SS Straßburg was a German association football club from the city of

Straßburg Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin department and the official seat of the European Parliament. The cit ...

Alsace Alsace (, ; ) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in the Grand Est administrative region of northeastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine, next to Germany and Switzerland. In January 2021, it had a population of 1,9 ...

(today

Strasbourg Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...

, in France). The team was founded in 1900 as ''FC Frankonia 1900 Straßburg'' (after

Franconia Franconia ( ; ; ) is a geographical region of Germany, characterised by its culture and East Franconian dialect (). Franconia is made up of the three (governmental districts) of Lower Franconia, Lower, Middle Franconia, Middle and Upper Franco ...

) when the region was under German control. Following the end of World War I, the territory of Alsace was returned to France and the team became part of that country's competition as ''Sport-Club Red-Star Strasbourg''. In August 1940, after the

Nazi Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...

conquest of the province, ''Frankonia'' collapsed, but was immediately re-constituted out of its former membership as ''Sportgemeinschaft Schutzstaffel Straßburg'' in September. The formation of military clubs was common in Germany at the time, but the creation of an SS side required the permission of

Schutzstaffel The ''Schutzstaffel'' (; ; SS; also stylised with SS runes as ''ᛋᛋ'') was a major paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany, and later throughout German-occupied Europe during World War II. It beg ...

head

Heinrich Himmler Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician and military leader who was the 4th of the (Protection Squadron; SS), a leading member of the Nazi Party, and one of the most powerful p ...

. ''SG'' became part of the

Gauliga A Gauliga () was the highest level of play in German football from 1933 to 1945. The leagues were introduced in 1933, after the Nazi takeover of power by the National Socialist League of the Reich for Physical Exercise. Name The German word '' ...

Unterelsass, a regional first division established in the territory of Alsace, without having to first qualify. The side was quickly strengthened by the addition of other SS members who were required to leave behind their original clubs to don the white and black kit bearing the SS rune as a crest. In their second season, in what had since become the

Gauliga Elsaß The Gauliga Elsaß was the highest football league in the region of Alsace (German: Elsaß, the old orthography of Elsass) from 1940 to 1945. The Nazis reorganised the administrative region and the Alsace became part of the Gau Baden-Elsaß. Ove ...

, ''SG'' easily won the division and advanced through the national playoffs to the quarterfinals, where they were put out by eventual champions ''

FC Schalke 04 Fußballclub Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04 e. V., commonly known as Schalke 04 (), and abbreviated as S04 (), is a professional sports club from the Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is best known for its football team, ...

'', who emerged as the dominant side of the era. They also took part in the 1942

Tschammerpokal The DFB-Pokal (), also known as the German Cup in English, is a German knockout football cup competition held annually by the German Football Association (DFB). Sixty-four teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundes ...

tournament, predecessor to today's

DFB-Pokal The DFB-Pokal (), also known as the German Cup in English language, English, is a German knockout Association football, football cup competition held annually by the German Football Association (DFB). Sixty-four teams participate in the competiti ...

(German Cup), and went as far as the third round before being crushed 1:15 by ''

TSV 1860 München , commonly known as TSV 1860 München (; ''sechzig'' locally ; lettered as ) or 1860 Munich, is a sports club based in Munich. The club's association football, football team plays in the 3. Liga, the third tier of German football league system ...

'' on their way to a cup triumph. Their turn in the national playoffs was the highpoint of the Straßburg side's history; they could earn only third and second-place results in their next two campaigns. Play in the Gauliga Unterelsass never got underway in the 1944–45 season as Allied armies began their advance through Europe and into Germany, with ''SG'' disappearing in 1944.Grüne, Hardy (2001). Vereinslexikon. Kassel: AGON Sportverlag

Honours

(I) champions: 1942

References

Das deutsche Fußball-Archiv
historical German domestic league tables (in German) {{DEFAULTSORT:Strassburg, SG SS Football clubs in Strasbourg Defunct football clubs in former German territories Association football clubs established in 1900 Association football clubs disestablished in 1944 Nazi SS Military association football clubs in Germany Strasbourg in World War II 1900 establishments in Germany 1944 disestablishments in Germany Defunct football clubs in France 19th century in Strasbourg 20th century in Strasbourg