Berlin Olympics/ Nazi Olympics 1936 For two weeks in August 1936 Adolf Hitler's Nazi dictatorship camouflaged its racist, militaristic character while hosting the Summer Olympics. Softpedaling its antisemitic agenda and plans for territorial expansion, the regime exploited the Games to bedazzle many foreign spectators and journalists with an image of a peaceful, tolerant Germany. Having rejected a proposed boycott of the 1936 Olympics, the United States and other western democracies missed the opportunity to take a stand that—some observers at the time claimed—might have given Hitler pause and bolstered international resistance to Nazi tyranny. With the conclusion of the Games, Germany's expansionist policies and the persecution of Jews and other "enemies of the state" accelerated, culminating in World War II and the Holocaust. In 1931, the International Olympic Committee awarded the 1936 Summer Olympics to Berlin. The choice signaled Germany's return to the world community after its isolation in the aftermath of defeat in World War I. The Nazi claim to control all aspects of German life also extended to sports In August 1936, the Nazi regime tried to camouflage its violent racist policies while it hosted the Summer Olympics. Most anti-Jewish signs were temporarily removed and newspapers toned down their harsh rhetoric. Thus, the regime exploited the Olympic Games to present foreign spectators and journalists with a false image of a peaceful, tolerant Germany. The Nazis made elaborate preparations for the August 1–16 Summer Games. A huge sports complex was constructed and Olympic flags and swastikas bedecked the monuments and houses of a festive, crowded Berlin. Most tourists were unaware that the Nazi regime had temporarily removed anti-Jewish signs, nor would they have known of a police roundup of Roma in Berlin, ordered by the German Ministry of the Interior. On July 16, 1936, some 800 Roma residing in Berlin and its environs were arrested and interned under police guard in a special camp in the Berlin suburb of Marzahn. Nazi officials also ordered that foreign visitors should not be subjected to the criminal penalties of German anti-homosexuality laws. On August 1, 1936, Hitler opened the XIth Olympiad. Musical fanfares directed by the famous composer Richard Strauss announced the dictator's arrival to the largely German crowd. Hundreds of athletes in opening day regalia marched into the stadium, team by team in alphabetical order. Inaugurating a new Olympic ritual, a lone runner arrived bearing a torch carried by relay from the site of the ancient Games in Olympia, Greece. Forty-nine athletic teams from around the world competed in the Berlin Olympics, more than in any previous Olympics. Germany fielded the largest team with 348 athletes. The US team was the second largest, with 312 members, including 18 African Americans. American Olympic Committee President Avery Brundage led the delegation. The Soviet Union did not participate in the Berlin Games. Germany skillfully promoted the Olympics with colorful posters and magazine spreads. Athletic imagery drew a link between Nazi Germany and ancient Greece, symbolizing the Nazi racial myth that a superior German civilization was the rightful heir of an "Aryan" culture of classical antiquity. This vision of classical antiquity emphasized ideal "Aryan" racial types: heroic, blue-eyed blonds with finely chiseled features. Concerted propaganda efforts continued well after the Olympics with the international release in 1938 of "Olympia," the controversial documentary directed by German film maker and Nazi sympathizer Leni Riefenstahl. She was commissioned by the Nazi regime to produce this film about the 1936 Summer Games. Germany emerged victorious from the XIth Olympiad. German athletes captured the most medals, and German hospitality and organization won the praises of visitors. Most newspaper accounts echoed the New York Times report that the Games put Germans "back in the fold of nations," and even made them "more human again." Some even found reason to hope that this peaceable interlude would endure. Only a few reporters, such as William Shirer, understood that the Berlin glitter was merely a facade hiding a racist and oppressively violent regime. Two days after the Olympics, Captain Wolfgang Fuerstner, head of the Olympic village, killed himself when he was dismissed from military service because of his Jewish ancestry. Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. Within just three years of the Olympiad, the "hospitable" and "peaceable" sponsor of the Games unleashed World War II, a conflict that resulted in untold destruction. With the conclusion of the Games, Germany's expansionist policies and the persecution of Jews and other "enemies of the state" accelerated, culminating in the Holocaust.

Photographs and Posters

Consdierbale use was also made of photographs. Hitler had an official photographer named Henrich Hoffman who ensured Key Images were carefully staged. Hitler would often practice poses before the camera, a series of photographs were widely reproduced appearing on postcatrds and cigarette packets. The aim of these photos and posters was to appeal to every minority of the German people (ranging from the working class to Industrialists) and to help portray Hitler as a figure who was leading the masses of Germany away from the downfalls and into a new light. To help build national pride in Germany and in turn making the Nazi Party seem like the ideal fit. This meant the Nazi party could somewhat advertise their views and make them widespread. This allowed german people to become 'fans' of the party without knowing it through the use of positive photographs and posters.

Film

Film was seen more as a means of relaxation rather than direct propaganda purposes. Due to improvements in technology the 1930's saw a great growth in productions and audiences. Between 1933 and 1942 the number of film-goers quadrupled. In 1933 ,when the Nazis came to power, they excersised increased control over the film companies and the content included. There were four main film companies who were allowed to remain private from the government as to not harm export sales. However the RMVP gradually bought up these companies so indirectly they became owned by the state as to not arouse suspicion. By 1942 all film producing companies were nationalised under the banner of UFI (UFA film GMBH). Along with regulation several foreign films mainly american were banned, Goebbels personally approved every film made in Germany. During the entire Nazi regime over 1000 films were produced with only 1 sixth of which were considered 'non-overly proagandist.' During the Nazi regime over 1000 feature films were made, famous producer Leni Riefenstahl was commissioned to to make highly detailed recordings of rallies and festivals to tell people what was going on and to heavily encourage involvement by those who watched. Many Films would often gloryify the struggle faced by post WW1-Germany and the rize of Naxism, while some (such as famously The Eternal Jew) portrayed Jewish people as a parasitic race within the German Nation. Henrich Himmler (leader of the SS) made all SS Gaurds in the camps to watch these films in order to keep up support for what they were doing. This was an effective means of disgusing propaganda and making it invisible to the german people. This meant that people were not aware propaganda was being used, and all films had to be approved or made to boost popularity of the Nazi party or hatred of the jews.

Radio

Since 1925 all German radio had been regulated by the 'Reich Radio Company' (RRG). It was 51% owned by government and the remaining was owned by 9 regional broadcast companies. In 1933 these were taken over by Nazi Reich governors and by April 1934 the Nazis established a unified radio system and announced they had purged it of all hostile elements. Radio became one of the most powerful tools of propaganda and indoctrination, Goebbels described it as 'the spritual weapon of the totalitarian state.' The radios effect was made greater by the mass ownership of the basic radio receiver with over 7 million sets being owned in 1933 alone, by 1943 16 million (70% of all households) owned one. Hitler was NOT very keen on radio sets as he found he got a greater effect if he addressed a real audience in outside broadcasts. In 1933 50 broadcasts were transmitted and the estimated audience totalled 56 million (at the time the total population of Germany was 70 million). The key speeches were often announced by sirens and all work had to stop so all could listen to public loudspeakers. These were considered 'Important National Moments'.

This meant that the Nazi party again through control could persuade and create support from the German people as they never heard anything bad about the Nazi party only good. From Hitler himself or many other controlled german radio stations.

Press

The Nazi Party rigorously controlled EVERYONE involved in press journalists, editers and publishers .They did this through compulsory membership of co-ordinating bodies which kept an accetable register of editors and journalists .In October 1933 a law was created which made editors responsible for infringements of government directives. Clause 14 in this law forced editors to exclude anything calculated to weaken German defence,culture,economy or religious sensibilites.It was considered treason to spread false news and rumours. The Nazi controlled agency the RMVP controlled the content of the press and provided roughly half the content given. The RMVP held daily press conferences and issued daily directives on length and viewpoint. In 1933 the Nazis owned 3% of all press circulating, by 1939 it had risen to 69% and controlled these companie. However most of these papers kept their original names as to not arouse outside suspicion.

Through press being controlled the Nazi party could only spread positive press about the party creating support from the German people. As they never saw any bad press about the Nazi party making them believe they were very good.