15. Deutsches Turnfest – Stuttgart 1933

What Was the Turnfest?

The Deutsches Turnfest was a large national gymnastics festival, first organized in the 19th century. It celebrated physical fitness, national unity, and German cultural pride. These festivals were often massive events with participants from across the country.

The 15th Turnfest in Stuttgart (1933) was especially significant because it occurred just months after Adolf Hitler came to power (January 1933).

By then, events like this became tightly woven into Nazi propaganda efforts, aiming to project strength, discipline, and national unity.

About the Medal:

• Depicts Stuttgart’s central railway station (a well-known landmark).
• Shows the Turnfest emblem — usually a stylized “F” and “T” (for “Frisch, Fromm, Fröhlich, Frei” – Fresh, Pious, Cheerful, Free), the motto of the Turnbewegung (gymnastics movement).
• Includes a swastika, indicating the Nazi regime’s influence on all public and cultural events by mid-1933.
• "15. Deutsches Turnfest 22–30 Juli 1933 – Stuttgart – Zur Erinnerung" ("15th German Gymnastics Festival – July 22–30, 1933 – Stuttgart – In Commemoration") Typically plain metal; sometimes engraved or stamped later with participant names or numbers. Yours appears blank with oxidation.