HJ Reichssportwettkampf winners badges - qualification

Garry

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After the NSDAP gained power this pre-existing youth sports event retained its name of "Deutsches Jugendfest". In 19371 the name was
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changed to "Reichssportwettkampf der HJ". The present-day competition is called "Bundesjugendspiele".

There is sometimes the perception that these sports badges or "Siegernadel" were only awarded to the winners of an event during the Reich youth sports competition but actually the competition was much fairer than that. Despite its name of 'winners badge" its actual purpose was to act as an outward sign of achievement. Rather than having to win an event to qualify for the badge, the boy or girl instead had to achieve a minimum points total of 180 points spread over three events. This meant that a weakness in one event could be made good by a particularly good performance in another. The three events were:

HJ
100m sprint
Long-jump
Indian club throw (weight 500g)

BDM (including BDM-Werk Glaube und Schönheit)
75m sprint
Long-jump
Throwing a ball (weight 80g)

DJ and JM
60m sprint
Long-jump
Throwing a ball (weight 80g)

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Points were awarded according to a table organised into age bands (left). For example a 10 year-old DJ boy who long-jumped 3.24m would receive 60 points toward his total. If he jumped 4.04m he would receive 100 points. To receive the same points total a 14 year-old would have to jump 3.87m and 4.67m respectively. Those with the top results in the single disciplines were awarded a certificate in addition to the badge.
There were also team events during the Reichssportwettkampf. The top 10 individual results from the Gefolgschaft (or equivalent) level were added together and the best teams went on to compete at Bann level. The best of these then competed at the Gebiet championship with the winners there representing their Gebiet at the Sommerkampfspiele der HJ (HJ Summer Games).

If anyone needs further info on how the competition was organised etc just give me a shout.

The picture (above right) shows a diagonal row of the badges for each year (the badges at the top are the RJA male and female badges but as they were sport-related I put them with the Reichssportwettkampf Siegernadel). The very first at bottom left isn't part of the series. It's for the 1932 competition which was of course the last one to be held before the NSDAP took over. The 1934 badge is described in the regulations as a "Festabzeichen" (day badge). I have not yet seen a winner's badge for the 1933 Deutsches Jugendfest and am unsure whether they were awarded in that year. This also applies to 1934 but certainly for that year, winners' certificates were awarded.

The picture below shows a flyer for the 1941 competition which let the boys and girls know the standard required to achieve their individual badge

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1 more specifically, the first female Reichssportwettkampf took place on the 29th/30th of May with the male competition taking place later on the 5th/6th of June.
 

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Here is a page from an album im waiting for .....

cheers steve

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Perfect timing Steve. Looking forward to seeing more from the album :thumbup1:
 
Would this be one shown on the paper?

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Well, something is telling me I've seen one before but I can't remember where or what the conclusion was. It certainly isn't the rare Siegernadel der Reichsjugendführung' because these had a very different design. Your 1941 is of the same basic design as the standard Reichssportwettkampf Siegernadel for that year but these were normally plastic and didn't have the laquer/enamel over the diamond. Is your badge on a stickpin Ray? If so then I would have to say that it's very likely to be a fantasy badge modelled on the standard Siegernadel for 1941.
 
Very nice explanation about badges awards criteria.:good:
 
Does anyone know why there is such a contrast in some of these?

I can see some light aluminum with almost no metallic look to them but some are shiny with a deep patina. I was looking on a well-known retail site and their 1937s are a whole range of shades and brightness.
 
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