Thanks Paul! Its very nice to see you like these too! And, YES, itsa supertopic to collect! Its got it all; awesome designs, epic complex politics an treacherus plots to learn about, KdF was evrywhere through the Reich so it tells many stories, and thats just the beginning. I still have your impresive flag on my mind, I hope to get back at that .. but for now, lets drift a bit ...
Robert Ley, fcourse yall know, he was the leader of DAF. He said, "Es kommt nicht darauf an, wie weit jemand springt, sondern da� er springt." And Ley truly believed that, and, in itself, his words are true, no? Very wise saying in fact. Many today should take advice from that and not be so judgemental or maliciouspleased about somebody trying, instead of cheering for the effort to try. Sport was a big thing in German 3rd Reich propaganda-land, and when KdF got founded and formed and progressed, sports were a big deal for the Freizeitsorganisation KdF. Kraft durch Freude, Freude durch Kraft. Reckon also to make people competitive and battleready a bit. In 1934, the first physical education course was founded in Berlin. This was a big succes and from then on in 1934 more and more courses and institutions for sports were formed. By end 1935, Germany had over 60 Sport�mter, and end 1936 ALL the NSDAP Gaue and 680 Kreisen had their own Sportamt. National Socialistische Gemeinschaft Kraft Durch Freude named Gausportwarten and Kreissportwarten. In 1934, there were some 900 sports instructors in action. Next year, this was 1600 instructors. And in 1937, 7000! Kraft durch Freude Sport was born, and how!
In 1935, KdF Sport was still growing strong but not yet fully grown. In 1938 KdF Sport became THE Sports organisation of Germany. Before 1938, the Deutscher Reichsbund f�r Leibes�bungen was the leading sports organisation. This DRL sorta got slowly obsorbed by KdF Sport. With this in mind, maybe, this badge is in place here. This pin is from 1935. And its made, by this E.O Friedrich from Leipzig again. The pin is made from, what Ti�ste calls in his books Lederplastik. The DRGM at the back, means Deutsches Reich Gebrauchsmuster (3rd Reich registered design) so reckon the pin was only allowed to be made by Friedrich. The pin is maybe not very rare, but the pin with little green/white ribbons attached still IS special! Mostly now these ribbons are gone. The design, gorgeous, very much like the old greeks/romans; proud atheletic faces looking fiercly up, honorcrowns from branches on the heads, styled like the ancient olympic athletes statues. Very epic and very beautiful. Funny little detail for the closer looker there, the supertiny little swastika on the hairband or ribbon there. Took me a lookingglass to spot that!
Anyways, not 100% KdF maybe, but sicnificant in the whole picture, and its another pin by Friedrich. And WHAT a goodlooker! The background, is the cover of the magazine "Leibes�bungen met Kraft durch Freude" from september 1935. I can scan it to post if anybodys intrested.
Enjoy,
KR
