German Awards - German Imperial DRL Sports Badge since 1935 in Gold

The German Imperial Committee for Exercise (Deutscher Reichskommittel für Leibesübe) arose in 1917 from the Imperial Committee for the Olympic Games, which had been in operation until then. The 1916 Games planned in Germany did not take place, and in 1920 and 1924 German athletes were not allowed. The athletes excluded in this way founded the Imperial Committee for German Combat Games and held them at intervals of 4 years.
In the Weimar Republic, the DRA was the governing body of the sport in Germany, although it did not include all federations. Mandatory conditions for acquisition were 5 exercises from 5 areas, such as shot put, running, jumping, etc. Starting in 1921, women could also receive a badge. After the National Socialists came to power, already in 1933 all sports federations were dissolved, which did not adhere to the same ideological line as the NSDAP. These included workers' sports unions and sports clubs with social democratic or communist views or orientations. DRA chairman Theodore Lewald was scolded as half Jewish and forced to resign. On May 5, 1933, the DRA dissolved itself without a decision of the general meeting and, during unification, came under the tutelage of the National Socialists. Reich Commissioner for Gymnastics and Sports Hans von Chammer and Osten, appointed in April, was appointed Reichsportführer on July 19. Now the whole sport obeyed him. On July 27, 1934, the German Imperial Exercise Union (DRL) was created.
The former DRA sports badge was adopted, but redesigned and a swastika added. The letters in the center are now DRL. It also bore the name Deutsches Reichsportabzeichen. On July 1, 1937, the badge was recognized as honorary. It continued to be awarded in 3 stages of bronze, silver and gold. On December 21, 1938, by decree of Hitler, the DRL was renamed the NSRL (National Socialist Imperial Exercise Union) and became a completely NSDAP-controlled association.
Signs were issued by various manufacturers such as Wernstein-Jena, Steinhauer-Lück, etc. Source: J. Nimmergut, Deutsche Orden und Ehrenzeichen before 1945, vol. IV., 2001.

High oval, open badge in non-ferrous metal with gilding. At the back with a vertical pin.

Front side:

• The outer edging forms a dense oak-leaved wreath from below, connected by a double loop.
A
• swastika placed on top is superimposed on the loop.
In
• the midfield from edge to edge, ornate letters - D - R - L - associations.

Downside:

• On a somewhat hollow embossed edge to the left of the manufacturer and to the right D.R.G.M. with the matrix number.

Photos of www.militaria-berlin.de

.