BERLIN -- A brutal attack on a black man in eastern Germany has sparked a public debate here over whether Germans are ready to accept "the world, at home with friends," as their motto for the World Cup.
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Leading Bavarian conservative Edmund Stoiber became the latest politician calling for action, urging officials in comments published Saturday to ban all forms of xenophobia from soccer stadiums during the June 9-July 9 tournament.
He also called on Germans to send a "clear signal" to visitors that xenophobia is not accepted here.
"As open-minded hosts, we must send a concerted signal during the World Cup," Stoiber was quoted as saying in the Bild am Sonntag daily. "Guests from around the world must feel that they are welcome and absolutely safe in our country."
Before last Sunday's attack in the eastern city of Potsdam grabbed national headlines, the African Council was so worried about the welfare of blacks visiting Germany for the World Cup, its members began drawing up a list of places for blacks to avoid for fear of being racially targeted.
Five African teams are competing in the World Cup.
"So many people will come here and won't have any idea of how dangerous it is for black Africans here," said Jonas Endrias, who heads the council. "If they come to Berlin and don't know to be cautious, a lot of them will certainly get beaten up."
Endrias maintains that blacks are targeted, either verbally or physically, almost daily in the eastern sectors of Berlin and the surrounding state of Brandenburg, where last week's attack on an Ethiopian-born German occurred.
German authorities do not keep records of violence specifically targeting blacks.
Federal investigators have launched an investigation against two Germans on suspicion of attempted murder for the severe beating of the man, who remains in a medically induced coma in critical condition.
Authorities said the arrests were made based on tips from the public they received in response to a recording of a phone call the 37-year-old man left on his wife's voicemail.
On the recording, which police posted on the Internet, voices can be heard taunting the man with racial epithets.
Separately, a Nigerian player for Sachsen Leipzig made headlines last month for responding with a straight-armed Hitler salute to a group of fans who made monkey sounds at him every time he took possession of the ball.
Prosecutors launched and later dropped an investigation into the gesture, which is illegal in Germany, on the grounds that it was a response to a provocation.
The player, Adebowale Ogungbure, told ARD television's Panorama program last week that while he recognizes the gesture was wrong, he doesn't regret the action because it has raised the issue of racism in soccer here.
"Now everyone knows what happened. Since my Hitler salute -- which was of course inappropriate -- it's been a big story. Before, no one was really interested."
