Grieving Germany commemorates 'Der Kaiser'

MUNICH, Germany — "Suddenly darker, quieter, poorer" — the words of Bayern Munich summed up the mood of a bereaved Germany on Tuesday as the country mourned the legendary footballer Franz Beckenbauer, the man they called "the Kaiser".

Residents in Beckenbauer's home city of Munich braved the freezing cold weather to pay their respects, bringing flowers a day after the death was announced of the German soccer icon — a World Cup winner as both player and manager.

The headquarters of Bayern Munich on Saebener Strasse was a point of pilgrimage for fans of Beckenbauer, who spent most of his playing career at the club, winning four of his five Bundesliga titles and three European Cups in 1974, 1975 and 1976.