1936 Olympics

“Hitler’s Games”

Introduction• Militaristic, racist character of Nazi Germany was

camouflagedo Exploitation of the Games covered the antisemitic agenda

• US and other western powers had rejected a proposed boycott of the 1936 Olympicso What would’ve happened had these countries bolstered international

resistance?

The 1936 Summer Olympic Games

• Given approval by the IOC in 1931o The choice signaled Germany’s return to the world community after

WWI

• Two years later, Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germanyo Quickly turned Germany from democracy to dictatorshipo Gave Nazi claim to control all aspects of German life, including sportso Sports showed superiority

• In 1933, an “Aryan only” policy was instituted in all German athletic organizationso All others were excluded

• Banished Jewish athletes began forming their own underground athletic associations

The 1936 Summer Olympic Games

• Part-Jewish fencer Helene Mayer represented Germany in fencingo Only Jewish athlete to compete for Germany

• Fun Facts:o 9 Jewish athletes won medals in the Nazi Olympics

• Mostly Hungarian (5)o 7 jewish Male Athletes from the US went to Berlin

• During the games, spectators were given a false taste of Germanyo Antisemitic signs were covered or taken downo Newspapers toned down their harsh rhetoric

Protest towards the Games

• Movements to boycott the Games surfaced ino USo Great Britaino Franceo Swedeno Czechoslovakiao The Netherlands

• Very intense in the US• Organizations boycotted the Games

o American Jewish Congresso Jewish Labor Committee

German Imagery• August 1-16• Huge sports complex was constructed

o Olympic Flagso Swastikas

• Police detaining Romaso Ministry of Interioro “Clean Up the Streets”

• XIth Olympiad• Inaugurated the torch carrying by relay to the

Olympics

Olympic Poster

Olympic Emblem

Jesse Owens