Hitler's Olympics: The 1936 Berlin Olympic Games

Christopher Hilton

Sutton, Feb 1, 2008 - Sports & Recreation - 317 pages

The Berlin Olympic Games, more than 70 years on, remain the most controversial ever held. This book creates a vivid account of the disputes, the personalities, and the events which made these Games so memorable. Ironically, the choice of Germany as the host nation for the 1936 Olympics was intended to signal its return to the world community after defeat in World War I. In actuality, Hitler intended the Berlin Games to be an advertisement for Germany as he was creating it, and they became one of the largest propaganda exercises in history. Two German Jews competed in the Games while the most memorable achievement was that of black American Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals. Ultimately, however, Germany was the overall biggest medal winner. The popular success of Owens allowed the Nazis to claim that their policies had no racial element and charges of antisemitism that did arise were leveled at the Americans.

What people are saying

Review: Hitler's Olympics: The 1936 Berlin Olympic Games

User Review  - Dave Hoff - Goodreads

This book, as well as the book on dirigibles, both non-fiction were the sourse of material for the fiction book "Flight From Berlin". It tells of how Hitler kept out some of the Jewish athletes from ...

Review: Hitler's Olympics: The 1936 Berlin Olympic Games

User Review  - Lex - Goodreads

read a bit like a list of events.... dry.... and huge quotes from other books got a bit confusing... but appreciated the historical background. looking back now it seems the whole event was very ominous and telling of what was to come but i guess at the time who could have imagined?

About the author

Christopher Hilton is the author of Hitler's Grand Prix in England, Mayflower, and The Women's War.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Hitler's Olympics: The 1936 Berlin Olympic Games
• Author: Christopher Hilton
• Edition: illustrated, reprint, revised
• Publisher: Sutton, 2008
• ISBN: 0750942932, 9780750942935
• Length: 317 pages
• Subjects: Sports & Recreation / Olympics