# Deutscher Turn- und Sportbund

The Deutscher Turn- und Sportbund (DTSB; German Gymnastics and Sports Federation) was a mass organization of the German Democratic Republic from 1957 until shortly after German reunification. 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 to chess. 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

| Name | Acronym | Sport | Founded | Number of athletes (1988) | Number of trainers (1988) |
| Allgemeiner Deutscher Motorsport Verband | ADMV | Motorsports | 2 June 1957 | 85,134 | 5,064 |
| Deutscher Anglerverband | DAV | Fishing | 13 May 1958 | 527,696 | 10,942 |
| Deutscher Basketball-Verband | DBV | Basketball | 20 May 1958 | 14,644 | 1,243 |
| Deutscher Billard-Sportverband | DBSV | Cue sports | 13 March 1958 | 11,009 | 1,369 |
| Deutscher Bogenschützen-Verband | DBSV | Archery | 23 October 1959 | 4,668 | 545 |
| Deutscher Box-Verband | DBV | Boxing | 4 May 1958 | 20,908 | 1,868 |
| Deutscher Eislauf-Verband | DELV | Ice sports | 31 August 1958 | 8,995 | 631 |
| Deutscher Faustball-Verband | DFV | Fistball | 27 April 1958 | 10,779 | 1,345 |
| Deutscher Fecht-Verband | DFV | Fencing | 20 July 1958 | 6,584 | 673 |
| Deutscher Federball-Verband | DFV | Badminton | 11 January 1958 | 27,069 | 2,480 |
| Deutscher Fußball-Verband | DFV | Football | 17 May 1958 | 575,667 | 39,207 |
| Deutscher Gewichtheber-Verband | DGV | Weightlifting | 26 April 1958 | 25,630 | 2,465 |
| Deutscher Handballverband | DHV | Handball | 21 June 1958 | 152,975 | 13,225 |
| Deutscher Hockey-Sportverband | DHSV | Hockey | 19 April 1958 | 6,152 | 576 |
| Deutscher Judo-Verband | DJV | Judo | 19 April 1958 | 54,544 | 4,891 |
| Deutscher Kanu-Sport-Verband | DKSV | Canoeing | 19 April 1958 | 26,768 | 2,082 |
| Deutscher Kegler-Verband | DKV | Bowling | 30 March 1958 | 204,126 | 17,369 |
| Deutscher Verband für Leichtathletik | DVfL | Athletics | 17 May 1958 | 180,605 | 15,583 |
| Deutscher Pferdesport-Verband | DPV | Equestrian sports | 27 April 1961 | 53,818 | 5,951 |
| Deutscher Radsport-Verband | DRV | Cycling | 18 May 1958 | 27,226 | 2,816 |
| Deutscher Ringer-Verband | DRV | Wrestling | 26 April 1958 | 23,686 | 2,106 |
| Deutscher Rollsport-Verband | DRV | Roller sports | 12 October 1958 | 4,704 | 381 |
| Deutscher Ruder-Sport-Verband | DRSV | Rowing | 12 April 1958 | 14,275 | 1,103 |
| Deutscher Rugby-Sportverband | DRSV | Rugby | 20 April 1958 | 1,213 | 103 |
| Deutscher Shachverband | DSV | Chess | 27 April 1958 | 43,374 | 4,523 |
| Deutscher Schlitten- und Bobsportverband | DSBV | Bobsleigh and Sled sports | 28 September 1958 | 3,759 | 447 |
| Deutscher Schwimmsport-Verband | DSSV | Swim sports | 4 May 1958 | 83,509 | 6,911 |
| Bund Deutscher Segler | BDS | Sailing | 20 April 1958 | 31,318 | 2,231 |
| Deutscher Skiläufer-Verband | DSLV | Ski sports | 12 October 1958 | 48,438 | 4,100 |
| Deutscher Tennis-Verband | DTV | Tennis | 26 April 1958 | 47,274 | 3,185 |
| Deutscher Tischtennis-Verband | DTTV | Table Tennis | 4 April 1958 | 126,376 | 12,084 |
| Deutscher Turn-Verband | DTV | Gymnastics | 3 May 1958 | 408,476 | 26,542 |
| Deutscher Verband für Versehrtensport | DVfV | Disabled sports | 4 July 1959 | 14,080 | 1,249 |
| Deutscher Sportverband Volleyball | DSVB | Volleyball | 20 April 1958 | 134,924 | 12,454 |
| Deutscher Verband für Wandern, Bergsteigen und Orientierungslauf | DWBO | Hiking, Mountaineering, and Orienteering | 15 June 1958 | 86,123 | 6,844 |

## Presidents of the DTSB

| Rudi Reichert | 1957–1961 |
| Manfred Ewald | 1961–1988 |
| Klaus Eichler | 1988–1990 |
| Martin Kilian | 1990 |