The Role of Sport in the GDR

The Role of Sport in the GDR

The political leadership of GDR (commonly referred to as East Germany) viewed sports prowess as a vital tool for ramping up propaganda. It was an effort to stamp the superiority of their system when compared to the West. As such the communist government allocated a significant amount of resources on an annual basis into important disciplines deemed to boost the state's image in the eyes of the world. Some of the sports that showcased GDR's values include tobogganing, rowing, and cycling. Between the year 1967 and 1990, East German’s sporting strategy yielded fruits. The country amerced more than 193 gold medals as their bitter rivals—West Germany managed only 67 medals. However, use of steroids and performance-enhancers was prevalent among the top athletes, thus severely denting GDR's image (Dennis et al., 2012).

Regular Exercise

East Germany’s citizens were encouraged to exercise once a week. It demonstrates the extent that the government regarded the importance of sport for the nation. In fact, as early as 1960, the government enacted policies that promoted mass participation in different fields of sport. As a communist president, Walter Ulbricht conceived a self-styled image of an active sporting advocate. He participated in multiple sporting events. In addition, he ensured that his footage was shown in the national television as he enjoyed skiing and other outdoor sports activities. The campaigns of the media succeeded immensely. They raised the mass participation profile and enhanced the chances of most athletes competing at a global stage. Resultantly, More than 22% of East Germans became members of the national sports authority (Johnson, 2008)

Scouting

Government authorities scouted young, talented, and promising athletes at a tender age. By the year 1990, there were approximately 25 sports academies dedicated for teenagers and children (Volkwein-Caplan, 2014). Moreover, reputable firms arranged for own sporting activities whose exercise benefits were highlighted by GDR’s media. For instance, since 1964, the state media covered inter-school competitions that involved students participating in varied disciplines of athletics.

National Sports Clubs

The establishment of national sports clubs at a massive scale was a desperate effort to tame a group of ambitious and talented young sportsmen from fleeing GDR. Mostly, the youths were welcomed at the Federal Republic of Germany. As such, it necessitated the GDR to initiate the formation of sports organizations during the late 1950s to fight and prevent the ‘damaging and harsh' influences of the US and the West on the young generation (Dennis & Laporte, 2013). In East Germany government’s view, the West corrupted the culture of the youth. Therefore, baiting the potential defectors was fundamental in reversing the exodus. More than 1 million young sportspersons joined the state organization by 1955.

Cultivation of Socialist Ideals

Marxist-Leninist agendas topped GDR government’s list of policies. Thus, it was hard to keep the monolithic sports system as a secret. Both politicians and academicians of GDR made their intentions clear to be dedicated state servants in its cause of promoting sports. According to Walter Ulbricht, sports produced perfect socialist personality because it not only fostered health of GDR’s citizens but also cultivated vital character attributes like improvement in work habits and heightened willpower.

Sport as a Weapon

Superior athletes produced by the communist East German regime glorified socialism as the national sports organization incited self-control and commitment, especially in a country that limited people's choice on destiny. The exploitation of elite sportspersons as communist trophies was evidently clear at international sports events such as Olympics. Many experts were convinced that GDR government utilized sport as one of the weapons of warfare against West Germans (FDG), UK, and the US. 

Loyalist Athletes

Sports became a compulsory activity for government workers. Resultantly, GDR system of sports became a model for communist and socialist states because of three reasons. First, the strategy inculcated social consciousness via sports politicization. Second, it infused Marxist-Leninist ideological and moral standards into popular psyche. Lastly, it developed physical and mental qualities necessary for training a labour force of socialist loyalists. The main goal entailed a conception of a large internal network of sports system that exalted Karl Marx’s regard of sport as complementary to national productivity. The goal was indeed fulfilled in the GDR through elite sports.

Militaristic Approach

Sporting and training in East Germany took a militaristic and political twist in the long-run, thanks to an extensive influence of the northern political giant. In Olympic Games, it was observed that athletes from communist and socialist countries had the pride to compete for their nations, as compared to those of the West. Pinning sport as a core government business inspired loyalist views and allegiance to communist systems.  However, it took an concerted and coordinated effort of the government to convince the public of its intentions (Johnson, 2008). During the early 1970s, GDR government initiated a severe internal control mechanism to exert control and power over a section of civilians. State surveillance measures did not exempt athletes as well.

Sports educators taught young generation to remain loyal to the motherland and to maintain a brotherly love to the Soviets. GDR bound politics, sports and culture to form a formidable bundle of ideology. East Germans used sports to politically justify their socialist stance. Instead, it did the opposite: it took several years for GDR to be recognized by Olympic committees as an independent state. The autonomy of East Germany was formally admitted to as an Olympic participant late in 1968 though they still had to fly a neutral flag at the occasion. A full recognition took hold during the 1972 Olympics held in Munich. Arguably, there is no other European country that took Olympic Games dearly like GDR, to an extent of the sport determining its political fate.

Keeping Tradition

Germany has been an active participant of sports for centuries. As early as 10^th Century, German military used sport as a leisure activity for military. In medieval Germany, the residents were trained on how to prepare for an invasion of the city or areas of residence. Therefore, GDR interpreted sport as a means of psychological indoctrination of citizens to embrace a state of alertness. In most of the training sessions, GDR citizens were constantly reminded on the importance of embracing traditions of their ancestors through sport.

In summary, GDR athletic tradition has managed to survive Berlin Wall fall. However, information is emerging on the prevalence of during an era of socialism. Some of GDR's former athletes have confessed on the widespread use of performance enhancers (Steen, 2014). Still, East Germany succeeded, at least during the cold war to instil loyalist stance on its citizens.  The crumble of GDR during the late 1980s was an eye-opener to the Germans and the world on how the regime had launched a successful use of sport as a tool for propaganda. It served as a lesson to on the dangers of communism and socialism to the long-term stability of the state.

Bibliography

Dennis, M., & Grix, J. (2012). Sport under Communism: behind the East German "miracle". New York, Palgrave Macmillan. Print.

Dennis, M., & Laporte, N. (2013). State and Minorities in Communist East Germany. Oxford, Berghahn Books.

Johnson, M. W. (2008). Training socialist citizens: sports and the state in East Germany. Leiden, Brill. Print.

Steen, R. (2014). Competitive arts: a History of Spectator Sport. London: Bloomsbury Publishers. Print.

Volkwein-Caplan, K. A. E. (2014). Sport, Fitness, Culture. [Aachen, Germany], Meyer & Meyer Sport. Print.