Robert Enke suicide: A year after

On November 10, 2009 the then German number one goalkeeper Robert Enke committed suicide by throwing himself infront of a train close to his home near Hanover, where he played for Bundesliga side Hanover 96. I remember that last year my friend Chris Punnakkattu Daniel told me about the death, first there was no talk of suicide. I couldn't believe it, I was just stunned like the rest of the people.

I had been following Robert Enke's career since his day's at Borussia Moenchengladach. He had joined the club in the west of Germany from his home town team FC Carl Zeiss Jena. His career thereafter took him to Benfica Lisbon, FC Barcelona, Fenerbahce Istanbul, CD Tenerife and then Hanover 96. He seemed to have found his feet in Hanover as he also became a German national goalkeeper and in 2009 he was regarded as the goalkeeper who would be in Germany's goal at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The story would abruptly end on November 10, 2009. And only thereafter the public got to know that Enke, who seemed to have everything in wealth, family, success; had been fighting depression for over seven years. And as his widow Teresa said, she never knew if he would win the fight and in the end he lost it. Robert Enke was only 32.

A year later there was a private ceremony at his tomb yesterday to mark the first anniversary of his death. It was attended by federation president Theo Zwanziger, Germany coach Joachim Loew, Germany manager Oliver Bierhoff, Hanover 96 president Martin Kind amongst others.

The city of Hannover plans to name a street next to the city's stadium (AD Arena) after Robert Enke in rememberance of a footballer who will not be forgotten in Hanover, who gave so much to the city, its club and their fans.

In a video message on the German FA (DFB) website, Theo Zwanziger paid tribute to Enke saying:

"He was a strong national team goalkeeper, but he had a weakness.
We have got to be prepared not to make such a weakness into a taboo and allow it to be kept secret, but to try and bring it out of its silence.
The mourning, the pain and above all the question 'why?' continue to accompany us to this day. We have got to remember that that question still must be answered."

Zwanziger also pleaded against racial, religious and sexual discrimination in football. But many question if any change has happened since the death of Enke. The example of footballer Andreas Biermann showed, who after Enke's suicide came out into the open to say that he also suffers from depression. But after his contract ended last summer with FC St. Pauli he hasn't been able to find a new club as questions about his mental stability is there as no club wants to take a chance or gamble on a player like him. So in the end things haven't really changed.