Membership in the organization included nearly four million people, which accounted for almost 20% of the population of the GDR.

The federation consisted of individual sports associations within the country, ranging from sailing to chess.

While it worked in conjunction with the Gesellschaft für Sport und Technik, the DTSB focused more on adult activities, whereas the GST focused on youth activities.

The DTSB was charged with both organizing and financing all sporting and fitness activities, associations, and events in the nation, as well as promoting physical education among the masses.

[2] Upon the dissolution of East Germany and reunification with the West, the organization was deprived of funds and the individual sports associations either continued to exist independently or joined their Western counterparts.