It Was A Very Different Olympics 70 Years Ago...

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - It Was A Very Different Olympics 70 Years Ago...

Posted: 2/10/2006 11:57:20 AM EDT

As you watch the opening ceremonies tonight, you may want to ponder how things were a mere two generations ago.

Sorry for the fuzzy stills, I did these in a hurry. Shots are from Olympia (1938), the Leni Reifehstahl documentary of the 1936 games.

The film starts with an ironic depiction of the Olympic flame travelling through various countries from Greece to Germany, the majority of which will be travelled by German forces within the next 4 years.

The crowd greets the visiting athletes with the Nazi salute.

The Japanese and Italian athletes look pretty militaristic.

The French enter dragging their national colors on the ground.

Hitler watches the French enter.

They give Hitler the Nazi salute.

The Germans enter.

Hitler officially announces the opening of the games.

Things will be very different in 3 years.

Posted: 2/10/2006 12:07:05 PM EDT

[#1]

a)Why are some of the Germans giving the standard salute? I thought only the Kreigsmarine (Navy, spelled badly) kept that?

b)Why are the frog colors on the ground?

Posted: 2/10/2006 12:17:41 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
a)Why are some of the Germans giving the standard salute? I thought only the Kreigsmarine (Navy, spelled badly) kept that?

b)Why are the frog colors on the ground?

I don't know the answer to the first question but I can guess at the answer to the second.

Posted: 2/10/2006 12:21:28 PM EDT

[#3]

Was the US of A not there?

Posted: 2/10/2006 12:24:37 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
Was the US of A not there?

Shouldn't have slept through history class!

Posted: 2/10/2006 12:26:12 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Was the US of A not there?

Shouldn't have slept through history class!

If I listened to my history teacher then we would all be hippies under a communist government.

Posted: 2/10/2006 12:27:27 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Was the US of A not there?

I take it you've never heard of Jesse Owens?

Posted: 2/10/2006 12:39:19 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Was the US of A not there?

I take it you've never heard of Jesse Owens?

"[Jesse]Owens won four gold medals; in the 100m, 200m, long jump and 4 x 100m relay. During the Games he broke 11 Olympic records and defeated Lutz Lang in a very close long jump final. The German (Lang) was the first to congratulate Owens when the long jump final was over. There were 10 African American members of the American athletics team. Between them they won 7 gold medals, 3 silvers and 3 bronze - more than any national team won in track and field at the Games, except America itself. Hitler refused to place the gold medal around Owen's neck."

Posted: 2/10/2006 12:39:49 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Was the US of A not there?

Posted: 2/10/2006 12:40:26 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Was the US of A not there?

Jesse Owens ring a bell?

Posted: 2/10/2006 12:48:04 PM EDT

[#10]

I dont think the military used the nazi salute until 39.

Posted: 2/10/2006 12:53:53 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Was the US of A not there?

Jesse Owens ring a bell?

After a quick refresher on Wikipedia I can kind of remember reading that.

Posted: 2/10/2006 12:55:00 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
a)Why are some of the Germans giving the standard salute? I thought only the Kreigsmarine (Navy, spelled badly) kept that?

I beleive the military was prevented by law from political activity and from membership in political parties. The Nazi party was one of these. To give the Nazi salute was verboten.

I do not htink the SS was a true military branch - as were the Heer (army), Kriegsmarine (navy), and Luftwaffe (air force)

b)Why are the frog colors on the ground?

I guess the French need to do things a little differently. Perhaps its their special way af saying "we are actually better than you"?

Posted: 2/10/2006 12:59:18 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
Quoted:
a)Why are some of the Germans giving the standard salute? I thought only the Kreigsmarine (Navy, spelled badly) kept that?
I beleive the military was prevented by law from political activity and from membership in political parties. The Nazi party was one of these. To give the Nazi salute was verboten.

I do not htink the SS was a true military branch - as were the Heer (army), Kriegsmarine (navy), and Luftwaffe (air force)

b)Why are the frog colors on the ground?
I guess the French need to do things a little differently.

No, the military gave Nazi salutes. The Navy didn't like it (I've read they were the least Nazified of the military), and so didn't always use it. I've got pics of the brass on Bismarck giving both to Hitler when he came aboard.

Posted: 2/10/2006 1:08:36 PM EDT

[#14]

The "Nazi" salute was also used by the Romans, and was one manner in which many American children saluted the flag pre-Hitler. It likely didn't bear the same weight that it does today (or in 1939 for that matter).

Just as the swastika was a harmless good luck symbol (the US 45th Divisiions patch was a blue swastika) until the Nazis came along. In Korea I saw the swastika used in many Buddhist temples in it's non-nazi meaning form.

AS for the Frogs and the flag, we Americans have a reverence for our flag that some other countries don't get.

Posted: 2/10/2006 1:45:32 PM EDT

[#15]

Ya know...in this pic you can almost see him thinking...

I'm gonna invade your country...

Posted: 2/10/2006 1:46:33 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Ya know...in this pic you can almost see him thinking...

groups.msn.com/_Secure/0SwDpAqUUgPildxQpJ1AD8nJtpanTytJaVcHtUcrqSvsjkuYxeQJi0fLZVtYkBOyw9g8njE05o6*yWWzozHvD6fvp!I3tmpoTRoUTjPl5WkBA7ISDtyHQAw/NDVD_0130.JPG

I'm gonna invade your country...

Sizing up the amount of fight in his enemies' no doubt.

Posted: 2/11/2006 6:06:28 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
I take it you've never heard of Jesse Owens?

Wasn't he in "Blazing Saddles?"

Posted: 2/11/2006 6:16:18 PM EDT

[#18]

Will the real star step forward:

Posted: 2/11/2006 6:17:45 PM EDT

[#19]

Take that, Hitler

Posted: 2/11/2006 6:24:09 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Ya know...in this pic you can almost see him thinking...

groups.msn.com/_Secure/0SwDpAqUUgPildxQpJ1AD8nJtpanTytJaVcHtUcrqSvsjkuYxeQJi0fLZVtYkBOyw9g8njE05o6*yWWzozHvD6fvp!I3tmpoTRoUTjPl5WkBA7ISDtyHQAw/NDVD_0130.JPG

I'm gonna invade your country...

You read my mind!

[hitler] All your frogs are bel0ng to me! [/hitler]

Posted: 2/11/2006 6:47:55 PM EDT

[#21]

Jesse Owens Rocked. I was watching a short program on the history channel a few days ago and there were several other black American atheletes that kicked some arian ass besides just Owens but Owens obviously was the best known.

Patty

Posted: 2/11/2006 6:56:20 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
Ya know...in this pic you can almost see him thinking...

I'm gonna invade your country...

Actually, when I saw it, I was thinking he looked like a cat observing his prey shortly before pouncing.

Posted: 2/11/2006 6:58:25 PM EDT

[#23]

AFA Jesse Owens is concerned, I have to wonder how good he'd have been if he had today's knowledge and technology (not steroids, btw) to work with.

That dude was incredible.

Posted: 2/11/2006 7:01:29 PM EDT

[#24]

I guess no one bothered telling Hitler that mustache looked gay.

Posted: 2/11/2006 8:15:37 PM EDT

[#25]

Posted: 2/11/2006 8:22:10 PM EDT

[#26]

Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium

Located on Fred Taylor Drive, north of Lane Avenue, Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium is the newest addition to The Ohio State University Department of Athletics’ aggressive campaign to upgrade and build state-of-the-art facilities of competition.

The 10,000-seat Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium arguably is one of the finest multi-sport facilities in the country, hosting track and field and lacrosse in the spring and soccer in the fall.

It serves as a cornerstone to the surrounding Ohio State athletic complex that features the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, softball's Buckeye Field, the field hockey turf field, Bill Davis Baseball Stadium and the 19,200-seat Jerome Schottenstein Center.