Last week at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, France took home the gold medal in both men’s and women’s handball, a sport rarely played in the United States outside of a few universities and club-level leagues. In Germany, however, handball is the second most popular sport behind soccer.

Different variations of handball have existed for centuries, but it wasn’t until the early 1900s that it entered the modern zeitgeist as a “harmless” alternative to the male sport of soccer.

The modern set of rules designed for the “special needs of women” was published in 1917 by three Berliners—Max Heiser, Karl Schelenz, and Erich Konigh. That’s why Germany is considered the birthplace of the sport.  In 1919, Schelenz introduced a larger playing field to the game, which began gaining popularity among men. The following year, the first professional games took place in Berlin.

Athletes originally played handball outdoors, but due to Germany’s chilly and rainy climate, the game made the move indoors. Over the past century, the game has continued to evolve. As handball became more physically intense, speed and technique gained importance.

Today, handball is played by two teams of seven players each. The objective of the game is to throw the ball into the opposing team’s goal. Each goal is worth one point. There are two 30-minute periods of play, and the team with the most points at the end of game time wins.

Although developed to be a dainty sporting option for women, the physicality of today’s handball is rough. Defensive players can make bodily contact with the other team to prevent them from scoring, and falls are also common, leading to serious injuries in professional athletes.

Despite the risks, handball continues to gain worldwide popularity and is played in 190 countries. It’s especially popular in Europe.

Learn More:
German Handball a Short History
What is Handball