How were sports in schools implemented in the former GDR and how is that experience perceived today? To shed light on this aspect of the 'sports wonderland', it is important to show how sports were practically implemented for all inhabitants of the GDR, besides the top athletes. Sports at school reached all children and youths and was not limited to physical education lessons, but also included school sports clubs, after-school care, and political youth organizations. To give a comprehensive perspective, 25 interviews with former pupils, teachers, and coaches were conducted and evaluated via qualitative content research. The results give an idea of how important sports were for both society and the individual in the former GDR. The intention behind sports at school was to foster well-educated socialist personalities, yet many of the interviewed participants stated that they hardly had any contact with political influences and ideas. Most of them still appreciate their experience within the sports system and still remember the advantages it offered.
Juliane Lanz (Fri,) studied this question.
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