The Olympic Games, as a major international event, have repeatedly become a platform for political rivalry. This was especially noticeable at the 1936 Games in Berlin, at which the Nazis tried to demonstrate their success and superiority in all sports.
The decision to hold the Games in Berlin was made by the International Olympic Committee in 1931, two years before the Nazis came to power. At this time, the period of the Weimar Republic was still continuing in Germany. The country suffered from an economic crisis, but it complied with the terms of the Versailles Peace Treaty and had not yet begun military aggression.
The active process of preparing for the games began after the establishment of the dictatorship of Hitler. The Olympics became a real challenge to the ideology of Nazism. After all, the ideal citizen of the new German state had to have a healthy mind in a healthy body. Sport was promoted among both women and men, and even in art, images of athletes dominated.
The international event became an occasion to demonstrate the country's economic success. Several new sports facilities were built, including a stadium with 100,000 seats. According to the organizers' plan, Berlin was not to yield to Los Angeles, where the previous Games were held.
In total, athletes from 49 countries attended the Games. At least two countries - the USSR and Spain - decided to boycott the Games for political reasons. There was also a serious debate in the United States on this topic, but in the end politicians decided to send a delegation from the country to Germany.
From a technical point of view, the sporting events were organized at a very high level. For the first time, the Games were televised. And director Leni Riefenstahl was filming throughout all the competitions. The film Olympia was later compiled from these materials.
The greatest number of medals, both gold and all in total, were received by athletes from Germany. It was a triumph, what, in fact, the Nazis wanted. The United States came in second in the unofficial team event by more than 30 medals. However, it was the American athlete Jesse Owens who became the real star of the Olympics. He won 4 gold medals and became the most successful athlete in the Olympics. He was a Negro, which clearly refuted the Nazi myths about the superiority of some nations over others.
The 1936 Olympics was the last before World War II. The next sporting event of this level was held only in 1948.
