Where were the 1936 Summer Olympics held?
The 1936 Summer Olympics (German: Olympische Sommerspiele 1936), officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain, on 26 April 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona (two years before the Nazis came to power). It marked the second and final time the International Olympic Committee gathered to vote in a city that was bidding to host those Games.
To outdo the Los Angeles games of 1932, Adolf Hitler had built a new 100,000-seat track and field stadium, six gymnasiums, and many other smaller arenas. The games were the first to be televised, and radio broadcasts reached 41 countries. Filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl was commissioned by the German Olympic Committee to film the Games for $7 million.
More Info:
en.wikipedia.org
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56 Comments
Lisa G
This was the Olympics where Jesse Owens won 4 gold medals proving Hitler wrong about the Aryan race being dominant. Hitler didn't want a black man in the Olympics, but when Jesse Owens shoes went missing, a German track athlete loaned him his track shoes.
RainingStars
Interesting tidbit about Jesse Owens. He was born James Cleveland Owens, but was called "J. C." When he was 9 years old, his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, from Alabama. When his new teacher asked him what his name was, (so she could write it in her Roll Call book), he said "J. C.", but due to his heavy Southern accent, she thought he said "Jesse"...The name stuck, and he was known as "Jesse Owens" for the rest of his life! 😊
RainingStars
Corey Taylor...Where on Earth, did you hear that? Hitler, actually, shook hands with Owens, behind the "Victory Stands" after Owens had won 4 Gold Medals. Owens kept a photo of the Fürher shaking his hand, before the Fürher had to leave the Stadium, in his wallet. Owens also stated that, "Hitler didn't snub me - it was our President who snubbed me. The President didn't even send me a Telegram."
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Owens
Joseph A. Robitaille
Jesse Owens upset the superior race. Good Q and A.
Todd Van Dell
This from Wikipedia about FDR snubbing Jesse Owens, while Jesse had a picture of Hitler shaking his hand:
In a 2009 interview, German journalist Siegfried Mischner claimed that Owens carried around a photograph in his wallet of the Führer shaking his hand before the latter left the stadium.
Owens, who felt that the newspapers of the day reported "unfairly" on Hitler's attitude towards him, tried to get Mischner and his journalist colleagues to change the accepted version of history in the 1960s.
Mischner claimed that Owens showed him the photograph and told him: "That was one of my most beautiful moments." Mischner added: "(the picture) was taken behind the honour stand and so not captured by the world's press.
But I saw it, I saw him shaking Hitler's hand!"
According to Mischner, "the predominating opinion in post-war Germany was that Hitler had ignored Owens, so we therefore decided not to report on the photo.
The consensus was that Hitler had to continue to be painted in a bad light in relation to Owens."
For some time, Mischner's assertion was not confirmed independently of his own account, and Mischner himself admitted in Mail Online:
"All my colleagues are dead, Owens is dead.
I thought this was the last chance to set the record straight.
I have no idea where the photo is or even if it exists still."
However, in 2014, Eric Brown, British fighter pilot and test pilot, the Fleet Air Arm's most decorated living pilot, independently stated in a BBC documentary:
"I actually witnessed Hitler shaking hands with Jesse Owens and congratulating him on what he had achieved."
Additionally, an article in The Baltimore Sun in August 1936 reported that Hitler sent Owens a commemorative inscribed cabinet photograph of himself.
Later, on October 15, 1936, Owens repeated this allegation when he addressed an audience of African Americans at a Republican rally in Kansas City, remarking:
"Hitler didn't snub me—it was our president who snubbed me.
The president didn't even send me a telegram."
Owens was a staunch Republican, and FDR was not.
Still.
Makes FDR look petty and small that he was "too busy" to send a telegram.
And I'm a Democrat saying that.
The Olympics are supposed to transcend politics.
I guess that doesn't always happen.
Shame.
It paints FDR in a bad light.
Eilean Rawson
After his success at the Olympics Jesse was invited to receive an award from one of the prestigious American Gentlemen's Clubs. He received it at a special dinner to which he was not invited. He had to leave before the meal. Wasn't only Hitler who didn't feel comfortable with black men.
David Roy
It was the first Olympics to feature the torch relay from Athens into the stadium
dvdeaton
Jesse Owens proved that, at least when it comes to sports, there is no superior race; just superior individuals and teams. No criticism of the runner ups, just an acknowledgment of those who come in first...
Helen Christopulos LoBosco
Corey Taylor, I went to high school with Jesse Owens' daughters. Fine young ladies. The principal always recognized Mr. Owens as a Great American. I don't think Mr. Owens spit in Hitlers' face. Mr. Owens was a gentleman.
Maho girl
dvdeaton, pray tell, in your opinion in what arena is there a superior race?
mapiferuk
RainingStars, nice bit of trivia, thanks for sharing!
John Moore
Hitler actually shook Jesse Owens' hand and congratulated him and sent him a photograph. It was FDR who ignored him. Owens said, "Hitler didn't snub me—it was our president who snubbed me. The president didn't even send me a telegram."
Cujo
littledick, Metcalf
joycekingsmith
RainingStars, good to know. Thanks for the info.
Mohan Krishnan
got it correct
Donna Smith
Missed it
Paula Hamann
Todd Van Dell,
Even worse FDR invited the Olympic team to the White House but ignored Owens, the only one to win four gold medals, and excluded him from attending. Democrats have a history of discrimination of blacks even though the history books often ignore that.
dlh
Jesse Owens became the star of these Olympic Games, much to Herr Hitler’s chagrin!
Sarah Wallace
Thanks for the info Lisa Gordon. I had not heard these facts, but it would be typical of that ghastly man hitler!
GreedyJoel
Todd Van Dell,
One thing is relevant here. Nazi Germany cleaned up its act (temporarily), took down the anti-Jewish signs, and tried to fool the world into not believing the previous reports on rabid, institutional, anti-Semitism.
We all know what terrors happened when the 1936 Olympics ended!
GreedyJoel
RainingStars,
A similar thing happened to the late, great Ossie Davis. When his mother was asked his name, for a birth certificate she said, O. C. Davis”.
The white male wrote “Ossie”. You didn’t argue with white males, back then, in rural Georgia!
kamaker
Eilean Rawson, ...what a sad shame
Eddie Harper
Leni Riefenstahl was quite a controversial figure. She was accused of having an affair with one of Hitler's henchman (which she vehemently denied and took offense at), lived with an African tribe and took some excellent photographs of them and around the age of 80 took up sky diving.
littledick
A slap in the face to Hitler's "white race" superiority. Not only did Owens come in first, but also Ralph Metcaph (sp.?), yet another African American, placed.