ABSTRACT The early involvement some Western liberal states, such as Norway and Canada, in the field of Sport for Development (SfD) is well known, with both countries regarded amongst the pioneers in this area. In contrast, Germany’s early investments in the field are not widely known, in part due to deficiencies in documentation and publication. This paper will not only challenge the deficient historical documentation on the subject but will also provide a preliminary descriptive account of the factors that have driven investment or withdrawal from the SfD sector within Germany. This will be set against a broader global context and in relation to key turning points affecting the field. Based on a literature review and content analysis, the results trace the chronological course and development of SfD in Germany in three phases, where the popularity of sport as a developmental tool is subject to strong fluctuations. Additionally, German efforts in SfD have differed from international trends, particularly in the early adoption of sport in German development cooperation in the mid-1970s and the constraints observed during SfD’s international growth in the 2000s. Key implications of this paper include highlighting the strong influence of domestic politics on SfD funding and activity, and formally documenting the breadth and scale of German SfD efforts. Overall, this paper provides a foundation for further work looking at German international SfD efforts, as well as future consideration of the role of national politics in SfD funding.