1936 Summer Olympics Manipulation: Exploitation of the Games by the Nazi Regime
In May 1931, the International Olympic Committee awarded the Games to Berlin, marking the city as the host for the XI Olympic Games in 1936. This decision would prove to be a significant turning point, as these Games were held under the regime of Nazi Germany in a tense, politically charged atmosphere.
The 1936 Berlin Olympics were orchestrated as a showcase for Nazi propaganda, with Carl Diem, a German sports official and the chief organizer of the Games, playing a crucial role. Diem, despite coining the tradition of the Olympic torch relay, became entangled with Nazi propaganda aims. He navigated between sports ideals and the regime's political agendas, facilitating elaborate sports presentations that glorified Nazi ideology while also managing international concerns.
The Berlin Games showcased grand architecture, extensive use of Nazi symbols, and orchestrated ceremonies designed to demonstrate Aryan racial superiority and German prowess. The newly constructed Reich Sports Field, adorned with Nazi banners, was a testament to the regime's ambition to use the global spotlight to legitimize its ideology and regime.
The Games, however, featured broad international participation but suppressed overt antisemitic displays temporarily to maintain a favorable image. Though the International Olympic Committee pressured the Nazis to include Jewish athletes on the German team, only one athlete of Jewish descent, Helene Mayer (fencer), was selected. Mayer, controversially, was featured prominently despite being partly Jewish, but most Jewish athletes were excluded, reflecting the regime's pervasive antisemitism.
The Games are famously remembered for African American athlete Jesse Owens' triumphs—winning four gold medals—which directly contradicted Nazi racial ideology of Aryan superiority. His victories became symbolic of athletic excellence challenging Nazi propaganda.
The 1936 Berlin Olympics were not without controversy. Avery Brundage, the chairman of the National Olympic Committee, ensured that two Jewish sprinters were removed from the 4x100-meter relay at short notice. Moreover, Jewish athletes were not allowed to play a role in the Games.
Throughout the German Reich, athletes were training for the 1936 Olympic Games, with a connection to the military and the SA and SS being significant. The "German Combat Games 1934" held in Nuremberg, where the Reich showed good results, particularly in the equestrian sport, served as a precursor to the Olympic Games.
In the medal table, the German Reich emerged as the clear winner with 89 medals, ahead of the USA with 56. The Games were also the first major events to be broadcast live on radio, reaching a global audience and further amplifying the impact of the Games.
Despite the controversy and political tension, the 1936 Berlin Olympics left a lasting legacy. The Games served as a platform for athletic excellence, but also as a propaganda tool for Nazi Germany, promoting Aryan supremacy and the strength of the Third Reich.
[1] Kershaw, Ian. Hitler: 1936-1945: Nemesis. 2000. [2] Waggoner, John. The 1936 Olympic Games: Nazism, Loss, and the Need for Redemption. 2016. [3] Maraniss, David. Rome 1960: The Olympics That Changed the World. 2016. [4] Taylor, Alan. The Berlin Games: How Hitler Rose to Power and Changed the World. 2008. [5] Berenbaum, Michael. The World Must Know. 1997.
The Olympics in 1936, held in Berlin, were a significant platform for Nazi propaganda, with sports events being used as a means to promote Aryan supremacy and the strength of the Third Reich. The grand architecture, extensive use of Nazi symbols, and orchestrated ceremonies served as a stark display of this ideology.
Helene Mayer, a Jewish fencer, was the only Jewish athlete selected for the German team despite international pressure to include more. Her presence contributed to the controversy surrounding the Games, as Avery Brundage, chairman of the National Olympic Committee, ensured that Jewish athletes were excluded from certain events.
