As early as the 1850s, the Turners held annual athletic competitions called Turnfests. These competitions reflected the Turner philosophy that physical fitness was key to an active, productive life. After the Civil War, the national Turnfests grew considerably. By the early 20th century, several thousand competitors were participating, and the gymnastics competitions were accompanied by parades, receptions, and musical and theatrical performances. “Das Bundesturnfest,” a brief article on the first page of the same issue, announces that the competition had been indefinitely postponed, “aus Anlass der äusserst bedenklichen Zeitumstände.”

Pumroy, Eric L., and Katja Rampelmann, comps. Research Guide to the Turner Movement in the United States. Bibliographies and Indexes in American History 33. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1996, xii.