Matthias Kraus
Germany
I was born and raised in Schweinfurt, Germany, a small city of 53,000 where I still reside today.
Growing up in Schweinfurt was not always easy, but my interest in sports made life easier. When I was younger, there were a lot of American soldiers stationed at the United States' military base in Schweinfurt who were fans of American football. At the time, not a lot of people in Germany followed the sport, so my interest was unusual.
I was able to interact with many of these troops and learn about the NFL. I was immediately infatuated with the history of the Green Bay Packers, as well as the fact that we, the fans, own the team. The Packers officially won me over when I watched Brett Favre lead the Packers to a victory in Super Bowl XXXI, bringing the Lombardi Trophy back to Titletown.
Fast forward to 2016, my dream came true. I finally had the opportunity to travel to Green Bay for the first time. The trip was one of the best experiences of my life, and I became addicted to the thrill of being surrounded by tens of thousands of fellow Packer Backers.
Ever since that moment, I have had the pleasure of befriending many other fans. Now every single time I return to Green Bay, it feels like coming home.
To maintain my connection to Green Bay, I built a man cave in my Schweinfurt home. My man cave serves as a gathering place for all NFL supporters, and I do my best to be a fan for the fans. My home is a place where fellow football enthusiasts can come together to talk about the sport we love and enjoy watching the games. Due to the time difference, the daytime games begin at 7 p.m. and the night games kick off at 2:30 a.m. However, that doesn't stop supporters of all different teams from joining me to watch the best league in all of sports.
Another step I took to spread the NFL fandom throughout Germany was co-founding a fan club called Packers Germany e.V. Besides facilitating a sense of belonging among German Packers fans, we also donate money to different organizations around Germany to support our community. Currently the club has nearly 670 members, and that number is still growing.
In all these years, I have created so many unforgettable memories thanks to the Packers. I have had the opportunity to meet numerous players and attend various games and events including training camp, shareholders meetings, charity dinners, the 2022 London game and countless other experiences. The most memorable of all was in 2019, when I proposed to my now wife at Lambeau Field following the Packers-Raiders game. I can still remember when the University of Wisconsin Marching Band played "Roll Out the Barrel" that day.
Words cannot express how much I appreciate the hospitality of the people and fans in Green Bay. What started as a fandom has turned into a family. All I can say is thank you. And of course…GO PACK GO!