HITLER'S GAMES, BERLIN 1936

Summer 1936. The Berlin Olympics, organized by the Nazi regime, acted as a grand showcase for a Germany that was athletic, peaceful and rejuvenated. After long debate, the great democracies of the world agreed to send their athletes to the Reich capital. For fifteen days, the Olympics made time stand still. The violence and hate that until then had reigned in the streets of Berlin suddenly vanished. In its stead: human communion through spectacle and sport. The story of the Berlin Olympic Games of 1936, from the competition’s meticulous preparation to the games themselves, transformed by Nazi propaganda into a grandiose spectacle dedicated to the glory of the Reich. And how just one Olympic season made Adolf Hitler the triumphant host of the countries he would soon try to invade.

Summer 1936. The Berlin Olympics, organized by the Nazi regime, acted as a grand showcase for a Germany that was athletic, peaceful and rejuvenated. After long debate, the great democracies of the world agreed to send their athletes to the Reich capital. For fifteen days, the Olympics made time stand still. The violence and hate that until then had reigned in the streets of Berlin suddenly vanished. Replaced by human communion around sport celebrations. The story of the Berlin Olympic Games of 1936, from the competition’s meticulous preparation to the games themselves, transformed by Nazi propaganda into a grandiose spectacle dedicated to the glory of the Reich. And how just one Olympic season made Adolf Hitler the triumphant host of the countries he would soon try to invade.