In the summer of 1936, dozens of atheletes from all around the world gathered in Berlin, Germany to compete in the summer olympics. James Cleaveland “Jesse” Owens, was representing the United States in the 100 meter dash, the 200 meter dash, the long jump, and the 4x100 relay.
In forty five minutes, Owens set three world records, and tied one more. Berlin’s Olympic Stadium was filled with hundreds of thousands of cheering fans as Owens won gold medal after gold medal. The splash that Owens created in the athletic world spilled over into the political world.
At this time, Germany was teeming with Nazi pride and propoganda. Everywhere one looked, there red and black flags with swastikas; or Brown Shirts goose-stepping while Hitler basked in the cheers and adoration of the people as Nazi anthem “Deutschland Uber Alles” played. The controversy of Jesse Owens participating in these olympics in these times was what nations, other than Germany, tended to focus on. Because Owens was an African-American, people feared that he would be discriminated against and looked down upon, as an inferior, once in Germany.
To many countries’ surprise, Owens was praised just as all of the other Olympic atheletes were. Before races, in between races, after races; fans in the stadium croweded around him hoping to get an autograph or a photo with the runner. He couldn’t even walk the streets of Berlin, or go out to lunch at a café, without being hounded by fans. What other countries didn’t realize is that not all Germans reguarded African-Americans in the same way that Hitler did. Most Germans didn’t care about Owens’ race: they still saw him as a tremendous athelete. However, from an American’s point of view, it was an amazing triumph. President Bush reffered to Owens’ victories as, “an unrivaled athletic triumph, but more than that, a triumph for all humanity."
Although some may reguard Owens’ victories in Berlin as “triumphs for all humanity” and some may simply view him as a phenomenal athelete who overcame adversity, one thing is agreed upon: Jesse Owens remains a legend in the world of athletics for setting three world records and tying one more in only forty five minutes. Four years after his death in 1980, a street in Berlin was named after Owens in his honor. He also received the Medal of Freedom from President Ford, which is the highest honor the United States can confer upon a civilian.
Despite the fact that most Americans think that the Germans thought it was as big of a deal as we did, they really didn’t. The Germans, for the most part, didn’t view Jesse Owens’ victories as anything more than that: a victory. Americans thought that because Jesse Owens beat German Olympians, there would be a huge political uproar. But that really wasn’t the case; the Germans only thought it was one athlete beating another. Jesse Owens was an astounding Olympic athlete, and a legend in the world of track and field, but in the case of the 1936 Olympic Games, Owens was just another athlete claiming the gold.
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Wow, I would have never expected that. I would never guess that an African-American would not cause any dirty talk or propagandas going around. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI thought this was really suprising too. Especially the way Germans could have so much respect for an African American's acomplishments even during a time of such hate and racism with the Nazis in Germany!
ReplyDeleteI was surprised by the fact that Germans would create an uproar because of a man from the US! And just like Arek said, how it would let alone caused propaganda too. I had no idea Germans would get so involved from someone not even from Europe.
ReplyDeleteThis was one of the most interesting posts I have read. It is such an inspirational story. He will always be remembered as a terrific athlete and a inspiration in our history.
ReplyDeleteI find the fact that Germany did not create propaganda over an African American athlete in Germany quite suprising! It's funny how Hitler could put to death millions of Jews, blacks, gypsies, and so forth, and yet aviod racism over one black individual in the summer olympics. It goes to show how there really was no problem with all of these groups, simply the racism which Hitler placed upon him at his disposal.
ReplyDeleteNo, not everyone in Germany was a crazy, murderous Nazi. Many people were just like us, living in a very troubling time and place. However, the people running the place were crazy, murderous Nazis. They were horrified over Owens, and they did create propaganda against him, although really he debunked the propaganda already directed toward the German athletes. What is debatable is whether this was as disappointing to the Nazis as we Americans made it out to be. Toward that end, was it as big a deal here as we now make it out to be?
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