The unbelievable moments when Nazi Germany hosted the Olympic Games in 1936

By 1936, Germany was under the firm grip of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers' Party, commonly known as the Nazi Party.

The regime had already begun to implement its totalitarian policies, systematically dismantling the democratic structures of the Weimar Republic.

The political atmosphere was charged with the aggressive promotion of Aryan supremacy and anti-Semitic propaganda, which permeated every aspect of German society.

The Nazis had ascended to power on a wave of economic discontent and nationalist fervor, exploiting the chaos and humiliation that followed Germany's defeat in World War I and the harsh terms of the Treaty of Versailles.

Hitler, who had become Chancellor in 1933, quickly transformed the nation into a one-party state.

Political opponents, notably Communists and Social Democrats, were intimidated, imprisoned, or murdered.

The infamous Gestapo, the Nazi secret police, was established to silence dissent and enforce the regime's policies.

The year 1936 was particularly significant as it marked the remilitarization of the Rhineland, a move that defied the Versailles Treaty and the Locarno Treaties, signaling Hitler's growing boldness in foreign affairs.

Internally, the regime's propaganda machine, led by figures like Joseph Goebbels, the Minister of Propaganda, was in full swing, aiming to convince both Germans and the international community of the country's resurgence under Nazi rule.

In preparation for the 1936 Olympics, Germany embarked on an extensive building program to create venues that would impress the world.

The centerpiece of this construction effort was the Olympiastadion, a massive stadium designed to hold over 100,000 spectators, which became the primary venue for the Games.

Its construction began in 1934 and was completed just in time for the opening ceremonies in 1936.

This stadium was a marvel of the time, embodying the Nazi regime's love for grandiose architecture and its desire to leave a lasting impression on all who attended the Games.

Beyond the main stadium, the Germans constructed a purpose-built Olympic Village in Wustermark, on the outskirts of Berlin, which housed the male athletes; female athletes were accommodated at a separate hotel in the city due to the regime's strict gender segregation policies.

The village was designed to offer every modern amenity and comfort to the athletes, although it also served as a tool for propaganda, showcasing the supposed benevolence and organizational prowess of the Third Reich.

Transportation infrastructure was also a key focus, with improvements made to roads, railways, and public transit systems to handle the influx of visitors.

The Reichsbahn, the German national railway, introduced special tariffs for the occasion and increased its services to facilitate easy travel to and from Olympic venues.

Technological innovation was another hallmark of the Berlin Games. They were the first to have television coverage, albeit limited to viewing sites within Berlin and Potsdam, as the technology for broadcasting over long distances was not yet available.

This allowed many Germans to witness the Olympic events live, a novelty at the time.

Additionally, the Games featured the first-ever Olympic torch relay, which saw the Olympic flame carried by runners from Olympia in Greece to the Olympic stadium in Berlin, symbolizing the connection between ancient and modern games.

As the 1936 Berlin Olympics approached, the international community grappled with the moral dilemma posed by the Nazi regime's policies.

Calls for a boycott emerged in many countries, driven by reports of the regime's oppressive actions, particularly against Jews, political dissidents, and other marginalized groups.

In the United States, which had one of the largest and most influential Olympic teams, the debate over participation was especially intense.

A significant boycott movement, led by figures such as Judge Jeremiah Mahoney, the president of the Amateur Athletic Union, argued that attending the Games would be tantamount to endorsing Hitler's government.

However, Avery Brundage, the president of the American Olympic Committee, was a vocal opponent of the boycott, asserting that politics had no place in sport.

After a contentious debate, the American Olympic Committee voted in December 1935 to participate in the Games, a decision that effectively ended the boycott movement in the United States.

In Europe, similar discussions took place. In Great Britain, there was considerable public debate, but the British Olympic Association ultimately decided to send a team.

France and Sweden followed suit, despite the concerns of many within their countries.

Spain, however, chose to boycott the Games entirely and, along with the Soviet Union, which was not participating in the Olympics at the time, organized an alternative event known as the Popular Olympiad in Barcelona.

This event was intended as a protest against the Berlin Games, but it was ultimately cancelled due to the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War just days before it was set to begin.

The Jewish community was at the heart of the boycott discussions. Some Jewish athletes from various countries chose to boycott the Games individually, while others, such as the notable American Jewish sprinter Marty Glickman, were controversially removed from their respective teams at the last minute under circumstances that suggested political motivations.

Despite these boycott efforts, the Berlin Olympics proceeded with a full international roster. 

On August 1, 1936, the Opening Ceremony of the XI Olympiad in Berlin commenced with a grand display of pageantry and precision that the world had come to expect from large-scale events in Nazi Germany.

The ceremony was held at the Olympiastadion, with a packed crowd of spectators, including numerous dignitaries and, notably, Adolf Hitler himself.

The event began with a procession of the participating nations, a parade of athletes that reflected the global reach of the Olympic movement.

Each nation's team marched into the stadium, displaying their national colors and pride, while being greeted by the applause of the audience.

The symbolic release of doves, a traditional gesture of peace, contrasted sharply with the militaristic undertones of the ceremony.

The Olympic flame, which had been transported from Greece via the first-ever Olympic torch relay, entered the stadium, culminating in the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.

This act was intended to connect the modern Games to their ancient predecessors and to symbolize the enduring spirit of the competition.

Hitler played a central role in the proceedings, officially declaring the Games open.

The ceremony was carefully choreographed to project an image of a peaceful, powerful, and hospitable Germany, despite the underlying political tensions of the time.

The use of the Olympic Games as a platform for Nazi propaganda was unmistakable, with swastikas prominently displayed alongside the Olympic rings.

The spectacle was broadcasted to a wider audience through the innovative use of television, a medium that the Nazis were eager to exploit for their purposes.

This broadcast allowed the regime to extend the reach of its message far beyond the stadium, presenting a sanitized and controlled image of Germany to the world.

The 1936 Berlin Olympics featured a host of athletes who would become legends for their performances in various disciplines.

Among the most celebrated was Jesse Owens, an African-American track and field athlete who won four gold medals, triumphing in the 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and 4x100 meter relay.

Owens's success was a direct challenge to the Nazi ideology of racial superiority and remains one of the most enduring stories of the 1936 Games.

Another standout athlete was the Dutch sprinter Fanny Blankers-Koen, who would later earn the nickname "The Flying Housewife" in the 1948 London Olympics.

In Berlin, she competed in the 4x100 meters relay and the high jump. Although she did not medal, her participation set the stage for her future Olympic triumphs.

The Frenchman Jean Despeaux took the gold in middleweight boxing, and in gymnastics, the German team dominated, with Konrad Frey and Alfred Schwarzmann winning multiple medals in men's events.

Their success contributed to the overall medal tally that Germany would use to claim symbolic victory in the Games.

In swimming, Japan emerged as a dominant force, with their men's team winning all but one of the gold medals available in the sport.

The one exception was the 400-meter freestyle, won by American swimmer Jack Medica.

Rowing was another area of intense competition, with the German eight-man crew winning gold in front of a home crowd.

Their victory in rowing was emblematic of the nation's strong showing across all sports during the Games.

The Hungarian fencing team was also formidable, with Ilona Elek winning gold in women's foil.

The Hungarian water polo team continued their country's success in the pool, taking home the gold medal in a fiercely contested tournament.

The Nazis understood the value of the Olympics as a global stage and were determined to use the event to gain legitimacy and to soften the perception of their oppressive policies.

Under the direction of Joseph Goebbels, the Minister of Propaganda, the Olympics were presented as a symbol of the new Germany—revitalized and strong under Nazi rule.

The regime went to great lengths to ensure that the Games would be free of any overt signs of the anti-Semitism and racial policies that had become hallmarks of Nazi ideology.

Anti-Semitic signage was temporarily removed from Berlin's streets, and foreign visitors were shielded from the more brutal aspects of the regime's practices.

The Nazis also used the Games to showcase their organizational capabilities and technological advancements.

The construction of grandiose stadiums and the use of television for broadcasting were part of this effort.

The Olympic torch relay, which was invented for the 1936 Games, was a particularly effective propaganda device, creating a link between ancient Greek civilization and contemporary Germany, suggesting a cultural and historical continuity that the Nazis were eager to claim.

The success of non-Aryan athletes, particularly African-American athletes like Jesse Owens, undermined the message of racial superiority that the Nazis were trying to convey.

However, the regime was quick to adapt its narrative, downplaying these achievements and focusing instead on the victories of German athletes, which were used to bolster the idea of Aryan athletic prowess.

The aftermath of the Games saw the release of "Olympia," a film directed by Leni Riefenstahl.

Commissioned by the Nazi government, this film was a visually stunning piece of propaganda that glorified the Aryan ideal and the might of Germany.

It minimized the presence and successes of non-German and particularly Jewish athletes, instead emphasizing the strength and skill of the German competitors and the grandeur of the Nazi-constructed venues.

On one hand, the Games were a sporting success, setting new standards in the organization and scale of this global event.

They introduced technological innovations such as the Olympic torch relay and live television broadcasts, which have since become staples of the Olympic tradition.

The performances of athletes like Jesse Owens remain iconic, symbolizing the triumph of individual excellence over political ideology and racial prejudice.

On the other hand, the Berlin Olympics are inextricably linked to the dark history of the Nazi regime.

The Games provided Hitler with an international platform to promote his government and its ideologies, albeit in a sanitized form that temporarily masked the regime's repressive and racist policies.

The success of the Olympics in this regard contributed to the international community's appeasement of Nazi Germany in the years leading up to World War II.

In the aftermath of the Games, the world would come to understand the full extent of the horrors of the Nazi regime.

The stark contrast between the Olympic ideals of peace and brotherhood and the reality of the Holocaust and World War II has led to a reevaluation of the 1936 Olympics.

The Games are often cited as a cautionary tale of how sporting events can be used for political ends and the importance of vigilance in upholding the true spirit and values of international competition.

The infrastructure built for the 1936 Olympics, much of which still stands today, serves as a physical reminder of the event's dual nature.

The Olympiastadion, for example, has been repurposed and continues to be used for sporting events, a symbol of the enduring legacy of the Olympics themselves, as well as the need to remember the past.