The polar bears are united in pain

Before the visitors to the ice hockey game between the Eisbären Berlin and the Nuremberg Ice Tigers flocked to the sold -out arena on Sunday evening, they held nine in front of the number. Since Thursday there has been a place to commemorate and mourn Tobias Eder, who had lost the fight against cancer on Wednesday at the age of 26.

Probably everyone who was there for the first game after Eder’s death wanted to pause for a few minutes, put candles and flowers or just hug friends or other fans in their arms. “Forever our number 22” or “do it well, Tobi” was on self -made grief cards. It has never been as quiet as that day on the square in front of the arena around a game. The usual bright advertising on the neighboring buildings was switched off.

When indoor spokesman Uwe Schumann entered the center of the ice rink at 7:05 p.m., the feeling that an entire club with his fans was closely together in these difficult days. Numerous spectators converted the arena during the minute’s memorial and the video, which mostly showed the deceased laughing, into a sea of ​​lights with their cell phones.

At the first goal, Eder’s favorite song

In his first season, which many should have followed, Eder had also provided a lot of fun with the polar bears – through his goals and templates. Above all, because of his way, which was infected by pretty much everyone who was in contact with him. “Tobi was a person who was close to our heart,” says the memorial side for Eder on the association’s website. “Always ready to everything and to have nonsense for everyone.”

In the last seconds of the commemoration, a loud “Tobias Eder” call from the fan curve sounded. It was the signal for everyone in the arena to raise even more energy than usual. “Clapping into your hands until she hurt you,” indicated spokesman Uwe Schumann passed on the team’s wish. During warm-up, the music had already wandered intensively from the speakers as usual.

You can only guess how difficult it was to play ice hockey that day. Many fought tears during memory. Also, as usual, they were not called on the ice enthusiastically through the player tunnel, but came directly from the cabin. The usual Klamauk during the breaks was also dispensed with that day.

A special moment was the 22nd minute, when the outline of an polar bear was turned into a large red heart in the fan curve, next to which “Forever in our hearts” stood. Minine -long standing ovation and applause formed the right framework for this.

Although the sporty in the 2: 1 (1: 0, 1: 1, 0: 0) stepped into the background from the perspective of the hosts, the joy of gates from the polar bears was still great. The goal from Ty Ronning, who pointed his finger towards the sky, was particularly emotional after only 36 seconds. Instead of the usual hymn, which was later heard after Kai Wissmann’s goal, Eder’s favorite song “Viva La Vida” from Coldplay sounded here. It is also to be understood as a request to remember him with joie de vivre.