The Key Role Of The 1936 Summer Olympic Games - 1635 Words

The Crucial Role of the 1936 Summer Olympic Games In May of 1931, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) selected Berlin, Germany as the site for the 1936 Summer Olympic Games, however, they did not know that in just two short years one of the most notorious, ruthless and supressive regimes, and it’s leader, ever known to man would be elected to lead Germany. The National Socialist German Workers’ (Nazi) Party was founded on February 24, 1920, in Munich, Germany. After suffering from a terrible humiliation and loss at the conclusion of World War One, the German people were hungry for change, wanted a sense of pride for being German, and a reason to have hope for the future, all of these things were exactly what the Nazi Party promised†¦show more content†¦When the IOC selected Berlin as the site for the 1936 Summer Olympic Games, they had no idea that in just a few short years Germany would be transformed from a humble, desperate state to a ruthless and power-hungry empire. The first part of German Society to undergo a transformation by the Nazi Party was the German government, which underwent a major change â€Å"on January 30, 1933, [when] the German President, Paul von Hindenburg, appointed Adolf Hitler chancellor, the head of the government.† (Bachrach 16). In order to gain power and stay in power, the Nazi Party needed to win over the hearts and minds of the German people; in order to do this, â€Å"Hitler and the Nazis promised [the] birth of a ‘New Germany,’ giving hope to many Germans fearful of the future.† (Bachrach 16). To accomplish their goal of giving birth to a â€Å"New Germany,† â€Å"the policies of the Nazi government were aimed at restoring Germany’s importance as a country, following its defeat in the First World War. Its methods, in addition to strong nationalist rhetoric and demonstrations, included targeting groups it claimed to be responsible for the economic ills of the country, principally Jews, who became the regi me’s preferred target of discrimination.† (Pound 65). When other countries and groups heard about the discrimination and mistreatment of Jews and other ethnic groups being committed by this new Nazi Party, they started to question whether or not the Olympic Games should still be held in