Sport | Track and field |
---|---|
Founded | 1948 |
Ceased | 1990 |
Country | East Germany |
Related competitions | West German Athletics Championships |
The East German Athletics Championships (German: DDR Leichtathletik-Meisterschaften) was an annual outdoor track and field competition organised by the East German Athletics Federation, which served as the East German national championships for the sport. The three- or four-day event was held in summer months, varying from late June to early September, and the venue changed on an annual basis.
The German Athletics Championships had a long history dating back to 1898.[1] Following the division of Germany as part of the end of World War II, the organising body of the all-Germany championships, German Athletics Association, remained based in West Germany. As a result, a new national competition and sports body was created in East Germany, starting from 1948. This competition predated the formal formation of the country, thus the first two editions in 1948 and 1949 were known as Eastern Zone Athletics Championships, reflecting the Soviet occupied area of the country.[2][3]