The decision to host the Olympic Games in Berlin in 1936 was influenced by a complex set of factors that combined Germany’s political ambitions, its desire for international rehabilitation after World War I, and effective lobbying by key figures like Theodor Lewald and Carl Diem. Despite significant competition from other cities, Berlin emerged victorious, setting the stage for what would become one of the most politically charged Olympiads in modern history..
Germany’s Desire to Host the Olympic Games
Germany’s ambition to host the Olympics stemmed from both national pride and a strategic desire for international recognition. After World War I, Germany was largely isolated from global politics and sporting events, having been banned from participating in the Olympics until 1925. The nation’s leaders saw the Games as an opportunity to showcase Germany’s recovery, modernity, and willingness to rejoin the global community.
As early as 1927, during the annual meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Monaco, Theodor Lewald, Germany’s IOC representative, began laying the groundwork for Berlin’s candidacy. In 1930 during a Olympic Congress in Berlin he presented Berlin’s bid for the Games, emphasizing the city’s infrastructure and Germany’s readiness to host the event. By that time, Germany had already proven itself on the international sporting stage with a strong performance at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, and this boosted its bid for 1936.
The Historical Context: Berlin’s Previous Olympic Bid
Berlin’s interest in hosting the Olympics didn’t start in the 1930s. In fact, Berlin was originally selected to host the 1916 Summer Olympics, but these plans were canceled due to the outbreak of World War I. The efforts to secure the 1916 Games had already built a foundation for Berlin’s future bids, and this historical context played a role in Germany’s renewed ambition for 1936.
Theodor Lewald, who had been involved in the 1916 bid, used his previous experience to organize a much stronger campaign for the 1936 Games. Lewald’s approach was systematic and methodical, ensuring that Berlin had the necessary infrastructure and political support. This time, Germany saw the Games as a way to not only celebrate athletic achievement but also restore its standing in the international community.
The Selection Process: Why Berlin Was Chosen
The process to choose Berlin as the host city for the 1936 Games officially began in 1930. Lewald successfully convinced the IOC to hold the Ninth Olympic Congress in Berlin, allowing German officials to showcase the city’s capabilities and the country’s preparedness to host the Games. The Congress was opened by President Paul von Hindenburg, and the presence of political leaders lent significant weight to Germany’s bid. Hindenburg’s address made it clear that the German government fully supported the Games, helping to solidify Berlin’s candidacy:
The reception given by the President of the German Reich, von Hindenburg, and a gathering of 600 canoes are worth mentioning. Germany wanted to make a favourable impression on the IOC family as a potential host for the 1936 Olympics, a question that was to be decided upon the following year. Source: https://olympics.com/ioc/berlin-1930-olympic-congress
Despite Berlin’s strong bid, it wasn’t the only city in contention. At the time, cities like Rome and Barcelona also vied to host the 1936 Olympics. Germany’s Frankfurt, for example, also wanted to host the Games. However, Lewald’s skillful lobbying played a key role in undermining the competition. For example, he commissioned a meteorological study that predicted unfavorable weather conditions in Rome and Barcelona during the proposed time for the Games. This study was distributed through the media, effectively swaying opinions in favor of Berlin.
Additionally, Lewald personally lobbied many IOC members, including the Japanese IOC representatives, to secure their votes. He even promised to support Tokyo’s bid for the 1940 Olympics in exchange for their support of Berlin in 1936.
The Competition: Rome and Barcelona
While Berlin’s bid was strong, it wasn’t without competition. Rome, under the control of Benito Mussolini, was a serious contender. However, the IOC expressed concerns over the Italian government’s heavy-handed involvement in sports, which made them hesitant to grant Rome the Games. Ironically, just a few years later, Nazi Germany would become infamous for its similar politicization of sports.
Barcelona also presented a strong bid, but the political instability in Spain during this period worked against it. The establishment of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931 led to internal turmoil, and many IOC members were reluctant to vote for a city in such a politically unstable country.
Final Voting and the Victory for Berlin
The final vote took place in 1931, with Barcelona and Berlin as the two remaining candidates. Due to the unrest in Spain, many IOC members submitted their votes remotely, and the final tally took place in Lausanne. Out of 67 IOC members, 43 voted in favor of Berlin, while 16 supported Barcelona. The remaining members abstained. With this victory, Berlin secured its place as the host of the 1936 Olympic Games, marking a significant achievement for Germany and setting the stage for an event that would become deeply intertwined with the political and social realities of the time.
Conclusion
Berlin’s successful bid for the 1936 Olympics was the result of strategic political maneuvering, effective lobbying, and Germany’s desire to reestablish itself on the world stage. The decision to host the Games in Berlin was made before the Nazi regime came to power, but it set the stage for one of the most controversial Olympics in history. The Games would soon be overshadowed by the political agendas of Nazi Germany, but the initial reasons for choosing Berlin were rooted in Germany’s recovery from World War I and its ambition to reclaim international respect.
Official bid file of Berlin for the Summer Olympic Games in 1936
The bid book provides a detailed account of the sports facilities and opportunities that Berlin offers. However, Professor Dr. W. von Drigalski from the City Medical Council of Berlin also elaborates extensively on all the other (cultural and transport) possibilities that the city has to offer.
Other Recreational and Educational Opportunities:
We assume that the visitors of the Olympic Games will seek intellectual stimulation, relaxation, and artistic enjoyment in their free time. Hardly any other city can offer such an abundance of similar performances in the same artistic perfection. It was largely art and intellectual pursuits that helped our own people overcome difficult times of physical and especially mental hardship; after all, the present time is gradually striving to come closer to the ideal of the old Greek Olympic spirit, which Baron de Coubertin attempted to revive—the harmony of physical and mental culture. The leading theaters are filled with the pursuit of the highest artistic perfection, and I may cite here the words of a very intellectual foreigner who remarked, “It is astonishing with what perfection one has learned to play theater in Berlin.” Three major opera houses (two state operas, one municipal) are particularly focused on presenting perfectly accomplished performances of classical and modern operas during the time of the Olympic Games, 22 dramatic stages, 8 operetta stages, 4 large variety theaters, and numerous large, excellently equipped cinemas are performing and offering exceptional entertainment in their own way. Three major artist orchestras are participating in a special art week with other cultural institutions.
The museums and collections will offer new things even to connoisseurs. Although our collections may not be comparable in every respect to the treasures accumulated by old European capitals, every art lover will find collections in our museums that contain something truly unique. What did the young and great artist Maria Bashkirtseff say when she came from Paris to Berlin? “Honestly, I would not have expected this from the Prussians!” A benefit for the foreign visitor is that both the major theaters and the museums are quite close to each other and can be reached very quickly and cheaply from any part of the city by tram, etc.
Recreation areas in the middle of the city include the Tiergarten, which offers magnificent woodland walks, the Zoological Garden, located directly next to the city rapid transit, the airport with its lively continuous air traffic, and numerous other large parks.
Accommodation and Meals: Inns for every type of requirement, even the simpler ones, are all clean and available in large numbers. Pensions and private accommodations can accommodate an almost unlimited number of visitors without needing to leave the city. The restaurants are extremely numerous and offer any desired meal at any time of day until late at night. There is no restriction on “meal times” in Berlin. Even the simplest restaurants, found in every part of the city, are frequented by all classes of the population. Besides more expensive wine restaurants, there are quite elegant places offering meals and drinks of the highest quality at surprisingly low prices. You can drink whatever you like or don’t like—there is no obligation to consume alcohol. Vegetarian meals are available in many general restaurants and in special vegetarian restaurants, and they are very cheap. Raw food enthusiasts will also find what they are looking for. Almost every nation in the world will also find its own restaurants with local cuisine at very reasonable prices. In addition to German cuisine, Viennese, English, American, French, Italian, Hungarian, Balkan, Russian, Spanish, and even Chinese cuisines are represented, many in charming establishments. Thus, the foreign visitor is not forced to undergo any troublesome changes in diet.
Transport: Berlin can be reached quickly, conveniently, and cheaply from all parts of the world or continent by express trains, which also offer international connections and links to overseas ships. The cleanliness and comfort of the Reichsbahn, including sleeping and dining cars, have become exemplary again after overcoming the difficult past years. Even in most express trains, the third class is available, and passengers in this class have unrestricted access to the dining car. Several night trains also offer sleeping cars in the third class.
The transport network within the city is highly developed. The city owns all the electric trams, bus lines, and the entire elevated and underground railway. The fare is a standard fare: passengers can travel unlimited distances from any area of the city to any destination within the city limits for 25 pfennigs and can transfer freely from the tram to buses or the elevated and underground railway and vice versa. Especially excellent is the connection to the German Stadium and the Sports Forum, the large, beautifully wooded competition venues for the Olympic Games: the electric city rapid transit (Reichsbahn, an electric elevated railway) has two stations (Rennbahn and Pichelberge) directly at the stadium and sports forum and takes visitors from the center of the city to the stadium in 20 minutes; a train frequency of 1.5 minutes is possible. The network of the city’s elevated and underground railway is connected to the competition venue with its own “Stadium” station; the new entrance to the stadium is directly at the “Stadium Station”. Large tram lines have their own large stop directly in front of the stadium. Numerous bus lines quickly take visitors from all parts of the city to the stadium. All these connections can be used from any point in the city to the stadium with a single ticket.
Near the large competition venues lies the exhibition grounds with the trade fair and exhibition office, dominated by the radio tower. Its enormous halls have recently been regularly used for major sports events such as equestrian and driving sports, indoor tennis, and large indoor sports festivals. They hold thousands of people and could be used for certain events if desired.
Sources:
- Wikipedia: Wahl des Austragungsortes
- Planet Wissen: Olympia Berlin 1936
- The 1936 Nazi Olympic Games; The First Truly Modern Olympiad by Quinn Glosniak
- Stadtanzeiger für Castrop-Rauxel und Umgebung-23.05.1930
- Official bid file of Berlin for the Summer Olympic Games in 1936
- Berlin 1930 Olympic Congress
- Het nieuws van den dag 28-05-1930 – Via Delpher.nl