Olympic Series

Olympics 1936 – Berlin

The headlines screamed ‘Corrupted Games’ and ‘A showcase for Hitler’s power’. Reports observed that: “Hitler’s Germany has set out to prove to the world that it has once again become Greater Germany”, and reflected: ‘we have become figurines in a huge medieval clock at Nuremberg, moved by a mechanism assembled over the past four years’.

Those four years had revealed the true nature of the ruling regime of the country hosting the Games. Hitler had been appointed Chancellor in 1933, and proclaimed Fuhrer of the Third Reich in 1934. In September 1935, he passed laws establishing two categories of Germans to ensure ‘the protection of German blood and honor’: racially pure ‘citizens’ and ‘subjects’. Hitler intended to use these Games to prove his political and ideological theories, although Theodore Lewald, whose father was of Jewish descent, remained head of the German Olympic Committee, and Jewish fencer Helena Meyer, an Olympic champion in 1928, was selected.

Germany rose to the occasion like never before, with 4.5 million entrance tickets sold and a thousand special trains conveying spectators to events. In Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, 100,000 spectators raised their hands in salute and subverted the Games from a festival of sport into a celebration of the Reich. The super – prepared German athletes won 33 Gold medals, compared with only three in Los Angeles. However this demonstration of Aryan racial superiority hit an unexpected stumbling block in the huge successes enjoyed by African – American athletes. Despite Hitler’s best efforts, the stars of the Games were Woodruff, Johnson, Metcalfe and, of course, the great Jesse Owens.

The Atmosphere

In terms of both public and muscular triumph, the Berlin Games appeared to have served sport’s cause marvelously. But, unfortunately, the spirit of sport was deeply corrupted and not served. The only Olympic ideal that remained was the spirit of competition. The Los Angeles Games served as a publicity campaign for a region whose sole beauty is a temperate climate. By contrast, the Berlin Games were a grotesque demonstration of a national political regime.

The Games no longer purely exist for sport: they have become a vehicle for other forces. IOC members are no longer free spirited gentlemen of sport, but government representatives. The host country for the 1940 Olympic Country was decided in the offices of ministries of foreign affairs. It was felt that the very idea of sport was in danger from an extremism rooted in national ambition.

Four Golds for Jesse Owens

The great Afro – American sprinter Jesse Owens won Gold medals in the 100, 200, 4x100 meters relay and the long jump and set almost as many world records – under the steely glare of the Fuhrer Adolf Hitler. The showdown in the long jump, between Jesse Owens and Carl Ludwig Long of Germany took place in front of Adolf Hitler, who spent the entire afternoon in the stadium. With his long blond locks and strong physique, Long seemed every ich the Aryan ideal in combat with the Afro – American. The tension was almost unbearable. Their styles were quite different. Everything stopped in the stadium. For an hour, races were interrupted and for once, a single event held everyone’s attention. Ludwig Long driven by sheer will on his second last attempt, jumped 7.87 meters, tying with Owens. When Owens heard the result he walked up to his rival and shook his hands, warmly offering his congratulations. Then he headed to the jumping pit and began his run up. Unusually, he kept low, sprinting like never before – not even in the 100 meters final. He seemed to hang in the air and stay there until he had covered 7.94 meters! Each had one attempt left. Ludwig Long missed his, before Owens, taking off like a diver from a springboard, achieved 8.06 meters! Long was the first to shake his hand. Nature itself must be proud of what it had achieved in Jesse Owens.

1500 Meters Race of the Century

In the fierce battle for 1500 meters supremacy New Zealander John Lovelock gave a sensational performance. Not only did he beat the world record to win by a respectable margin but he also appeared to accelerate out of the bends with a fresh pair of legs every time. As well as being the best on the track he ran the most intelligent race, an outstanding, faultless performance. The stage was set for the battle that would end with five runners beating the Olympic record and two the world record. The time keeper had put things in perspective by pointing out that we were witness to one of the most amazing athletic feats of modern times. Lovelock had truly made his mark.

The Games in Brief

Opening Date                                  1 August 1936

Closing Date                                    16 August 1936

Host Nation                                      Germany

Nations Represented                       49

Athletes Participated                       4,066 (328 women, 3738 men)

Sports                                                21

Games Officially Opened By          The German Chancellor, Adolf Hitler

Olympic Flame Lit By                     Fritz Schilgen (athletics)

Olympic Oath Read By                    Rudolf Ismayr (weightlifting)

IOC President                                   Henri de Baillet – Latour (Belgium)

The Olympic flame took on an important symbolism with the first torch relay. The route which was 3,000 km long, took the torch from Olympia to the Games’ host site, via seven countries (Greece, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Austria and Germany). Another first was the fact that the 1936 Olympic Games were filmed and transmitted on 25 big screens throughout Berlin. Hungarian water polo player Oliver Halassey won his third Gold medal, despite having had a leg amputated beneath the knee following a train accident.

PS-: Matter researched from the archives of the Olympics Museum in Laussane.

Brigadier (retd) S D Dangwal

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