German Gymnastics

• Founded in 1811 following Germanys fall to Napoleon Bonaparte by Fredrich Ludwig Jahn
• Wanted to restore Germanys national pride through the physical and mental development through gymnastics
• Emphasized the use of parallel bars, rings, and the high bar. All still used used today
• Ludwig Jahn joined the Prussian army in 1806 and at one time commanded a battalion of men against Napoleon  
• not just a sports organization but a political as well
• Brought it to U.S by Charles Beck, however was much more of a fad and not as taken as seriously as it was in Germany
• Militarized viewpoint, vey strict and very controlled physical fitness. Essentially Jahn wanted to make Germanys citizens strong so the nation itself would become strong.
  
• The Swedes version used no apparatus's was less rigid and used more calisthenics
• Adolf Spiel, a German himself invented the gymnastics rings, originally they were triangles instead of circles, they were first featured in the 1924 Paris Olympic games

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Systems

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Ludwig_Jahn#Contribution_to_sports

http://www.ihpra.org/gymnastics%20history.htm

Chapter 8 presentations (From the perspective of Paul)

I see these men, these Russian soldiers, these men are mere shadows of what must have been shadows of themselves. They grovel and search for scraps like wild animals for food. Which the only they find is in the garbages, little is thrown out by us. Yet there is a shred of humanity in these men. These men who Ive been told are ruthless, and heartless men who will kill me at any chance, they are nothing like that. 

The other german soldiers mostly ignore them, but some kick their starving diseased bodies. I thin we in fact are the heartless ruthless men that our teachers warned about, not the Russians. I see these men and they are caring for each other, they do not fight among themselves they no longer have any reason to fight among themselves.I cannot relate to them as individual men because I can only sees the animal suffering in them. 

I see them suffering and I want to help them I give some of my cigarettes to the Russians. There is one man who I can somewhat relate to. He is a musician who said he played the violin in Berlin. I watched and listened as he played against the fence for the other Russians. I hear only sadness and loneliness. 

My parents came by and gave me some food, I am debating giving them to the Russians. They need it more than I do. If I were in their shoes I would hope that not everyone of my enemy is a heartless bastard. There is goodness in everyone. Then I thought my mother is in pain from her sickness, and She made these for me not the Russians. I decide to compromise and give them 2. If I have learned anything else from this war is that it is all a lie, my teachers said that the enemy will kill me at any turn. But from what Ive seen these men are just like me, brainwashed into believing that the man on the other side of the fence is my enemy and will want nothing but to kill me and my entire family. This is not true, these are humans with families, and emotions like me who want the killing to stop. 

Self revelations (Detering)

I am Detering, I'm a man who before the madness of war started was a simple farm man with a simple family and life. This war has changed so many things about me, the first ting is about these creatures who are absolutely magnificent being used for something as lowly as war. Horses do not belong on the battlefield, the belong under the plains and allowed to be free to run and eat at much as they want. Since this war started, they are only used for the whims of man, to cause havoc and to kill. Horses have no urge to kill each other because they have a different coat. Why do we? When I heard after a bombardment horses screaming, writhing and slowly dying. I couldn't take it. They do not need to suffer at the hands of their riders. I desperately wanted to end their suffering i wanted to shoot them and not let them die slowly. I only want what is humane. Kat prevented me from doing this, he didn't want me to give away my position.

I decide to leave and go AWOL, after I saw a beautiful cherry tree. It reminded of home and i didn't want to be here any more. Soon after I left I was captured and court marshaled by them. I never again saw my friends again.