Preview

Essay On 1936 Olympics

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
613 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Essay On 1936 Olympics
The Olympics of 1936 were perhaps one of the most controversial and iconic sporting events that have taken place in history. This was caused in large part by the circumstances surrounding the games and was complicated by the many world conflicts taking place. Because he had been elected chancellor of Germany in 1933, Hitler was in charge of the games and the proceedings that would follow. Given his record of discriminatory behaviors like devising the Final Solution, Jews and other undesirables were not allowed to participate. In addition, HItler frequently chose not to acknowledge medalist winners that he rejected. Three important components of the Olympics of 1936 include Jesse Owens’ record-breaking performances in the games, the discrimination of the Jews, the start of propagandization. One component of the 1936 Olympics was the record-breaking performances of Jesse Owens. During the games, Hitler planned to show off the Aryan race. He felt that they were the dominant race, but was then later proved wrong by Jesse Owens. According to the Columbia …show more content…
The 1936 Olympics was a great place for Nazi propaganda to flourish. They made use of colorful posters and magazine spreads in order to promote the games. This propaganda symbolized the Nazi regime as the heir to the Aryan race. The visuals of the posters included men and women who looked heroic with blue eyes, blonde hair, and finely- chiseled features ("The Nazi Party: The Nazi Olympics"). In summary, the 1936 Olympics consisted of record-breaking Jesse Owens, Discrimination of the Jews, and Propagandization. Jesse Owens won four gold medals and proved Hitler that the Aryan race was not superior. Also those who were Jewish or part-Jewish in Germany had limited opportunity to compete. Finally, propagandization promoted the Aryan race. The 1936 Olympics are still known today as one of the most controversial but also exciting

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    War played a major role in shaping the modern day Olympic Games. In document one, Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic movement, states that the Olympics would serve as a reduction of war because of the worldwide competition between various countries. Coubertin wrote this document to attempt to convince the Athletic Society of France to revive the Olympic Games. In document 3, the autobiography of Arnold Lunn talks about how the Nazis used certain competition to prove to the world that a dictatorship (or Nazism) is better than democracy. The only thing that mattered to the Nazi’s was to win. The Nazi’s had pictured the Olympics as a war where it was the Nazi’s against the world. Document 5 reveals that if Japan wouldn’t have hosted the Olympic Games after the Second World War, they would’ve never gotten what they needed to rise as a world trade power. Ryotaro Azuma wrote this document to recognize the fact that the Olympics had evolved into an event that would ultimately save a country.…

    • 288 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Olympics were the begging of a strong passion for completion and rivalries between nations across the world. Arnold Lunn, a British Olympic team official in the 1936 games, notices how the German soldiers where not just there to win,…

    • 653 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Dbq on Olympic

    • 707 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Another group is form by document 3 and 4, these include the effect of political views of countries affect the athletes. In document 3, Nazis would do everything in their power to won Olympic. Not to prove they are better in sport than others, but because they want to demonstrate the whole Nazism was superior that democracy. In document 4 it describe the pressure face by American team in 1952. The presence of Soviet team, the advocate for communism, stresses them. They need to prove democracy was better than communism by defeat the soviet athletes in Olympic.…

    • 707 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Jesse Owens (The Buckeye Bullet) an African-American track and field athlete took a stand against Hitler's supremacy making a place for him in Olympic History. Using the spotlight displaying greatness and passion being achieved away from politics, Owens proved Hitler wrong after his four gold medal wins at the Berlin…

    • 51 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Olympics have shown over the decades that they can be affected by political conflict. However, it seems that this is the point of the Olympics, to illustrate national pride, by competition. Bloodshed should not be the way for pride of one’s country to be shown, but it should be shown through competition, in the words of the founder of the modern Olympic movement, Pierre de Coubertin(1). The games have been used as a weapon for denouncing a country’s sportsmanship, such as in 1956 when Arnold Lunn, a British Olympic team official accused the Nazis of cheating in the 1936 Olympic games that were held in Germany. He went on to allege that the competitors of Germany went onto the course while it was closed to athletes. Though the fact that they were trying so hard to practice, could be an example of the importance placed on the games at the time before war period. This is implied by the statement by Arnold Lunn that victory was the only thing that mattered to the Nazis, and how they achieved it did not matter as long as they did(3). The use of the Olympics to show off one’s country was further demonstrated during the Cold War, when the United States and the Soviet Union were itching to outdo one another. Bob Matthias gives insight through an interview into the United State’s yearning to win over Russia. The competitor told of the spirit of winning throughout the team, even in the athletes that were sure to win for the United States(4). This is a stark contrast to an information guide provided by the Soviet Union regarding the olympics being held in Moscow that year. It tells of seeking peace with the U.S., and how…

    • 1191 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Louis Zamperini Essay

    • 483 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In 1936, Adolf Hitler had hoped that the Berlin Olympic Games would prove German superiority to the spectators of the world. Little did he know that track legend Jesse Owens, an African-American superstar, would break eleven world records at that very game. Another lesser known Olympian caught Hitler's attention that day, as well. Louis Zamperini, an unknown American runner, completed the last lap of the 5000 meter race in a mere 56 seconds. Upon meeting Zamperini Hitler remarked, " Ah, you're the boy with the fast finish." Such words would prove to be prophetic - Zamperini indeed has had a fast finish but survived inordinate atrocities to get there. Laura Hillenbrand, made famous by her book Seabiscuit, has marvelously captured his journey…

    • 483 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    He had to struggle to fit in, he had to prove to society that he belonged with those athletes all throughout high school and and into college. Living in that lifetime would’ve been hard for all non-white races. I think that if Jesse Owens wouldn't have been one of the students who didn't fight for that right to compete, then he wouldn't have set the stage for Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays later on the years. People who fight for believe in even when it's frowned upon and the true heroes. They are willing to change the landscape and pave the way for the future. That is exactly what Jesse did in his high school, college, and Olympic…

    • 1440 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Nazi Olympics takes an in depth look at the efforts the Germans made to show the rest of the world that they had again become a powerful nation under the leader of Adolf Hitler. The events that…

    • 608 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Olympic Games DBQ

    • 602 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Many critics talked highly of the Soviet Union when the Olympic games were to be held in Moscow for the 1980 games. Saying that the Soviet Union “is a beacon of peace, democracy, and social progress.” (Doc 6) But when it came to what they Americans thought, it was far from that. Bob Matthias form the United States, once said “You just loved to beat’em. You just had to beat’em.” (Doc 4) This is because of the long rival that these two countries have had ever since the cold war had started. His perception of the Russians was skewed because he had a long standing with them. He didn’t see them as real competitors. Some countries always went up and down, like Pakistan. There “social values which have shrunk from that of national pride to self-promotion.” (Doc 10) Ali Kabir, a sports writer states that they have lost what has once made them great, and that is work. “The current national team is clueless and has tarnished the country’s name.” For a few countries it was more than national pride, for Japan it was more of a national crusade. They felt that this was a perfect time to come back as a world trade power. (Doc 5) For other countries like Germany, it was also more than just national pride. For Hitler it was a way to show that Germans were superior. He always made protests that always helped the Germans and no one else. (Doc 3) Although he was less concerned about medals, he was more concerned about…

    • 602 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    2008 DBQ

    • 439 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Modern Olympics were shaped in different ways that include many social, economic, and political factors. These factors over time changed the games from what they were in 1892 to what they were in 2002. Based on the documents the games have been changing not only the games themselves but also the countries that participate and human rights however these can be positive changes or negative changes.…

    • 439 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    There are many factors that shape the modern Olympic movement from 1892 to 2002. The original reason was so people of many people of different races, religions, or genders could come together and compete against each other in various competitions. The Olympics first started in 776 B.C.E. but ended 393 C.E. they later started back up in 1892, but it was a bit different than before. Today, many of the factors that shaped the Olympics reflect what has changed and what has taken place since the last games. Some examples would have to do with women, the economy, and world wars and other region battles.…

    • 939 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “If you don’t try to win you might as well hold the Olympics in somebody’s back yard” Jesse Owens quotes (American Athlete, 4 time Gold Medalist in Track and Field at the 1936 Olympic Games, 1913-1980)…

    • 445 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    1936 Nazi Olympics

    • 630 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Adolf Hitler was the leader of the Nazi party when it came into power in 1933. He personally didn’t like the idolization of the modern Olympiad. The real reason for hosting the Olympics and not canceling was to show off the “New Germany” as suggested by Minister of propaganda Joseph Goebbels (Bachrach Pg.32-33). This was his chance to show the world his military and Aryan superiority (Encyclopedia Pg.1). At the 1936 Olympiad, a total of 49 countries,…

    • 630 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Jesse Owens was one of the most prestigious athletes of our time. His contribution to the sport of track and field has made him an American hero during an era when African Americans were discriminated against because of their race. He has opened the door for other African American athletes to have equality and opportunities in this country. The main objective of Jesse Owens bibliography was how his achievements at Ohio State University open the door for him to compete in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany despite all the obstacles that stood in the way, to return home and was discriminated against because of the color of his skin.…

    • 1058 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Germans convinced selves that war was inevitable – might a well get it over with early while Germany still had some power…

    • 5022 Words
    • 21 Pages
    Good Essays