What is the DSV?
The Deutscher Schwimm-Verband e.V. (DSV), the German Swimming Federation, is the national body for the aquatic sports in Germany, constituted as a registered association (eingetragener Verein).[3] It describes itself as uniting “unter seinem Dach die Schwimmverbände in den Bundesländern” — the swimming associations of the federal states under one roof — together with their members in some 2,300 clubs, and as representing the Olympic aquatic disciplines.[5]
What does the DSV govern or do?
The DSV names its divisions as swimming, diving, water polo, synchronised swimming, masters sport and sports development, and counts four of them — swimming, diving, water polo and synchronised swimming — as Olympic core sports.[3] Its home page also lists open-water swimming among the federation’s disciplines.[2] The DSV describes itself as the body that brings the state associations and their clubs together under one roof.[5]
When was the DSV founded and where is it based?
The DSV’s history page records the federation as “Gegründet am 8. August 1886 in Berlin von 31 Vertretern aus 9 Vereinen” — founded in Berlin on 8 August 1886 by 31 representatives of nine clubs — and it marked 125 years of its history in 2011.[5] The federation’s office is in Kassel, at Korbacher Straße 93, the address given on its site.[2]
How is the DSV recognised?
European Aquatics. European Aquatics, the continental body for the aquatic sports, lists Germany’s member in its directory of member federations as the German Swimming Federation.[1]
Within Germany. The DSV presents itself as the umbrella organisation of the state swimming associations of the Federal Republic, through which the clubs and their members belong to the federation.[3][5]
What does the DSV organise?
The DSV organises the Deutsche Meisterschaften — the German championships — across its disciplines.[2] Its site lists the 2026 German swimming championships (DM Schwimmen) as held in Berlin from 23 to 26 April 2026.[2] Competition is the domain of its licence holders: the federation states that about 80,000 people practise its sports as competitors with a licence (Lizenznehmer).[3]
Who are its members?
The DSV lists 18 state swimming associations as members (as listed in October 2026): Baden, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, South-West Germany, Thuringia and Württemberg. The Deutsche Schwimmtrainer-Vereinigung, the coaches’ association, is listed as an extraordinary member.[4] The federation gives its wider membership as more than 600,000 people in about 2,300 clubs.[3]
References
- European Aquatics — Federations (member directory). Accessed 2026-10-06.
- DSV — official website (home page and navigation). Accessed 2026-10-06.
- DSV — Über uns: Verband. Accessed 2026-10-06.
- DSV — Mitgliedsverbände. Accessed 2026-10-06.
- DSV — Geschichte. Accessed 2026-10-06.