Sports and Games 1925–1928

Abstract

The popularity of sports reached a climax in the 1920s and fascinated the public through speed, strength and mass participation.¹ The reasons for this enthusiasm have been interpreted differently. It is sometimes regarded as a continuation of playing war by different means with its focus on physical strength, competition, struggle and victory. Indeed, left-wing sport organisations often criticised their middle-class counterparts for this very reason. Some historians have explained the enthusiasm by suggesting that young people found in sports and body culture the clarity and clear-cut ideas they missed in the political, social and cultural life of the Weimar Republic. Peter Gay calls this alleged longing by the youth for more stability in numerous areas in the 1920s ‘a quest for wholeness’.² Following this interpretation, the sports movement must have been closely associated with the right.³ But this was not the case. It can be equally linked to democratic groups, which also alluded to the strong sense of belonging and community without questioning republican democracy.⁴ Sporting activities quickly create a sense of community and of national identification. At the same time, they represent fair play and playing with, rather than against, each other. We have already seen in Chapter 1 that the appeal of unity and rhythm cannot be linked to only one political faction.