Migration of Sports Administrators: The Case of Heinrich Kuhn

This article discusses the migration of sports administrators from Central Europe to Palestine, focusing on the circumstances surrounding their migration, their absorption in their new society, and their efforts to maintain their status as sports administrators. Dr. Heinrich Kuhn is a case in point. Kuhn, a member of revisionist organizations in Germany, served as the first President of the World Maccabi Union. In 1936, Kuhn immigrated to Palestine and discovered
that the approach to sports was very different than in his homeland Germany. In Germany, sport was a means of social integration and Jewish identity development, while in Palestine sports were intertwined with politics and consequently contributed to social divisiveness. The political clashes between Maccabi and its rival sports association Hapoel also impeded the proper
development of sports. Upon Kuhn’s arrival in Palestine, he became Head Instructor of Hapoel Squads, which pitted itself against the revisionists. Concurrently with his activities in Hapoel, Kuhn continued to play a role in the World Maccabi Union. This article discusses Kuhn’s concurrent activities in the two organizations as a case study of the unique challenges facing
Central European athletes who immigrated to Palestine, their absorption process, and their desires to preserve their cultural capital.