The Nazi Olympics, Berlin 1936 (United States Holocaust Museum) - Softcover

Bachrach, Susan D.

3.67

48 ratings by Goodreads

9780316070874: The Nazi Olympics, Berlin 1936 (United States Holocaust Museum)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0316070874 ISBN 13: 9780316070874

Publisher: Little, Brown, 2000

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Drawn from an exhibit mounted by the United States Holocaust Museum, an enthralling glimpse into the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin during which the German Nazi Party tried to turn the Games into a propaganda instrument for its own political agenda profiles the organizers, the politicians, and the athletes. Simultaneous.

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From Publishers Weekly:

Published in conjunction with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, this penetrating volume takes a topic dear to many young readers--sports--and uses it to spotlight events leading to WWII. Bachrach (Tell Them We Remember: The Story of the Holocaust) begins with an overview of the modern Olympics, showing readers that the "spirit of the Olympics" was never entirely dissociated from politics (Germany was not invited to participate in the first two Olympics held after WWI). The author then turns to Hitler's assumption of power in 1933, two years after Berlin had been selected as the site of the 1936 Olympics, and documents the Nazis' systematic abrogation of individual rights and liberties. The discussion of the actual 1936 Olympics centers on the political uses made of them by Hitler and his propagandists, the spectacular performance of Jesse Owens notwithstanding (an eight-page color section of posters, both Nazi and anti-Nazi, convincingly demonstrates the relationship between athletic competition and propaganda in Hitler's Germany). Perhaps the most interesting sections cover American responses as political and religious groups and individual athletes considered a boycott of the Olympics; a quick look at Jim Crow laws and American anti-Semitism helps readers place various reactions and decisions in context. The writing is careful and unadorned, the facts laid out for readers to interpret. Plentiful sidebars focus on particular athletes, especially those compromised by Nazi policies. An unusually generous selection of period photos gives the material particular sharpness and immediacy. Ages 10-up. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews:

paper 0-316-07087-4 In straightforward style, this richly illustrated book unfolds the portentous events of the Berlin Olympics of 1936. Bachrach focuses on the controversy surrounding America's participation in these Olympics, especially the failed attempt to boycott the games. She relates a brief but vivid account of the Nazi persecution of the Jews, and provides perspective on the US's contemporaneous discrimination against blacks. Noting that many believe Jesse Owens's success caused the Olympics to backfire on an embarrassed Hitler, Bachrach suggests that the Berlin Olympics actually were a tremendous propaganda success for the Nazis, reinforcing their power in Germany and enhancing their economic standing in Europe. She leaves readers to wonder if participation was the correct choice. The book ends by relating the fates of Olympic athletes who died in the Holocaust. Short chapters, abundant photographs, and anecdotes of athletes who participated in the games, boycotted them, or suffered discrimination, propel the narrative forward. The book is an excellent introduction to Holocaust studies; through sports, readers may find a way meaningful into this vast subject. (chronology, further reading, index) (Nonfiction. 10+) -- Copyright �2000, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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