Herman Nattkämper (4 October 1911 – 2 April 2005) was a German football player who most notably was German champion with

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, ...

in 1934 and 1935.

Career

Born in

Gladbeck Gladbeck () is a town in the district of Recklinghausen (district), Recklinghausen in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Gladbeck is quite a young town, first recognised 21 July 1919 when it was given town rights. The town established itself aroun ...

, he became a member of a local football club, Preußen Gladbeck, when he was 14. Tenbrink, the manager of the club, criticized Nattkämper for giving away a penalty. Due to this, he left his club and joined

Schalke Fußballclub Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04 e. V., commonly known as Schalke 04 (), and abbreviated as S04 (), is a Professionalism in association football, professional sports club from the Gelsenkirchen-Schalke, Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen, N ...

, where he was attributed to the rise of the club. He helped

win their first football championship in 1934, then won it again in

1935 Events January * January 7 – Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval conclude an agreement, in which each power agrees not to oppose the other's colonial claims. * January 12 – Amelia Earhart ...

, resulting in Schalke winning back-to-back championships. However, he could not focus on football as his job as a city official and helping his family's drink business was more important. Therefore, he left Schalke after 27 goals in 44 matches. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Nattkämper was held captive by Russian troops. In captivity, Nattkämper played some matches for a Danzig team. Following his release in 1948, he stated "football was physically out of the question".

Personal life

Nattkämper married his wife Hildegard in 1939, and lived with her in retirement in Gladbeck until his death in 2005.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nattkämper, Hermann 1911 births 2005 deaths Footballers from Gladbeck German men's footballers Sportspeople from the Province of Westphalia FC Schalke 04 players Men's association football defenders German prisoners of war in World War II held by the Soviet Union 20th-century German sportsmen