When the sun shines over Katowice, the ensemble of industrial museum, exhibition hall and arena looks less gloomy.

From the "Spodek", the saucer in which handball is played, it is only 500 meters to the former colliery site of the Silesian metropolis with its 300,000 inhabitants.

Coal is no longer mined here.

But the headframes are reminiscent of the town's mining history.

Today they provide a striking panorama and are a popular place for tourists to visit.

Outside at the Spodek, two large posters present the motto of this World Cup: "We stick together in Katowice.

We stick together in Slaskie.” Solidarity in Katowice and Silesia.

A fitting message in these times of alienation.

And a suitable message for the travel group of the German Handball Federation (DHB).

Actually, one should be suspicious of how often the players have raved about cohesion these days.

But if you listen to experienced players like Patrick Groetzki or Kai Häfner, you can't shake the feeling that something is really happening among the German elite handball players.

Something that can lead to the finals in Stockholm on January 29th?

Maybe something has already happened there.

In order to track down the vaunted team spirit, you have to go back a year.

Or Philip Weber?

"It might sound stupid," says the backcourt player on Monday, "but the tournament in Bratislava helped us grow into this bunch.

We have further developed this spirit through the courses.

And now we're here and it's great fun for everyone to be a part of.”

Width in the German squad

In January 2022, after the Corona outbreak, the Germans in the Lindner Hotel "Gallery Central" in Bratislava felt like they were in an epidemic ward: No contact!

In the end, more than 20 people from the team and staff were infected.

"We held team meetings with masks and distance and prepared for the opponent online in teams meetings," says assistant coach Erik Wudtke on Monday, shaking his head, "and then we took off the masks and played handball!"

Although moving closer together was strictly forbidden, the national team apparently moved closer together in the weeks in Bratislava.

Captain Johannes Golla said even then that Bratislava might be bitter, but could be priceless in the long run.

Now even the cold-blooded soul from Flensburg says: "I'm proud to be part of this team."

It is now important to benefit from the good starting position with four points after two games and feasible opponents in the main round, which starts on Thursday.

For this, national coach Alfred Gislason needs more than a goalkeeper, a playmaker, a defense chief.

Of course he relies on Andreas Wolff, Juri Knorr and Johannes Golla.

But since Sunday evening at the latest, when role players contributed to the win against Serbia, the discussion from the friendlies against Iceland has ended as to whether the German squad is strong enough for a World Cup after a good first seven.

"Currently, all suits fit," says Philipp Weber with a grin.

When hits or saves, the whole bank jumps up;

an enthusiasm of all, which the Germans had often admired at the opponents in previous tournaments - and then always seemed intimidated.

Goalkeeper number two Joel Birlehm held on to victory on Sunday.

Simon Ernst and Paul Drux relieved the team in their minute missions.

Jannik Kohlbacher was a win up front.

Christoph Steinert as Häfner's backup is good for this team in terms of character and sport.

Thanks to experience and empathy, can he catch up with Luca Witzke and Djibril M'Bengue, who have almost never played before?

"It may be hard to believe, but it really doesn't matter whether some have played more or less," replies the 33-year-old from Erlangen, "this "building up" happens without us paying much attention to it."

In order to really “get everyone into the tournament”, as Philipp Weber puts it, Algeria comes at just the right time this Tuesday (6 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the handball world championship and on ZDF).

Not a bad opponent, but the Germans have their four points for the main round and can spare the frequent players.

Gislason will only do this in small doses.

Nothing lifts the mood like victories.

On the other hand, Golla, Knorr, Häfner and Mertens could use a break and their colleagues could gain valuable minutes of play in the tournament.

Sometimes it is touching when the shared feel-good moments in Silesia are described.

"We're attached to each other," says Joel Birlehm.

Steinert is part of the "Team Table Tennis", others have discovered the card game "Frantic" for themselves.

Julian Köster talked about drinking coffee in the old town.

Gislason said irritated that he hadn't seen any on the Playstation.

Before it finally becomes too good to be true, Patrick Groetzki says on Monday with the experience of six World Cup tournaments: "The days are tightly timed.

Not much happens there.

I'll watch handball tonight.” The team can save the visit to the Silesian Museum for the main round.