Uczeń kontra mistrz. Rywalizacja NRD ze Związkiem Radzieckim i innymi państwami bloku wschodniego
Apprentice versus master. The competition of the GDR with the USSR and Eastern Bloc states

Summary/Abstract: Sport played a special role in the political system of the GDR and was used to achieve political goals, especially in terms of diplomacy. The aim of the article is to show examples of the instrumentalization of sport in the GDR in the context of competition within the Eastern Bloc countries. In the light of the attitude of East German authorities to sport competition and the so-called sporting policy the study points to examples of competition between athletes from the GDR and the Soviet Union and other satellite states. The premise of the article is to point to the reactions of the GDR authorities to the intra-system rivalry of athletes, as well as its political foundations and attempts at instrumentalization. Politically declared friendship and close political cooperation usually did not reflect real competition, which – especially in sport and contrary to propaganda slogans – was usually extremely ruthless and uncompromising. The text is based on the research of thematic German literature and supported by analysis and interpretation of published source materials and archival research.

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