergency services. They ensure our safety and have to work while we can enjoy it all."
The "The person behind it" initiative has photographed over 100 faces so far. Each one has its own story. It shows the people behind the uniform. This is because they are particularly often affected by hostility and attacks in their work. The impetus for the project came from the Stuttgart riot night in 2020, when Andrea Wommelsdorf and her friends were shocked by people's disrespectful behavior. Rescue workers were obstructed and attacked. 32 police officers were injured. The four friends therefore launched the "Initiative for Respect and Tolerance". Wommelsdorf immediately had the idea of life-size pictures of emergency services and their stories in mind.
Police, firefighters, emergency services and the public order office are represented. But bus drivers, referees, journalists and representatives of the judiciary are also included. Each picture is accompanied by a personal text. The first exhibition took place in Münster in 2022. It is now on tour throughout Germany. And there is great interest. "Der Mensch dahinter" is already fully booked until mid-2025. New faces are added at each location. "The respective authorities, cities or municipalities want to have local people there to tell their stories," explains Andrea Wommelsdorf. "Each district has a different focus and slightly different problems. I'm glad that the emergency services trust us and want to share their experiences. The interviews are often very emotional."
One firefighter, for example, talked about how he got a knife between his ribs during an operation. In the heat of the moment, however, he only noticed the injury later. A member of staff at a juvenile detention center was attacked and seriously injured by an inmate while serving food. A young police officer who is still in training tried to resuscitate a person, but the person died. Half an hour later, he was spat at and insulted during the next call-out. "The stories show us the emergency services up close and personal. But they also show that we can trust them. They know what they are doing and just want to do their job and help us," says Wommelsdorf. For her and the other initiators, "Der Mensch dahinter" is a project close to their hearts. "It has brought us even closer together as friends." There will also be a cooperation with Stuttgart for the European Championships. There are already many more ideas for the future. "Don't just talk, do it," says Andrea Wommelsdorf.