Bundesliga referee Aaron Rohr whistled drunkenly

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November 8, 1975: With half an hour left in the Bundesliga match between Werder Bremen and Hannover, referee Wolf-Dieter Ahrenfeld blew the half-time whistle. Apparently there was beer and Malteser gin for lunch.

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Werder Bremen players were in for a surprise: an hour before the match against Hannover, the referee appeared in the players' dressing room without prior notice, wearing shorts and a breathable shirt.

The referee simply wanted to congratulate the masseur on his birthday, but the team members immediately smelled a pungent smell of alcohol. Bremen's libero Horst-Dieter Hortgers immediately recognized the situation and brought the referee to him: “Man, Wolf-Dieter, you're totally blue,” said the said the 31-year-old defender in surprise. Horteges quickly carried out a temporary sobering operation. He gave the drunken man a bath and then rubbed Wick on him.

The “revival attempt” of the Bremen players did not fail. At least that's the case for now. Wolf-Dieter Ahlenfelder really got on the pitch and called the game a good time. Things seemed to be going according to routine.

The half-time whistle suddenly sounded

Given the circumstances, Aronfield confidently led the game in the first 30 minutes. He feels good. A little too good, it turns out. Half an hour later, the referee was ecstatic because of the alcohol in his blood and thought to himself: “Brother Ahli, you are in a good mood today and the game is going well.” Then he suddenly blew a whistle into the “flute box” .

Players no longer understand the world. Horst-Dieter Horteges was once again the first to take charge of the referee. “We're not even halfway done yet. My shirt isn't wet yet,” the Bremen player said. Hannover coach “Fifi” Kronsbein had little sympathy for the drunken Ahrenfeld, soberly saying: “Mr. Ahrenfeld is drunk.”

No doubt that was the referee's mood – but the game went on. Under the guidance of Aronfield, of course. Since the striker was no more discerning than the referee, the game ended 0-0. But no one really cares about that. The question is: Why did the referee show up to the game drunk?

A sumptuous lunch with the referee supervisor

Wolf-Dieter Aronfeld's explanation was simple: “Before the game we were invited to have lunch with Richard Axshot, Werder Bremen's head referee.” In the 1970s, It has become tradition for the three referees to enjoy the warm hospitality of the home team at Bundesliga games. Financially, the commitment to Allenfield simply wasn't worth it. It is said that the daily fee of 24 marks is all he earns from managing a Bundesliga game.

Hearty: Cabbage and pee, a traditional Bremen dish.Image: imago/schwörer

Logically, he did not miss Richard Ackshott's invitation: there was cabbage and urine! Although it was a hearty meal before a sporting challenge, it was a completely normal lunch in Bremen.

Sausage and cabbage will definitely fascinate you, but the fact that Aronfeld is one-in-a-thousand doesn't explain northern German home cooking. The cause of the referee's poisoning was not the solid food but the liquid companion. Pinkel and Kohl offer beer and a gin called Malteser.

In the 1970s, when a morning beer was still part of a good way of life in German society, one thing led to another. By the end of the party, Aronfield was indeed having a good time.

Cheers! Malteser was Arenfield's downfall.Picture: www.imago-images.de

Allenfield becomes a legend

For Aronfield, beer is just part of football. “Men don't drink Fanta”, this is his wise saying. That's why, according to legend, you can still order an “Ahlenfelder” in an average restaurant in Bremen, and the waiter puts in front of you a glass of beer and a shot of Malteser schnapps, which may suit his taste.

But Wolf-Dieter Ahlenfelder didn't just make a name for himself in the dive bars of northern Germany. The slightly obese referee was quickly hailed as a “fanatic referee” by fans. And not just because of how drunk he looked. The man from the Ruhr area is also good at sports. In 1984, the German Football Association even awarded him the title of “Golden Whistle” as the best referee of the year.

His pragmatism and collegiality earned him widespread recognition. Becoming a referee rather than a player was definitely the right decision. However, he never really considered a career. He dropped to his knees and said pragmatically: “Not everyone can be a superstar. There was a lack of referees, so I did it myself.” He seemed to have quickly found his calling: “You have to be born to be a superstar. Judge, otherwise you'd better be selling currywurst at the Christmas market,” Aronfield said.

In 2010, Aronfeld was on his first football pitch, the TuS Grün-Weiss Holten.Image source: imago sports photo service

Wolf-Dieter Ahlenfelder died of chronic diabetes on August 2, 2014 at the age of 70. However, Arenfield will live on in the hearts of Bundesliga fans for a long time. Even in the afterlife, the refereeing legend will still be proud that you can order an “Ahlenfelder” in Bremen.