THE CUP OF THE SOKOL MOVEMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA - THE SWORD OF KING ALEXANDER I

Abstract

In the period between the two world wars, the Sokol movement played an important role in the physical culture of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. In order to further develop the Sokol movement, King Alexander donated a sword as a transitional prize for the most successful Sokol team in certain national competitions. The competitions for the Sword of King Alexander took place in 1925, 1930, 1933, 1937 and 1939. The most successful team in all competitions for the Sword of King Alexander was the team of Sokol movement of Ljubljana. Their high quality was confirmed by numerous successes as members of the Yugoslav national team. As members of the Sokol Society of Ljubljana, the winners of the Sword of King Alexander helped to represent the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in gymnastics. They helped the team to a silver medal in the all-around event at the World Championships in Ljubljana in 1922, a fourth place in the team event at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris; a silver medal in the team competition at the 1926 World Championships in Lyon, a bronze medal in the team event at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, a bronze medal in the team event at the 1930 World Championships in Luxembourg, a sixth place in the team event at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin and a bronze medal in the team event at the 1938 World Championships in Prague. The competitions for the transitional award "Sword of King Alexander I" contributed significantly to the development of the Sokol movement, sports gymnastics and physical culture in general in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes/Yugoslavia.

Keywords

• sokol movement
• Sword of the King
• Kingdom Yugoslavia
• gymnastics
• Sokol Society of Ljubljana