The Miracle of Bern

The events take place in the early 1950s West Germany, a period of reconstruction and the beginning of the so-called economic miracle. The narrative culminates with the 1954 World Cup final in Bern, a symbolic moment of renewed national confidence and unity.

The story centers on Richard Lubanski's hometown Essen in the Ruhr region, an industrial city of coal mines and factories. The action then shifts to Bern, Switzerland, where the 1954 World Cup final unfolds and becomes a focal point of national pride. These locations reflect the postwar German environment and its rebuilding spirit.

❤️ Family

The film centers on Richard’s struggle to reunite with his family after years of war and imprisonment. It explores how fear, pride, and forgiveness shape a family trying to heal old wounds. Across the story, love and responsibility pull the characters toward reconciliation and a shared hope for the future.

⚽ Football & Pride

Football becomes a rallying force that helps bind a fractured nation. Matthias’s admiration for a local star and Helmut Rahn’s eventual success illustrate how the sport can evoke collective memory and pride. The final match in Bern becomes a vehicle for national healing.

✨ Miracles

The narrative features several small miracles that lift characters during hardship. Richard experiences a sudden joy through an abandoned ball, while Rahn is inspired by Matthias to score the winning goal. The weather and circumstances around the final add to a sense of destined triumph that transcends ordinary sport.

💹 Economic Miracle

The film frames the postwar recovery as a backdrop to personal reawakening, underscoring how a country rebuilds its identity through sport and solidarity. The victory at Bern symbolically reinforces the era’s optimism and the healing of societal wounds as Germany emerges anew.