Book: The first German

After 70 years of peace, many signs in Germany are pointing to a storm. There are arguments about words and values: people, nation, patriotism, homeland, solidarity. Homeless people and dissidents are met with hatred and violence. What does the common constitution of Germany bear from below? Who stands for it?

One answer: the solidarity-based association system, whose most popular founder is “Turnvater” Jahn. No German finds himself honored more often in public. He stands for German unity, choosing the black-red-gold colors for it. His words and works are still controversial today, but his revolutionary club concept of 1811 is a unique success story. Today there are 90000 sports clubs with 27 million members. The largest civic movement in the country.

They are open to all, democratically constituted, international. The book follows Jahn's idea of the club in 25 lively essays from its founding to the present. It opens up new perspectives on sport and German identity.