Figure 1.--German interest in sports and participastion expanded greatly after World War II. Here three German boys (about 11-12 years of age) scaling a high wire fence in order to get into a soccer stadium in Germany for a German football (soccer) match. The boys are dressed in their ordinary school and/or play outfits. All the boys are in short trousers. One boy wears argyle knee socks while the other two wear long stockings (dark brown, I think) held up by a Strapsleibchen with four supporters. The use of the Strapsleibchen is obvious because of the smoothness of the stockings and the fact that the garters don't show even under rather athletic circumstances. The popularity of soccer during the 1950s was one of the enthusiasms that made the hard years after World War II a bit more bearable for the German public, and the children of course were just as eager as their parents. The boys shown here seem to be getting into the stadium illegally because they didn't have tickets.

The history of sport in Germany is very interesting, in part because it touches upon a range of social and cultural trends as well as the major 20th century conflicts, World War II and the Cold War. Our information is still sketchy, hopefully German readers will provide more insight into German sports. German sport has been affected both by domestic and international trends. Friedrich Ludwig Jahn is considered to be the founder of gymnastics and other sports activities in Germany. He is widely known as "Turnvater Jahn". We have limited information on German sports clubs, but believe they 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. Team sports as in other countries are mostly imported from Britain with of course football (soccer) becoming king. As best we can tell, however, major professional spectator sports did not develop in Germany as they did in Britain and even more so America. And opportunities for youth sports were very limited unless the famikly had the money so the child could participate in a spots club. The NAZI take over (1933) changed this somewhat because of the great emphasis on health and exercize. There were opportunities for sport, but for the most part the Hitler Youth movement emphasized other types of physical activity, but gifted children were encouraged to pursue sport. The NAZIs turned the Olympic Games into an international phenomenon as part of their effort to show case the new Germanhy (1936). After that Germany and Europe descended into war with little time for sport. After the War, German children for the first time had a real opportunity to enjoy sport and the German Economic Miracle. The East German Communists like the NAZIs put an enphasis on developing the capabilities of talebnted children. This included the use of drugs to enhance their performabce. The emphasis in West Germany was to expanding sport opportunities for all children and not just the talented few.

Friedrich Ludwig Jahn--Turnvater Jahn (1778-1852)

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 schools. [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.

Turnhallen

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.

Athletic/Sports Clubs

We have limited information on German sports clubs, but believe they 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.

NAZI Sport

As best we can tell, however, major professional spectator sports did not develop in Germany as they did in Britain and even more so America. And opportunities for youth sports were very limited unless the famikly had the money so the child could participate in a spots club. The NAZI take over (1933) changed this somewhat because of the great emphasis on health and exercize. There were opportunities for sport, but for the most part the Hitler Youth movement emphasized other types of physical activity, but gifted children were encouraged to pursue sport. The NAZIs turned the Olympic Games into an international phenomenon as part of their effort to show case the new Germanhy (1936). After that Germany and Europe descended into war with little time for sport. One sport that all HJ boys were forced to oursue was boxing, a sport Hitler admired. Thev NAZIs turned Max Smelling into a national hero--until the American black boxer, Joe Louis, defeated him.

Berlin Olympics (1936)

The 1936 Olympics was given to Berlin before the NAZI take over. It presented the NAZIs the opportunity to show case to the world how they were remaking the country. Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels made the most of it. The foreign journalists reported the thunderous cheers that Hitler received when he etered the Olympic stadium. To down play what was happening in German, the many signs about Jews were temporarily removed. SS officer Reinhard Heydrich was interested in sport. His favorite was fencing and he had considrable skill. He placed well in SS tournaments. Hitler appointed him to the German Olympic Committee and he was active in planning the 1936 Olympics. This brought him in contact with Hitler and ws seen in photographs of the Olympics sitting in Hitler's box. German officials got boxer Max Schmeling to help them convince the U.S. Olympic Committee not to boycott the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. The Munich Olympics were a triumph for the NAZIs--except for the spectacular performance of Afro-American atheletes like Jesse Owens. Leni Riefenstahl who made the classic propaganda film, 'Triumph des Willens', also made a film on the Olympics--'Olympia'. After the games there was a substantial change in NAZI diplomacy.

East German Sports Program (1973-89)

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.

West German Sport

After the War, German children for the first time had a real opportunity to enjoy sport and the German Economic Miracle. The East German Communists like the NAZIs put an enphasis on developing the capabilities of talebnted children. This included the use of drugs to enhance their performabce. The emphasis in West Germany was to expanding sport opportunities for all children and not just the talented few.

Created: 7:36 PM 8/9/2011
Last updated: 2:04 AM 7/23/2012