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American Turners History
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Turners rich in history and tradition
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Many who are unfamiliar with the Turners and its principles have a tendency to look on our organization as a purely athletic club. Little do they know of the rich heritage and ideals behind the Turner Movement. This is a way of life dedicated to good health, clear thinking and good citizenship.
In the time of Napoleon there lived in Berlin in the Kingdom of Prussia a German schoolmaster by the name of Frederich Ludwig Jahn. He introduced gymnastic exercises among his students and infused them with a patriotic love of freedom to make them capable of bearing arms for their oppressed country and to prepare them for the imminent war of liberation.
In 1811 Jahn opened the first public playground at the Hasenheide in Berlin. Five hundred young men answered his call and indulged in gymnastic exercises under his direction. In a few months Turner Societies spread to every city and town in the country.
Jahn and his Turners were the first to respond to the call to arms issued in 1813 by the King of Prussia. They served with distinction in the liberation of their country and Jahn became sort of a national hero and was rewarded with an annual pension for his services by a grateful government. |
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Several Turners formed the
bodyguard of President Abraham Lincoln, and the first American to
mention Lincoln for the presidency was a Turner.
Click here to learn more about the Turners' role in the Civil
War era.
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After the war the leaders of the government did not redeem their promise of a constitution which was to be given to the people. Jahn was quite outspoken on this issue and in 1819 was arrested for high treason. He was held without trial for five years and conducted his own defense and won his freedom. His Turner societies were forced to disband while he was in prison.
When he was released he was placed under surveillance and was not allowed to live in Berlin. In consideration for his previous serve to his country he was paid his annual salary as a professor of history but not allowed to teach history or Turnerism.
A new king in 1840 completely freed him from his restriction and the interdict on Turning was removed. Immediately Turner societies were resumed throughout Germany. In 1848 he retired to Freiburg, where he died in 1852.
While Jahn was in prison three of his followers, Carl Beck, Carl Follen and Francis Lieber fled to this country where they became outstanding professors and educators at Harvard and other eastern colleges. They were instrumental in introducing Jahns system of physical training in the United States.
Turnerism in the United States is an offspring of the German Revolution of 1848. When this revolution was crushed many desirable immigrants came to this country. Among them were Frederick Hecker, the leader of the revolution; Franz Sigel, the military leader of the revolutionary forces; Carl Schurz and many others. These men made names for themselves in American history. Hecker and Sigel became Union generals in the Civil War and Schurz later became Secretary of the Interior. The first Turner Society in the U.S. was organized in November of 1848 when Frederick Hecker suggested its formation to his friends who were former Turners in Germany. This example was emulated by other cities where Turners had settled and soon a number of organizations had formed along with a National body. Although the Turner societies were a haven for German emigrants they were thoroughly American and completely independent of any ties to the Turners in Germany.
When the Civil War came the Turners forgot all else to serve their adopted country. In St. Louis, the Turners took it upon themselves to storm and capture Camp Jackson with the arsenal. This episode helped save Missouri for the Union. The Turners formed part of the body guard of Abraham Lincoln at his first inauguration.
In some cities companies and even regiments were formed made up of Turners. Seventy-five percent of all Turners in the U.S. were in active service during the Civil War. The Turners have served our country in every encounter since the Civil War and continue to do so to the present day.
The Turners gave to America a system of gymnastics which laid the foundation for today's great nationwide programs of athletics. A survey determined that gymnastics were introduced into the schools of at least fifty-two cities by the direct efforts of the Turners. They also aided in the development of playgrounds.
In their own right the Turners organized in 1866 a Normal College which is the oldest American institution for the education of teachers of physical training. This college is now an extension of Indiana University and is located in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Over the years the Turners like all clubs and lodges have suffered through changing times the loss of societies. There seems to be a new spirit in the Turners in many cities. Many societies have picked themselves up by their own bootstraps and moved to new locations and built new buildings or remodeled old ones so that this rich heritage we Turners have will carry on into the future.
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