The 1936 Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: the other “Nazi Games” between boycott and success

The IV Winter Olympics held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen from 7 to 16 February 1936 have long been regarded as a minor episode in the history of 20th-century sports, especially in comparison to the Games of the XI Olympiad, held in Berlin from 1 to 16 August 1936. While the Berlin Games have been the subject of many academic studies, the Garmisch-Partenkirchen event has received comparatively less attention, despite serving as a general rehearsal for the Summer Games. In the Winter Games, however, we can find many of the same themes that, on a larger scale, characterized the Berlin event, such as international relations, propaganda and political conflicts. This article will focus on the role that the 1936 Winter Olympics played within the complex relationship between Nazis and the Olympics, focusing primarily on the boycott attempt, the efforts of the organizers to hide the anti-Semitic persecutions and the success of the Games.