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Deutsche Sporthilfe FoundationFounded on May 26, 1967, one of the most important sponsors of German sport. In 2023, the foundation distributed 23 million euros to athletes. The funds come from the Federal Ministry of the Interior and numerous sponsors from the German economy. All of this is known. Hardly known and not researched so far that the foundation had a predecessor of the same name in the period of National Socialism.
The sports historian Erik Eggers, who also writes as an author for the time, found out. With other authors, he had researched and worked through the Nazi past of more than 15 members of the Hall of Fame of German Sports last year. In his research, Eggers noticed the same name of the German Sports Aid Foundation with its predecessor from the Nazi era. He informed the board of sports aid, which then commissioned him to create a study of the Nazi precursor.
On Tuesday, the foundation published the results of this study, which is available online (PDF). “For us, dealing with Erik Eggers is an important process in the sense of transparency and responsibility,” said Max Hartung, the spokesman for the sports assistant board, in a press release. The board of trustees is now faced with the question of whether Deutsche Sporthilfe, whose patron is the Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, should continue to be called as an organization of the Nazis.
On October 9, 1933, the Reichsportführer and later SA Obergruppenführer Hans von Tschammer and East founded the so-called “auxiliary fund for German sport” by enacting. In April 1936, the Nazi organization received the name Foundation Deutsche Sporthilfe, which it retained until the end of the Second World War.
“Memories of the Third Reich deliberately displaced”
More than 20 years later, in May 1967, today’s German sports aid was founded. In his study, Erik Eggers works that the founders of the Nazi Foundation of the same name were aware of it, but ignored this. The now deceased sports historian Günter Pelshenke also wrote in 1999 in his book on the FRG sports aid, 14 of the 16 founders of the new foundation should have been aware of the name identical predecessor. He didn’t know why the sports foundation did not react to Pelshenke’s book at the time, says Max Hartung. There was probably no awareness that there was a precursor.
Pelshenke saw it differently at least for the foundation in 1967. His conclusion: “Apparently memories of the Third Reich were deliberately displaced here in order not to burden the new organization from the start.”
The sports historian Eggers, for example, calls Willi Daume, the long -time president of the National Olympic Committee for Germany (NOK), on the initiative of which was founded in 1967. And the sports official Georg von Opel and Gert Abbeleck. They all had to experience the sport in the Third Reich as athletes or officials and have to know about the same name, writes Eggers.
A proof of this is a meeting of the NOK two years before the foundation of the sports aid. According to Eggers, Tschammer’s predecessor organization had been referred to as social assistance for top athletes. The officials would have linked to terms from the Nazi era. “The new founders pretended that the other foundation did not exist with the same name and just used it again. Probably because they didn’t think of a better one,” says Eggers.
Key Insights: german Sports Aid – Then and Now
To further illuminate the complex history of the Deutsche Sporthilfe Foundation, here’s a comparison of its two iterations, presented in an easy-to-digest table:
| Feature | nazi-Era “Deutsche Sporthilfe” (1936-1945) | Post-War “Deutsche Sporthilfe” (1967-Present) | Key Difference/Insight |
| ———————– | ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— | ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————- | ——————————————————————————————————————- |
| Establishment Date | April 1936 (as Foundation Deutsche Sporthilfe) | May 26, 1967 | Meaningful gap in time reflects the post-war reconstruction and denial. |
| Core Purpose | To support and promote sports within the framework of the Nazi regime’s ideology.Indirectly supported the regime by promoting a sense of national pride, military fitness and providing positive propaganda | To support and foster German athletes and sports, funding their training, participation, and overall advancement. |Shift from political tool for propaganda to promoting athletes and sport in a non-ideological manner. |
| Funding Sources | Sources largely unreported, likely included government subsidies, contributions from businesses aligned with the Nazi party, and potentially seized funds. | Primarily from the Federal Ministry of the Interior,private donations from the German economy,and fundraising activities. | A distinct departure from the previous funding mechanisms, emphasizing transparency and private-sector support. |
| leadership & Oversight | Headed by the SA-Obergruppenführer Hans von Tschammer und Osten. Primarily under the auspices of the Nazi regime. | Board of Trustees, with Federal President as patron, reflective of a democratic society | Change in governance is central. Shifting from Nazi leadership tied to the regime directly to a body associated with post-war Germany. |
| Historical Context | Part of the Nazi regime’s effort to control and manipulate sports for propaganda and nationalistic purposes. Used to further goals related to war efforts and social control. | Founded in post-war Germany, aiming to rebuild its sporting reputation and support athletes in a new democratic context. | The second iteration was created in a new, democratically oriented Germany. The Nazi regime and its use of sports for nefarious purposes would no longer guide its direction. |
| Controversies | Linked to the Nazi regime; its activities where aligned with the regime’s goals,including the exclusion of Jewish athletes and promotion of racial ideologies. | the choice of name drew criticism for its association with the Nazi foundation and the deliberate denial of the facts. | The modern foundation is dealing with a historical dilemma, grappling with how to address its similar name with its predecessor. |
| modern Status | Dissolved with the end of WWII. | Continues to operate, supporting German sports and athletes.The modern foundation commissioned a study on the Nazi precursor. | The current organization carries the burden of the legacy of its namesake. |
(Image Alt Text: Chronological chart highlighting the key distinctions between the Nazi-era and post-war Deutsche Sporthilfe Foundation, including establishment dates, core purposes, funding sources, and historical context.)
SEO-Pleasant FAQ Section
To address common reader queries and improve search visibility, we’ve compiled a complete FAQ section:
Q: What is the deutsche Sporthilfe?
A: The Deutsche Sporthilfe (German sports Aid) is a foundation that supports German athletes and sports. it provides financial assistance, training programs, and other resources to help athletes compete and succeed at the highest levels. The foundation was established in 1967.
Q: What’s the connection between the current Deutsche Sporthilfe and the Nazi era?
A: The current foundation shares a name with a Nazi-era organization that operated during the Third Reich (1936-1945). This predecessor organization supported sports within the Nazi regime’s framework and was closely linked to its ideology.
Q: Why was the same name chosen for the post-war foundation?
A: According to historical research, the founders of the post-war deutsche Sporthilfe were aware of the Nazi-era predecessor but allegedly ignored the connection.This choice has led to some controversy and calls for reflection on the organization’s history.
Q: How is the current Deutsche Sporthilfe funded?
A: The Deutsche Sporthilfe is primarily funded by the Federal Ministry of the Interior, private donations from the German economy, and various fundraising activities. This is markedly different from the funding sources of the Nazi-era organization.
Q: What is the significance of researching the Nazi past of the Deutsche Sporthilfe?
A: Examining the history of the Nazi-era Deutsche Sporthilfe is crucial for understanding its connections to the current foundation and for addressing the complex legacy of sport in Nazi Germany. it is a matter of transparency and duty.
Q: Is the Deutsche Sporthilfe involved in any contemporary controversies?
A: While the modern Deutsche Sporthilfe continues to operate, it has been subject to scrutiny regarding its historical links to the Nazi-era organization, prompting discussions about accountability and historical awareness within German sport.
Q: Where can I find more details about the history of the German Sports Aid?
A: You can find more information through the study commissioned by the Deutsche Sporthilfe, accessible online. Additionally, explore resources from the North American Society for Sport History [[3]], and academic journals dedicated to the history of sport [[1]] for more in-depth research. The Wikipedia page on sport history organizations also offers a list of relevant institutions
