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We have very little information on German sports until after World War II. We have no information on organized youth sports in Germany during the first half of the 20th century. We do not boys engaged in athletics, track and field. As far as we can tell this was not widely organized through the schools. German schools seem to have tsaken a very scademic approch with little emphasis on sports. We have no indication yet that there were inter-school or intra-mural sports competitions in Germany. We do believe that there were sports clubs. I'm not sure but I believe that before World War II this involved youths and not boys. Even in the 1950s, most photogrsaphs show German boys playing sports in their regular clothes rather than uniforms. In term of sports, we not many images of German boys playing football (soccer), but few playing other sports.
We have very little information on German sports until after World War II. We have no information on organized youth sports in Germany during the first half of the 20th century. We do not boys engaged in athletics, track and field. We also know that German boys are fixated on soccer, to the exclusion of virtually all other sports.
"Turnen" means "gymnastics") in German, but has a moren general meaning as well. A reader tells us, " 'Turnen' is for us a rather general term. The term 'Gymnastik/"Geräteturnen' is not very popular in general and in schools. 'The term 'Gymnastik' is more used for medical purposes, 'Krankengymnastik"/"Heilgymnastik'."
"Turnvater Jahn" (Friedrich Ludwig Jahn) is considered to be the founder of all the activities in sports/gymnastics in Germany.
Soccer is clearly the most important sport in Germany. In term of sports, we not many images of German boys playing football (soccer), but few playing other sports. We do not even notice a sport that German boys commonly play loke soccer. There are no seasonal alternatives as is the case in America. We notice boys even play soccer in the Winter. The basic unigform, however, does not change. Some boys play indoors. Other boys wear warm clothing like tights.
As far as we can tell this was not widely organized through the schools. German schools seem to have tsaken a very scademic approch with little emphasis on sports. We have no indication yet that there were inter-school or intra-mural sports competitions in Germany. A German reader tells us, "I don't know when sport activities were introduced in school curriculae. In winter,
there is traditional gymnastics in halls and swimming, in summer openair sport at fields and stadien. During the Nazi regime they were very much supported by the government, "Wehrertüchtigung" (pre-military training). In all schools and for children of all ages there were at least 2 hours of sport per week."
We have limited information on German sports clubs, but believe tey played a najor role in German sports. German schools tended to give very limited attention to sports. Thus children and youth interested in sports joined clubs. Most of the clubs, especially before World War II wre male groups. Female sports clubs were very limited, if they existed at all. I'm not sure but I believe that before World War II this involved primarily youths and young men and not boys. Even in the 1950s, most photogrsaphs show German boys playing sports in their regular clothes rather than uniforms. Sports clubs seem to have have played a very important role in athlectics and sports. We have, however, very little informstion at this time. As far as we can tell it is Friedrich Ludwig Jahn who played a major role in popularizing gymnastics in Germany and it was his followers who founded the first athletic sports clubs. The importance of sports clubs seemed to have declined during the NAZI era, first because the Hitler Youth became the focus of youth activities and then because of the Wa.
Friedrich Ludwig Jahn is considered to be the founder of gymnastics and other sports activities in Germany. He is widely known as "Turnvater Jahn" He was born in Prignitz/Lanz, northwest of Stendalin Germany (1778). Lanz was part of Brandenburg-Prussia. His father was a parish priest. He entered the Graues Kloster secondary school in Berlin (1794). He continued his studies at Halle, Greifswald, and other locations (1796-1803). He worked as a private tutor at Neubrandenburg (1802-06). Jahn grew up in tumultous times. The Napoleonic wars were raging and Napoleon brought his French Army into Germany to prevent the Austrian and Russian armies from joining against him. Napoleon smashed the Austrians and Russians at Austerlitz (1806) and then the Prussians at Jenna (1806). The Russians withdrew into Poland leaving all of Germany in Napoleon's hands. Many young Germans at this time began to apire to a united Germany. This was especially common among liberals. Germany's aristocratic rulers were more interested in maintaining their perogatives which meant a Germany divided among large numbers of mostly small principalities. (Even Chhancellor Otto von Bismarck for much of his life was much more a Prussian than a German patriot.) Jahn was one of those liberals who decided to work for a an independent and united Germany. Jahn met Guts-Muths in Schnepfenthal who significantly influenced him (1807). Guts-Muths was a propnent of modernizing the educational system. His progressive ideas included gymnastics which at the time was virtually unknown in Germany. Jahn began teaching at the Graues Kloster School in Berlin that he had previously attended (1808). As a teacher, he played a major role in founding the gymnastics movement in Germany. Jahn is credited with building the first modern gymnastics equipment. It was his followers who began organizing athletic clubs in Germany. The clubs were known as Turnvereins which were popular in Germany beginning in the mid-19th century until World war I. These clubs organized important festivals and contests. These events included a national Turnfeste. Jahn tauhht in Berlin. Jahn began taking students outdoors to exercise and play games on a field (1810). The first German gym fiekld was opened in Berlin at Hasenhelde. German liberals were not pacifists. Jahn's interest in gymnastics and exercize was in part to prepare young Germans for a war of liberarion. Their opportunity came after Napoleon's disastroups Russian campaign (1812). Many of his students volunteered for the Lützow Corps and Jahn himself was a commander. Armies formed by the Prussians and Russians and then the Austrians droce Napoleon out of Germany (1813). The key battle was the Battle of the Nations neat Leipzig (October 1813). Jahn's students and returning veterans founded the German Student's Society. He built a variety of basic devices that were to prove models for the gymnastic equipment now used around the world. He also wrote books and lectured on the importance of physical education and teaching methods. These books were used as guides for early physical education programs in Germany and other countries. Napoleon's defeat led to neither a united Germany or the establishment of the institutions of liberal democracy. Jahn and other liberals were appalled at the aftermath of the campign against Napoleon. The old conservative monarchies were reinstalled by the Congress of Vienna (1815). This led to agitation for reform by German liberals. Jahn himself was arrested (1819).
As liberalism became increasingly accepted and his ideads on physical education increasing popularity, Jahn became seen as a national hero. Jahn's major thesis was that education had lost its ballance and that the whole man needed to be educated which meant that a physical education program was an essential element in schoools. [Jahn] He became a member of the "Deutsche Nationalversamm-lung" (1848). he was known to say, “... become fit and physically prepared for revolutionary times ...”. He died
in Freyburg an der Unstrut (1852). You can find such monuments to Jahn at "Turn-hallen", "Sportplätzen", "Stadien" thtoughout Germany.
Towns and villages usually offered in the second half of the 19th century and in the 20th century one or more Turnhallen and Sportplätze for doing sports in halls and, in summer, openair. And there was a Turnhalle belonging to all schools. There are a lot of "Sport-vereine" which organise sport activities and leagues. In the beginning of the 20th century and during the Nazi regime, Sportvereine very often were hidden clubs for persons who objected to the state administration, socialistic ideas were discussed and maintained there. Now, at the end of the 20th century, there are new forms of sport activities, “Fitness-Studios”, Tennis and Golf, to give examples, which are no more socially objecting to state administration, open to the general public.
East German during the Cold War was a sports powerhouse. It was widely suspected at the time that East German atheletes wee receiving steroids. Since the fall of Communist a great deal has been learned about how such stunning succes were achieved. The East German Government launched a secret program which involved the dopeing of over 10,000 atheletes. The most tragic aspect of the program was the dopeing of children. Scientits, doictors, and coahes cooperated n program which began dopeing children entering puberty--including 12 years old girls. This was a compulsory program that was done without the knwledge of the children or parents. Many of the children now suffer a range of debilitating health problem.
A German reader who tells us that he was not especially sports munded, provides us some of his experiences, "In primary school, 1941-45 we had some gymnastics, running, and games. After World War II, as I entered the gymnasium (secondary school), we had first only very little sports activities, In winter there were no halls available because they were destroyed by the Allied bombing during the War or it was not possible to heat them. I can remember that in winter 1947/48 we had sport in a partially prepared hall of another school far away, two or three classes in parallel. The Turnhalle of my school was destroyed. In summer it was organised to go to a sports field doing openair activities. Then, I think it was in winter 1949/50 every second week, we went for swimming in a heated swimming hall, "Hallenschwimmbad" not too far away. Only in 1952 the Turnhalle of my school was usable again. I didn't like to do sports in school."
Jahn, Friedrich Ludwig. A Treatise on Gymnastics (1828).
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