4) Anglo-German relations would still be strained
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After 2 consecutive World Wars, relations between Germany and England were extremely tense. Most Brits believed that the Germans were hostile and mirrored their fascist dictators in many ways. People who had lost their families in the Battle of Britain felt especially aggrieved. After the crash, however, the perception of the public began to change.
Following the crash, survivors and wounded alike were treated in Rechts der Isar Hospital in Munich. A few of the people who managed to pull through attribute their survival to the dedicated treatment received at the hands of the German doctor Georg Maurer. Ironically, Maurer had earlier been awarded the Iron Cross for bravery in treating German forces during the Second World War.
Then manager Matt Busby especially owed his life to the doctor. Busby also recalled how an image of his father, who had been killed by a German sniper, kept him strong and fighting for his life. It was this that sparked a huge improvement in the relations between the two countries.
David Hall, author of Manchester’s Finest was quoted as saying, “Less than fifteen years after trying to kill their countrymen, we stood and applauded these people[Germans] as our heroes”.
