Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936

Remember

Late Remembrance

Bear in remembrance

“Truth is within reason for humans.“ (Ingeborg Bachmann, author)

The IV. Olympic Winter Games took place between 6 February and 16 February 1936, hosted by Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The emanating fascination for winter sports was used by the National Socialists exclusively for their own goals. Almost perfect organization, logistics, newly built elaborate competition sites conveyed the image of an allegedly peaceful Germany to the world. Behind the sportive curtain, the NS regime continued consequently to suppress political opponents and Jewish citizens, rearmament was further pressed ahead.

Coming to terms with the history of these Winter Games started very late – only in the context of the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships of 2011 with the exposition “The Flipside of the Medal” and the corresponding catalog. The permanent exhibition is revised these days, but a virtual tour is possible. The detailed documentation covering the exhibition “The Flipside of the Medal” is available at the online shop of GaPa-Tourismus and the local bookstores.

BR 2 – Feuilleton Podcast
Olympiaplakat-Werbung 1936
Olympiaplakat-Werbung 1936
Olympia-Skistadion 1936
Olympiaplakat-Werbung 1936
Olympiaplakat-Werbung 1936
Olympia-Skistadion 1936

Bear in remembrance

“Truth is within reason for humans.“ (Ingeborg Bachmann, author)

The IV. Olympic Winter Games took place between 6 February and 16 February 1936, hosted by Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The emanating fascination for winter sports was used by the National Socialists exclusively for their own goals. Almost perfect organization, logistics, newly built elaborate competition sites conveyed the image of an allegedly peaceful Germany to the world. Behind the sportive curtain, the NS regime continued consequently to suppress political opponents and Jewish citizens, rearmament was further pressed ahead.

Coming to terms with the history of these Winter Games started very late – only in the context of the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships of 2011 with the exposition “The Flipside of the Medal” and the corresponding catalog. The permanent exhibition is revised these days, but a virtual tour is possible. The detailed documentation covering the exhibition “The Flipside of the Medal” is available at the online shop of GaPa-Tourismus and the local bookstores.

BR 2 – Feuilleton Podcast

Application

Forced merger 1  January 1935
Blick auf Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Blick auf Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Olympia-Austragungsorte von 1936
Blick auf Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Blick auf Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Olympia-Austragungsorte von 1936

Preliminaries and assignment of the IV. Olympic Winter Games

In 1931, the IOC assigned Berlin with the organization of the Summer Olympics. This gave the German Reich the right to define the venue of the IV. Winter Olympics as well. Because of the advantages concerning sports, organization and climate, the towns of Garmisch and Partenkirchen prevailed over other winter sports centers like Oberhof.

This did not remain without consequences for the two independent communities. On 1 January 1935, they were merged to the community of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The fierce resistance of the town council members in Garmisch only stopped under the threat of Minister of the Interior Wagner’s to admit them into the concentration camp Dachau. You can find out more about here.

„Jugend der Welt“ II – offizieller Film, IV. Olympische Winterspiele Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936, hergestellt im Auftrag der Reichspropagandaleitung der NSDAP, aus dem Bundesarchiv Berlin

Construction

6 Olympic Buildings in Record Time

Sites

756 attendants from 28 nations competed in 17 disciplines. The ski jumping at the final day and the following closing ceremony with presentation of the medals at the Olympic Ski Stadium attracted around 130.000 visitors – and set a record.

In addition to the newly built Olympic Ski Stadium with the big Olympic Jump the National Socialists built the Olympic artificial ice rink at record speed. The already existing Bob sled at the Rießersee was elaborately redesigned. Expenses for the sports sites added up to 1,257,700 Reichsmark

The Olympic Ski Stadium The Olympic Bobsleigh Track The Olympic Ice Stadium Ice Sports Buildings at Lake Riessersee Slalom Course at Gudiberg Downhill Course at Kreuzeck
Olympia-Skistadion
Olympia-Skistadion
Olympia-Eisstadion 1936
Olympia-Skistadion
Olympia-Skistadion
Olympia-Eisstadion 1936

Sites

756 attendants from 28 nations competed in 17 disciplines. The ski jumping at the final day and the following closing ceremony with presentation of the medals at the Olympic Ski Stadium attracted around 130.000 visitors – and set a record.

In addition to the newly built Olympic Ski Stadium with the big Olympic Jump the National Socialists built the Olympic artificial ice rink at record speed. The already existing Bob sled at the Rießersee was elaborately redesigned. Expenses for the sports sites added up to 1,257,700 Reichsmark

The Olympic Ski Stadium The Olympic Bobsleigh Track The Olympic Ice Stadium Ice Sports Buildings at Lake Riessersee Slalom Course at Gudiberg Downhill Course at Kreuzeck

1936

Many International Innovations
Presse bei der Berichterstattung
Presse bei der Berichterstattung
Kameramann
Presse bei der Berichterstattung
Presse bei der Berichterstattung
Kameramann

Opening

Reichskanzler Adolf Hitler declared open the IV. Olympic Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on 6 February 1936 at 11 a.m. in front of around 20,000 spectators in the Olympic Stadium.

After the parade of the athletes, Karl Ritter von Halt in his welcome speech explicitly pointed out the peace message of the Olympic Games. 28 nations competed in eight different sports disciplines for medals In addition, two demonstration contests, icestocksport and the military ski patrol a predecessor of today’s biathlon completed the program. During the 10 days of competitions around 619,000 visitors watched the IV. Olympic Winter Games.

 

Sports: Facts and figures

403 journalists coming from 29 countries reported out of Garmisch-Partenkirchen from special built press grandstands. Among other things, live broadcasts were an innovation. The total transmission time at home and abroad amounted to 301 hours.

The Olympic Winners The Medal Table
CNN – Video über die Olympischen Winterspiele 1936 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Politics

Exploitation of the Games

The Olympic idea

Until 1933, the Olympic idea for the Nazis was presumed to be “Jewish pacifistic” infernal stuff, targeting at an effeminacy and weakening of the German people. Sports for National Socialists served mostly to create militarily useful aggressiveness and combat readiness.

After the “seizure of power”, Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels realized the possibility to exploit the Olympic Games to cover up the buildup of arms, and to create a sugarcoated image of a “new peaceful Germany”. The inhabitants of Garmisch-Partenkirchen were supposed to play a part in this game. The goal was to convince the visitors of the German love for peace and revise the possibly existing impression of a barbaric dictatorship.

Mitschnitt Audioguide Nationalsozialismus in GAP – Präsentation 27.01. OBB
Das Olympia-Eisstadion
Das Olympia-Eisstadion
Olympia-Skistadion
Das Olympia-Eisstadion
Das Olympia-Eisstadion
Olympia-Skistadion

The Olympic idea

Until 1933, the Olympic idea for the Nazis was presumed to be “Jewish pacifistic” infernal stuff, targeting at an effeminacy and weakening of the German people. Sports for National Socialists served mostly to create militarily useful aggressiveness and combat readiness.

After the “seizure of power”, Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels realized the possibility to exploit the Olympic Games to cover up the buildup of arms, and to create a sugarcoated image of a “new peaceful Germany”. The inhabitants of Garmisch-Partenkirchen were supposed to play a part in this game. The goal was to convince the visitors of the German love for peace and revise the possibly existing impression of a barbaric dictatorship.

Mitschnitt Audioguide Nationalsozialismus in GAP – Präsentation 27.01. OBB

Antisemitism

Stigmatization of Jewish Citizens
Verkehrsschilder
Verkehrsschilder
Verbotsschild für Juden
Verkehrsschilder
Verkehrsschilder
Verbotsschild für Juden

„Jews not wanted“

Already before 1933, Jewish guests were the object of massive National Socialist attacks. After 30 January 1933, the openly displayed antisemitism continued without restraint. Decisions of the local counsels and a flood of anti-Jewish signs and panels testify of this fact in the towns Garmisch and Partenkirchen, mostly during the year of 1935 in preparation of the Olympics.

Threats to transfer the Olympic Games to another country because of constant stigmatization of the German Jews hung over the heads of the officials. At this point, as Olympic Games at Garmisch-Partenkirchen seemed to be endangered, high National Socialist officials interfered in person. Instructions, directives and orders were issued in January 1936, and for the time of the event all infamous signs disappeared.

Media

Radio and press were deprived of their freedoms

Propaganda

From Hitler’s point of view the Winter Games were supposed to be a test for the much more important Summer Games at Berlin. Predominantly, the focus was on propaganda and demonstration of power on site. The positive reports of the international press added significantly to the success of the propaganda. Especially the Olympic film issued by the Reich Propaganda Ministry made a lasting impression to many.

 

Promotion

The official poster for the Olympic Winter games was created by the Munich artist Ludwig Hohlwein. It shows a skier with the five Olympic rings on his breast, holding his skis in his left hand. His right hand, pointing upwards, allowed plenty of space for speculation. Sportsmanlike gesture or „Nazi salute“?

The official advertising poster
„Jugend der Welt“ I – offizieller Film, IV. Olympische Winterspiele Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936, hergestellt im Auftrag der Reichspropagandaleitung der NSDAP, aus dem Bundesarchiv Berlin
Offizielles Werbeplakat der Olympischen Winterspiele
Offizielles Werbeplakat der Olympischen Winterspiele
Besuchermassen während der Olympischen Spiele
Offizielles Werbeplakat der Olympischen Winterspiele
Offizielles Werbeplakat der Olympischen Winterspiele
Besuchermassen während der Olympischen Spiele

Propaganda

From Hitler’s point of view the Winter Games were supposed to be a test for the much more important Summer Games at Berlin. Predominantly, the focus was on propaganda and demonstration of power on site. The positive reports of the international press added significantly to the success of the propaganda. Especially the Olympic film issued by the Reich Propaganda Ministry made a lasting impression to many.

 

Promotion

The official poster for the Olympic Winter games was created by the Munich artist Ludwig Hohlwein. It shows a skier with the five Olympic rings on his breast, holding his skis in his left hand. His right hand, pointing upwards, allowed plenty of space for speculation. Sportsmanlike gesture or „Nazi salute“?

The official advertising poster
„Jugend der Welt“ I – offizieller Film, IV. Olympische Winterspiele Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936, hergestellt im Auftrag der Reichspropagandaleitung der NSDAP, aus dem Bundesarchiv Berlin

Boycott

A beautiful façade conceals the ugly sides
Adolf Hitler am Schlusstag der IV. Olympischen Winterspiele
Adolf Hitler am Schlusstag der IV. Olympischen Winterspiele
Einmarsch der Nationen bei der Eröffnungsfeier
Adolf Hitler am Schlusstag der IV. Olympischen Winterspiele
Adolf Hitler am Schlusstag der IV. Olympischen Winterspiele
Einmarsch der Nationen bei der Eröffnungsfeier

Not everybody was misled

The propaganda of the NS regime was not able to mislead all with the beautiful make-believe of the Winter Games. The day before the opening ceremony, the “Pariser Tageblatt” issued a critical comment under the headline “Inactivity of Brains” emphasizing again how irreconcilable big the gap between the goals of the Olympic and the NS movement actually was. Some athletes took part in the boycott movement. The French Jewish bobsledder Philippe de Rothschild set the clearest sign with his cancelation, taking stand against the discrimination of the Jewish athletes.

The author Albrecht Haushofer later interpreted the Winter Games as an ominous warning before the forthcoming war. The Nazis murdered Haushofer in 1945.

1940

IOC approves the 1940 Winter Olympic Games

The last Olympic Games

Because Japan was at war with China as of 1937, the Japanese town of Sapporo was forced to return the V. Olympic Winter Games of 1940 to the International Olympic Committee. Since the applications of Oslo and St. Moritz failed, the Third Reich got the opportunity to hold again the Winter Games at Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

The IOC did not see the Nuremberg racial laws, the incidents of the so-called “Night of Broken Glass”, or the already existing concentration camps Dachau, Buchenwald, Sachsenhausen and Mauthausen as an impediment for the assignment of the Olympic Winter Games to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Only the invasion of Poland by the Nazis in 1939 and the beginning of the Second World War finally forced the IOC to cancel the V. Olympic Winter Games.

Preparations for 1940
Offizielles Plakat für die olympischen Winterspiele 1940
Offizielles Plakat für die olympischen Winterspiele 1940
Kartenvorverkauf: Foto Maltan, Marktarchiv Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Offizielles Plakat für die olympischen Winterspiele 1940
Offizielles Plakat für die olympischen Winterspiele 1940
Kartenvorverkauf: Foto Maltan, Marktarchiv Garmisch-Partenkirchen

The last Olympic Games

Because Japan was at war with China as of 1937, the Japanese town of Sapporo was forced to return the V. Olympic Winter Games of 1940 to the International Olympic Committee. Since the applications of Oslo and St. Moritz failed, the Third Reich got the opportunity to hold again the Winter Games at Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

The IOC did not see the Nuremberg racial laws, the incidents of the so-called “Night of Broken Glass”, or the already existing concentration camps Dachau, Buchenwald, Sachsenhausen and Mauthausen as an impediment for the assignment of the Olympic Winter Games to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Only the invasion of Poland by the Nazis in 1939 and the beginning of the Second World War finally forced the IOC to cancel the V. Olympic Winter Games.

Preparations for 1940

Directory

Cover Katalogtitel Kehrseite der Medaille
Cover Katalogtitel Kehrseite der Medaille
Foto Firgau, Amtlicher Bericht IV. Olympische Winterspiele 1936, S. 78
Cover Katalogtitel Kehrseite der Medaille
Cover Katalogtitel Kehrseite der Medaille
Foto Firgau, Amtlicher Bericht IV. Olympische Winterspiele 1936, S. 78

Abbreviations:
FIS = Fédération Internationale de Ski (International Ski Federation)
WM = World Championship
BMI = Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community
DSV = German Ski Association
IOC = International Olympic Committee
KZ = Concentration Camp
NSDAP = National Socialist German Workers‘ Party
German OC = National Olympic Committee
NS = National Socialism

Literature:
2016, Josef Ostler, Peter Schwarz, Alois Schwarzmüller, Franz Wörndle, The Reverse Side of the Medal. IV Olympic Winter Games Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936. Documentation for the permanent exhibition in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The link to the GaPa Tourism online shop can be found here.

Internet radio sites:
www.gapgeschichte.de
www.historisches-lexikon-bayerns.de

Radio:
Bavarian Broadcasting

Photos:
Market archive Markt Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Films:
„Youth of the World“ official film, IV Olympic Winter Games, Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936, produced on behalf of the Reich Propaganda Directorate of the NSDAP, 32 min, Federal Archives Berlin
CNN – Documentary on the 1936 Olympic Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen from 2019, 3 min