Thus, in 1917, the "Deutscher Reichsausschuss für Olympische Spiele" (DRA, DRAfOS "German Imperial Commission for Olympic Games") was renamed Deutscher Reichsausschuss für Leibesübungen (DRL, "German Imperial Commission for Physical Exercise") to reflect and protest the non-Olympic situation.

On 24 September 1949 the Nationales Olympisches Komitee für Deutschland ("National Olympic Committee for Germany") was founded in Bonn as successor to the DOA.

In October 1949, under Soviet occupation, the German Democratic Republic was founded, which on 22 April 1951 founded a separate Nationales Olympisches Komitee für Ostdeutschland ("National Olympic Committee for East Germany"), in 1965 renamed to "Nationales Olympisches Komitee der DDR" ("National Olympic Committee of the GDR").

As a third German state, under French occupation, was the Saar (protectorate) (1947–1956), which also founded sporting organisations in order to take part in international competition, like football and the Olympics.

After criticism due to lack of success in 2004, the Deutscher Sportbund ("German ") (DSB) and the Nationales Olympisches Komitee für Deutschland (NOK) decided to merge in 2005.