Leipzig celebrates: Historical gymnastics festival combines tradition and unity!

Leipzig celebrates: Historical gymnastics festival combines tradition and unity!

In the city history museum in Leipzig, the tradition of the gymnastics festivals is currently being reminded. A copy of a announcement from 1863 shows the first gymnastics festival in Leipzig and documents the mode of ticket sales for the festivities on the fairground. Museologist Dietmar Schulze emphasizes that this event had not only sporty but also significant political backgrounds. Half a century after Napoleon's defeat took place in the Battle of Nations near Leipzig, triggered by the ambitions of Bismarck at a time when Germany was in front of the wars. The gymnastics festival symbolized the assembled forces of men from all German countries, especially with regard to the national unity.

The aftermath of the gymnastics festival was enormous. In the following years the economy was booming, numerous companies were founded and cities increasingly attracted workers from the country. Leipzig experienced a sports boom, shaped by the establishment of new sports fields and the establishment of various sports clubs. The football club Lipsia was founded in 1893, at the same time as the foundation of the Leipzig sports brothers, which later merged with VfB Leipzig. In 1900 the German Football Association was founded in Leipzig.

gymnastics in the GDR

Between 1954 and 1987, the GDR gymnastics and sports festival took place eight times in Leipzig. This festival followed the tradition of the previous German gymnastics festivals and offered various events, including big sports shows, international soccer games and international athletics competitions. According to [Wikipedia], medals were also awarded for artistic competitions. As of 1977, children's and youth divisades were also carried out in parallel in almost all cities of the GDR, which the Leipzig Spartakiade gave central importance.

The first gymnastics and sports festivals began on the festival meadow next to the planned central stadium before the 2nd DTSF moved to the newly opened central stadium in 1956. These events were often staged as prestige events, choreographed "for peace and socialism". Another gymnastics festival took place in Leipzig in 2013, shaped by nationalism and the military gymnastics that took place for the first time. A poster from this time shows an athlete who bumps a boulder in the pose of a shot put, a picture that was even more important in the turmoil of the First World War.

The revival of the gymnastics festivals

After the turn, Leipzig experienced a return to all -German gymnastics festivals. In 2002, the city was hosting such a festival in united Germany, which focused on competition and show. The final gala, which took place on a large construction site, was particularly impressive, but was nevertheless perceived as a spectacle. For the future, the next gymnastics festival in Leipzig will be announced under the motto "Leipzig connects".

The deeply rooted tradition of gymnastics in Germany is therefore not only visible in the history of the gymnastics festivals, but also in the constant memory of past events, as documented. These festivals are an important part of German sports history and reflect the social upheavals and developments that were accompanied by them.