Fritz Keller
Encyclopedia
Frédéric "Fritz" Keller (born Friedrich Keller, 21 August 1913 – 8 June 1985) was a German
-born French
footballer who played as a forward in the Première division
for RC Strasbourg
, and for the France national team
. He was born in Strasbourg
.
mother and a German
father in what was then Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen
, Fritz Keller was the second and arguably the most talented of the three Keller brothers (Albert, Fritz, Curt) who all played as professionals for RC Strasbourg
in the 1930s. He was a key member of the Strasbourg team that finished second in the 1934-35 Championship
and reached the final of the cup in 1937
.
When Alsace was de facto annexed by the Third Reich, Fritz Keller elected to play for SS side SG SS Straßburg
in the Gauliga Elsaß
rather than continuing with RC Strasbourg's ersatz, Rasensport Club Straßburg. According to some of his former teammates at RCS, this was more an opportunistic move than a real ideological gesture as the SS were offering significant rewards to build up the best team in Alsace.
and participated in World Cup 1934, playing one game against Austria's Wunderteam
. He was the first RC Strasbourg player to earn a cap with the national team. His younger brother Curt Keller also had one cap with France in 1937 but, at that time, Fritz's career for the national team had ended.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-born French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
footballer who played as a forward in the Première division
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
for RC Strasbourg
RC Strasbourg
Racing Club de Strasbourg is a French association football club founded in 1906 and professional since 1933, based in the city of Strasbourg, in Alsace...
, and for the France national team
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
. He was born in Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
.
Club career
Born to an AlsatianAlsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
mother and a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
father in what was then Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
, Fritz Keller was the second and arguably the most talented of the three Keller brothers (Albert, Fritz, Curt) who all played as professionals for RC Strasbourg
RC Strasbourg
Racing Club de Strasbourg is a French association football club founded in 1906 and professional since 1933, based in the city of Strasbourg, in Alsace...
in the 1930s. He was a key member of the Strasbourg team that finished second in the 1934-35 Championship
French football Division 1 1934–35
FC Sochaux-Montbéliard won Division 1 season 1934/1935 of the French Association Football League with 48 points.-Participating teams:-Final table:...
and reached the final of the cup in 1937
Coupe de France Final 1937
The Coupe de France Final 1937 was a football match held at Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes on May 9, 1937, that saw FC Sochaux-Montbéliard defeat RC Strasbourg 2-1 thanks to goals by Miguel Angel Lauri and Bernard Williams.-Match details:...
.
When Alsace was de facto annexed by the Third Reich, Fritz Keller elected to play for SS side SG SS Straßburg
SG SS Straßburg
SS Straßburg was a German association football club from the city of Straßburg, Elsass .The team was founded in 1900 as FC Frankonia 1900 Straßburg when the region was under German control...
in the Gauliga Elsaß
Gauliga Elsaß
The Gauliga Elsaß was the highest football league in the region of Alsace from 1940 to 1945. The Nazis reorganised the administrative region and the Alsace became part of the Gau Baden.-Overview:...
rather than continuing with RC Strasbourg's ersatz, Rasensport Club Straßburg. According to some of his former teammates at RCS, this was more an opportunistic move than a real ideological gesture as the SS were offering significant rewards to build up the best team in Alsace.
National team
Keller had his first cap for France on 10 May 1934 against the NetherlandsNetherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
and participated in World Cup 1934, playing one game against Austria's Wunderteam
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
. He was the first RC Strasbourg player to earn a cap with the national team. His younger brother Curt Keller also had one cap with France in 1937 but, at that time, Fritz's career for the national team had ended.