Preparing for War
Whether played in multi-million dollar arenas, simple backyard, lots or pursued as an individual pastime, twenty-first century sports, have become an important part of our society. For many, they are welcome diversions in day-to-day living. Sports in the Third Reich, on the other hand, were not only used as a distraction, they intentionally molded the country’s youth into a fighting force able to conquer Europe.
Sporting organizations had been prevalent in Germany since the middle of the nineteenth century. Middle and upper class patrons joined gymnastic clubs, swimming teams, bicycle touring companies, and many other sports-based organizations for entertainment and social mingling.
As Adolf Hitler and the (NSDAP —Nazi Party) began their rise to power in the 1920s, they promoted sports organizations as a way to attract and “harden” the youth needed for the National Socialist movement.
