1936 Olympics Research Paper

The 1936 Berlin Olympics is the most infamous sporting event in history. It was widely thought that Hitler and the Nazis would use this event as propaganda. “Jesse entered the 1936 Olympics, which were held in Nazi Germany amidst the belief by Hitler that the Games would support his belief that the German ‘Aryan’ people were the dominant race” (“Biography”). Despite this knowledge, the United States chose to participate in the Olympics. One of the most famous athletes of the Olympics was Jesse Owens. “His stunning achievement of four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin has made him the best remembered athlete in Olympic history” (“Biography”). It is a myth that Hitler did not want to shake Owens’s hand because he is black. Besides

an African American [athlete] who won the first gold medal for the U.S. that day, was to receive his award, Hitler left the stadium early…. Prior to his departure, Hitler had received a number of winners, but Olympic officials informed the German leader that in the future he must receive all of the winners or none at all. After the first day, he opted to acknowledge none. (Schmitz)

This quote explains what happened on the first day of the Olympics. At the Olympics, on every day, Hitler had a scheduled time to leave, but Hitler had seen German victors on the first day. After a warning from the Olympic officials, he decided to not see the victors if he had to see all of them. This shows that Hitler did not want to shake Jesse Owens’s hand. However, it is said that Jesse Owens carried a photo in his wallet of Hitler congratulating him.

But now a veteran sports reporter in Germany has come forward to claim that, though Hitler did indeed leave the stadium after the race, it was not before shaking Owens' hand. Siegfried Mischner, 83, claims that Owens carried around a photograph in his wallet of the [Fuhrer] doing just that. (Hall)

If Hitler did congratulate Jesse Owens, then Hitler would be going against his own policies because the Nazis did not like African

On the first day of the games, as mentioned above, Hitler privately met with the German victors to congratulate them. This is rude to the other victors because Hitler at this time was an iconic figure. In today’s world, this is like having Barack Obama privately meet with the American victors at the Olympics. I’m sure that if I won, I would like to have Obama congratulate me, even if I was not from the United States of America. Also, it is rude to not congratulate victors in general. People practice congratulating victors all the time, even in youth sports. For example, after a basketball game, the players line up and give every person on the other team a high five. This is practiced because it is polite to congratulate and show your appreciation for the other team because with out the other team, one team would not have been able to play. I think that Hitler should have gotten over himself and decided to congratulate all the victors. Maybe he would not even have to shake the victors’ hands and instead, he would just make a speech instead to all of the victors in general. However, if Hitler wanted to draw attention and create drama, then maybe he rejected the victors on