The DJK was established in Würzburg in 1920 under the leadership of Monsignor Carl Mostert and was active nationally until 1933 and the rise to power of the Nazis.
Following World War II, organizations of all types were banned across the country by occupying Allied authorities as part of the process of de-Nazification.
Based in Düsseldorf, the DJK is a member of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (member with special responsibilities) and the Fédération internationale catholique d'éducation physique et sportive (International Organization of Catholic Sports Associations).
The DJK-Sportsverband includes about 1,200 clubs nationwide and has over 530,000 members, of which almost half are adolescents and young adults (January 2005).
Prior to 1933, these clubs were part of the separate DJK-sponsored competitions and occasionally staged national championships.