Rote Jäger

The Rote Jäger (Red Hunters) were a short-lived German military football club active during World War II (August 1943 – November 1944).

Based near Hamburg, the unit developed into a refuge from service on the Eastern front for some Germany national team players.

By 1943, Graf had decided to act to save as many of the national team's players as he could from frontline service, attaching them to his unit – the Luftlandebrigade 26 (en: 26th Airborne Brigade) – as "technical experts".

The club played as a demonstration side and in armed forces competition, drawing its players from recruits doing military service.

Recognizable names who donned the club's jersey during their service terms before going on to professional careers and national team appearances include Felix Magath, Wolfgang Seel, Heinz Simmet, and Andreas Brehme.