August 1, 1936, Hitler opened the 36 Olympics with Musical fanfares by Richard  Strass announces arrival of largely German crowd 

 

 

 

 

 

Hitler was the perfect host, He welcomed he welcomed the worlds athletes to Berlin Olympic Stadium. Behind the façade however a ruthless dictatorship persecuted its enemies and reamed for war to acquire new living space for the “Aryan master race”

Jews contributed to the United States Olympics coffers. They also visited the American athletes.

In San Diego Marty Clickman won numerous races as a sprinter. He was a college football hero. But 63 after the 1936 Olympics he is still bitter that he had a chance to win a gold medal but it was denied because he was a Jew.

 

Clickman and Stoller were the only Jews on the American track and field team. They were supposed to run the4x100meter relay team. But there coach (Dean Cromwell) announced in a team meeting that Clickman and Stroller would not run and would be replaced, Jesse Owens for Clickman and Stroller by Frank Metcalf. Jesse Owens said to let Marty and Sam run. Owens said that he was tired and beaten and that he had set out to win the races he set out to win. But coach Cromwell said that u will do as u are told and made him run. In the race the American team won the race and it was not even close.

Clickman and stroller

                              

There was 10 Negroes on the American that showed up to race but the did more than show up, They made shambles of the hurdles and field events. 

The undisputed star of the 1936 Olympic games was Jesse Owens. He won 4 Gold medals. 1 in the 100meter dash,1 in the 200meter dash, broad jump, and 4x400meter relay team. He went to Ohio State and was star there. The 3 mealiest in the broad jump were all Americans.

 

Jesse Owens running. 

 

There is a myth that says after Owens won his 3rd medal that Adolf Hitler was furious and would not shake his hand and just walked out of the stadium. He was mad because a black man was winning all the medals and not A German.

The German team was completely white Nordic Christen. Hitler though that the German team would win all the medals and was furious when they didn’t. he was sure that no other team was going to come close to them but they only won a few medals.     

The American team came in first with 12 gold medals more than all the other teams put tougher. Jesse Owens with 4 of them. He is a very famous black American.

The Berlin Olympic ended in record crowds ,record recipients, and record performances.16 records broken (many by Jesse Owens) one was tied in 23 track and field event.     

Record breaking athletic feats and warm German hospitality made the 1936 Olympics a memorable for athletes and spectators. The 1936 Olympics will always be rembered  as the Hitler Olympics.

 

 

Duane Zlatnik

7th Social Studies

Holocaust Project

Spring 2003

Bibliography