societies, not less than 1050 of them organized since 1860. In 1863, the semi-centennial of the Battle of Leipsic, more than 20,000 turners gathered in that city for the third convention and _Turnfest_. Another statistical annual issued two years later[61] showed an increase of 650 societies and more than 33,000 members over the numbers recorded in the first volume (July 1, 1862 to November 1, 1864). Enthusiasm had reached such a pitch that a reaction was inevitable, and the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, by diverting attention and draining the resources of the people, interfered with further expansion and threatened to paralyze the existing _Turnvereine_. In the five years between November 1, 1864, and August 1, 1869, there had been a falling off of nearly 400 societies and 40,000 members, according to the statistical annual of 1871.[62] A Turnfest planned for July 22-24, 1866, in Nuremberg, had to be given up; but two years later 168 delegates assembled for the fourth general convention in Weimar (July 20 and 21, 1868), and there formally organized the _Deutsche Turnerschaft_, a firm union of all German gymnastic societies, including the Austrian Germans. A constitution was adopted, the old committee was increased to 22 members, and Georgii and Goetz were continued in their positions as chairman and business manager. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 15,000 turners followed the colors to the field and many gymnasia were converted into hospitals. But in spite of this temporary check the war brought what Jahn and his followers had looked forward to for sixty years and more—the unification of Germany. Experiences of march, battlefield, and camp had driven home to the minds of all the need and value of physical efficiency, as nothing else could do it; and after the formation of the new Empire popular _Turnen_ began, at first slowly and then more rapidly, to flourish as never before, and this time with the full approval of the state. The following table shows the development that has taken place since the first statistical investigation was made, in 1862. The second column gives the number of German towns and cities in which there were popular gymnastic societies (_Turnvereine_), and the third column the total number of these societies irrespective of membership in the _Turnerschaft_. “Active” turners are those who actually take part in the gymnastic exercises.