Abstract des Autors

The University of Tübingen in the southwest of Germany claims to have the oldest tradition for gymnastics and sports of any German University. In 1839, the Ministry for Education of the Kingdom of Wuerttemberg officially decreed that there would be a Gymnastische Anstalt, which was to be a department of the university giving students the opportunity to do gymnastics and exercises. The new institute for gymnastics (in German turnen) was controlled by the academic authorities of the university, chaired by the president and the disciplinary commission. The paper implies both a consideration of the chronological history of physical education, games, and sports at a university, which advanced to become one of the leading contemporary physical education colleges in Germany, and to elaborate the distinctive qualities of modern developments with respect to the institutionalization of sport science(s) at universities. The article is based on the study of original documents in various relevant archives.