At the dawn of the 20th century, Vienna was a haven for Western intellectuals. Footballer Matthias Sindelar (1903-1939) spent hours in cafés talking with intellectuals and workers alike. With Hitler's rise, Sindelar began to oppose the Nazi regime.
His popularity made him the star of Austrian soccer. After the German invasion, Hitler attended a gala game in which Sindelar led the Wunderteam to victory against the German national team (Mannschaft) with a score of 2-0: a humiliation for the Germans, yet an act of resistance for Austrians.
On January 23, 1939, Sindelar’s body was found next to that of his Jewish girlfriend. The cause of death? Carbon monoxide poisoning.