Page 82 - Olympism in Socialism

since the workers’ and farmers’ power brought it
to every school and made it compulsory.

SPARTAKIADS OF THE YOUNG
The Spartakiad movement of children and
youth has been an outstanding achievement of
the GDR sports. Through school competitions,
district and county spartakiada the best quality
for the national GDR spartakiad competitions
which take place every two years. Those who turn
out to be sports talents get the opportunity of
improving their skills at training centres, at
children’s and youth sports schools or in sports
clubs.
In the GDR the Pioneer organization sponsors
spartakiada of the best young sportsmen. In
1966, the first central children’s and youth
spartakiad for all Olympic events was held in the
GDR’s capital; Since then it has been held every
two years in both summer and winter games.
After 1972, there was a three- year interval: Every
year, however, district spartakiada are held at a
lower level, for which qualifying competitions took
place at all schools.
Today’ the spartakiada are jointly organised
and sponsored by the GDR’s sports movement,
the Ministry of Education of the GDR which is
esponsib1e for all schools, and the integrated
socialist youth organization, FDJ. The highest
forum is a Festival and Spartakiad Committee
which includes a number of outstanding public
figures of the GDR. There are similar committees
at lower levels, too. In the districts, members of
such committees include school headmasters,
officials of the SED, the trade unions and the
youth organization as well as leading sports men
and women. All of them are committed to
furthering the Spartakiad movement.
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