Friedrich Ludwig Jahn (1778-1852) founded the Turner movement in Germany as a half-secret paramilitary training facility for resistance fighters against the Napoleonic occupation. Shocked by the poor physical condition of the soldiers during the Napoleonic wars Jahn devised a system of exercises and games to help improve a persons strength and stamina. The Turners were trained not only in running, jumping, swimming, and weight-lifting, but also in the martial arts such as fencing, shooting, and even bayonet-fencing. He also invented much of today's gymnastic equipment. Thus he is credited with the invention of gymnastics. The following words were added to the German vocabulary because of his movement:
Turnen-to perform gymnastic exercises
Turner-gymnast
Turnerbund-a gymnastic union
Turnfest-a gymnastic festival
Turnverein-a gymnastic society
The Turnverein, from their very
beginning, were gathering places for German radical democrats. Thus, the Turners
were a constant threat to the nobility and were ardent fighters for the
Republic. They joined, and even started, many revolutionary uprisings in all the
various German speaking countries. Their motto "Frisch, Fromm, Froehlich,
Frei" (fresh, pious, merry, free) had its emphasis on the last word.
In 1848, when the German revolution took
place, many of these Turnvereins were in existence. The failure of this
revolution caused many Germans to immigrate to the United States. Once here the
Turnvereins were quickly started with the one in Cincinnati being the first in
1848.
The most famous Turner from the Cincinnati area was President and
Chief Justice of the United States William Howard Taft. Whenever President
Lincoln traveled the country Turners would gather to serve as guards much like
the Secret Service does today. The Turners are still going strong today, they
moved out of Turner Hall on Walnut St. (see below) in the 1950s. They now are
located on Pinney Lane in Springfield Township. The old Turner Hall was razed in
1972.
Not a postcard
Vine St. Turner
Hall
Walnut St. Turner Hall
The backs of these cards are interesting
*
West End Turner Hall
Freeman Avenue
These
cards are souvenirs of the Turnfest held in
Cincinnati in June of 1909.
The blank area probably was for
a photo to be pasted on.
The first three cards show the town of Carthage welcoming the Turners. They were using the Carthage Fair Grounds.
*
(Notice the speed limit sign in the first card)
Carthage Fair Grounds
A little
beer
Some good
food
A nap in your
tent
Then a little
exercise
These six cards show the Stadium that was located across the street from the Post Office on 5th St. This is where many of the exhibitions and demonstrations took place.
Same image - wider viewing angle
RP of the Parade past the Stadium
Turnfest at night-Fountain Sq.
This postcard of a class of Cincinnati Turners seems to be used in an invitation to a Benefit and Ball (?) to be held April 19, 1909 at a hall at 6th and Vine Street. Seems to be a 50 cent charge. I believe this benefit was put on to raise money for the Turner Society.
Turner gymnasts
These 22 items are called First Day Covers. When the post office issues a new stamp the first day if its issuance is commemorated in the city that is closely related to that stamp. In this case the stamp, issued in 1948, commemorates the 100 year anniversary of the Turners. As you can see there are many people who put out these covers.
