The Deutscher Turn- und Sportbund (DTSB; ''German Gymnastics and Sports Federation'') was a
mass organization
A communist front (or a mass organization in communist parlance) is a political organization identified as a front organization, allied with or under the effective control of a communist party, the Communist International or other communist organi ...
of the
German Democratic Republic
East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
from 1957 until shortly after
German reunification
German reunification () was the process of re-establishing Germany as a single sovereign state, which began on 9 November 1989 and culminated on 3 October 1990 with the dissolution of the East Germany, German Democratic Republic and the int ...
. Membership in the organization included nearly four million people, which accounted for almost 20% of the population of the GDR.
History
Founded in 1957, the DTSB was the last major mass organization to be created by the East German government, and was the central agency responsible for mass sport. The federation consisted of individual sports associations within the country, ranging from
sailing
Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, Windsurfing, windsurfer, or Kitesurfing, kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' (Land sa ...
to
chess
Chess is a board game for two players. It is an abstract strategy game that involves Perfect information, no hidden information and no elements of game of chance, chance. It is played on a square chessboard, board consisting of 64 squares arran ...
. While it worked in conjunction with the
Gesellschaft für Sport und Technik, the DTSB focused more on adult activities, whereas the GST focused on youth activities. The DTSB worked closely with both the
Free German Youth and the
East German Olympic Committee and had representation in all levels of East German local and state government. The DTSB was charged with both organizing and financing all sporting and fitness activities, associations, and events in the nation, as well as promoting physical education among the masses. It had especially close ties with the ruling
Socialist Unity Party and was also designed to promote socialist ideology through sport.
Upon the dissolution of East Germany and reunification with the West, the organization was deprived of funds and the individual sports associations either continued to exist independently or joined their Western counterparts. The DTSB eventually dissolved itself on 5 December 1990.
Sports Associations of the DTSB
Presidents of the DTSB
See also
*
Sports associations (East Germany)
*
National Front (East Germany)
The National Front of the German Democratic Republic () was officially an alliance of parties and mass organisations (1950–1990). In fact, only one party held power in the East Germany, GDR, namely the communist Socialist Unity Party of German ...
*
Gesellschaft für Sport und Technik
References
{{Authority control
Sports governing bodies in East Germany
Organisations based in East Germany
Mass organisations of East Germany
1957 establishments in East Germany
Organizations established in 1957