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FC Kattowitz. 1. FC Kattowitz. Ernest Otton Wilimowski (German: Ernst Otto Wilimowski, born Ernst Otto Prandella; 23 June 1916 – 30 August 1997), nicknamed "Ezi", was a footballer who played as a forward. He ranks among the best goalscorers in the history of both the Poland national team and Polish club football.
Sep 16, 2020 · Ernst Otto Prandella (‘Ezi Wilimowski’) was born in Kattowitz, then in the German Empire, in 1916, during the First World War. Both Ernst’s parents were of German descent. His father died fighting for Germany on the Eastern Front.
- Early Life
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Born in Kattowitz (Katowice), Prussian Silesia, German Empire, Willimowski was raised in a Silesian family, typical of the Upper Silesian Polish-German borderland. After eastern Upper Silesia became part of Poland in 1922, he became a citizen of the Second Polish Republic. His parents, Ernst-Roman and Paulina, were German. His father, a soldier for...
Ruch Chorzów
Willimowski, who had six toes on his right foot, played on the left side as a forward and showed himself to be a very skilled dribbler as well as a natural goalscorer. He began his career with the ethnically German club 1. FC Kattowitz, then in 1933 at the age of 17, moved to Polish side Ruch Wielkie Hajduki, today known as Ruch Chorzów. "Ezi" quickly established himself as the team's best player: in his first season he scored 33 goals to lead the league. His first Ekstraklasa game took place...
Polish national team
Soon after beginning his club football career, "Ezi" earned his first cap for Poland when he debuted against Denmark in København on 21 May 1934 in a 2:4 loss: he was just 17 years and 332 days old. In a total of 22 appearances for Poland Willimowski netted 21 goals, nearly a goal per game. However, his off field conduct was less than ideal and in 1936 the young man's penchant for drinking and partying led to a one-year suspension imposed by the Polish football association just before the Oly...
After the division of Poland, Willimowski as Volksdeutscher re-took German citizenship, like the majority of the inhabitants of the Eastern part of Upper Silesia, among them all the players of the Polish national team coming from this region. It allowed them to continue their football careers as Poles were not permitted to participate in sports und...
After the war, Willimowski, who was regarded by the Polish government as a traitor, was not allowed to visit his Silesian homeland during the Communist regime. He was with SG Chemnitz-West in 1946-47 and had a short spell with RC Strasbourg in 1949. After that, he settled in the Karlsruhe area, opening a restaurant there. Even though he was already...
Karl-Heinz Harke, Georg Kachel; Fußball – Sport ohne Grenzen. Die Lebensgeschichte des Fußball-Altnationalspielers Ernst Willimowski., Dülmen, Laumann-Verlag 1996, ISBN: 3-87466-259-4Thomas Urban: Schwarze Adler, weiße Adler. Deutsche und polnische Fußballer im Räderwerk der Politik. Göttingen2011, pp. 28–48.Ernest Wilimowski was born Ernst Pradella in Kattowitz (Katowice) in June 1916 and would go onto become one of the most legendary players of his or any other era and also one of Poland's most controversial. Born into a German-speaking Silesian family, his father died at the front in WWI and he later.
From his early days as a rising star to becoming a powerhouse in the sport, Wilimowski’s legacy continues to be celebrated by fans and fellow athletes alike. Let’s dive into the remarkable story of this Polish football icon.
His parents, Ernst-Roman and Paulina, were German. His father, a soldier for the German Empire, died on the Western Front in the First World War. His mother sent him to a German kindergarten, a German primary school [3] and, when he was nine years old, to the German football team 1. FC Kattowitz.
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Ernst Wilimowski’s journey to becoming a soccer legend started in his hometown in Poland. He quickly rose through the ranks of local youth teams, showcasing his exceptional talent and skill on the field.
