Deutscher Gehörlosen-Sportverband

Deutscher Gehörlosen Sportverband (DGS) is the German umbrella organization for sport of deaf and people with hearing impairments. The DGS is a registered organization seated in Essen.

History
In the mid-19th century, a group of gymnasts, bowlers and chess players met to form teams. With the establishment of the "Taubstummen Turnvereinigung Berlin" (Berlin Deaf Gymnastics Association) on 18 October 1888, the foundation was laid for the organization of deaf athletes. The group added women's and children's divisions in 1896.

A key figure in the development of the Taubstummen Turnvereinigung was Albert Gutzmann, the first director of a school for the deaf-mute in Germany.

Other teams followed the lead of the Taubstummen, and established associations throughout Germany.

Throughout the early 20th century (interrupted only by the outbreak of World War I which brought much of Germany's amateur athletic pursuits to a standstill), the various deaf athletic associations grew and merged, resulting in the culmination: the formation of the DGS in Hanover in 1946.

Goals

 * Development, maintenance and further development of the deaf sports and especially of youth sports
 * To represent the deaf sports at home and abroad, whether to individuals, clubs, associations or governments and all related matters to the common benefit of all members shall be based on sporting spirit
 * Make sure that the deaf sports will be held within the Federal Republic of Germany in accordance with national and international regulations
 * Training of trainers and coaches, and the promotion of sports courses and the introduction of measures of general education and youth sport nursing kind
 * Competitions in the respective sports in DGS operated German deaf champion to be determined in national cup competitions the winner to set up the necessary arrangements for this purpose as part of his orders to carry out further international matches and the necessary preparation for their games and training sessions

Honorary members

 * Theo Krumscheid (†)
 * Harry Förster (†)
 * Käthi George

Sponsors

 * Federal Ministry of the Interior (Germany)
 * German sports aid foundation

General partners

 * Volkswagen Group
 * powerone
 * Verband der Deutschen Automatenindustrie (VDAI, Federation of German vending industry)
 * Mundipharma GmbH

Media partners

 * German deaf newspaper
 * Life in sight
 * German cochlear implant Society
 * Schnecke-online.de

Supporter

 * Reha Com Tech
 * SnowTrex