‘A true champion would rather have his arm torn out than give up. When one competitor shook my hand, it was like being gripped by a bear’s paw’
Over the years I’ve covered stories all over the world, as both photographer and writer, but as I was born in Bavaria and live in Munich, I’ve always been interested in the customs and way of life of my neighbours in the countryside. My first encounter with Bavarian fingerhakeln – finger wrestling – was about 10 years ago. I was fascinated by what I saw but it only occurred to me to do a story on the sport last year, which is how I ended up attending a championship event in Mittenwald.
The fingerhakeln tradition goes back hundreds of years. At one time, Bavarian woodcutters used the method to settle disputes. Now it’s an organised sport with five major championships every year. Opponents sit on stools either side of a table, and each hooks one of their middle fingers into a leather loop. The table has lines drawn at the edge, and the aim for each competitor is simply to pull their opponent’s middle finger over the line.
