The question of American participation in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games in the face of racial discrimination against the Jews has been broached more than once. The Jewish Daily Bulletin offers specific proof of such discrimination and as a result goes on record against America’s participation in the Olympic Games in Germany.
Avery Brundage, president of the American Olympic Committee, was authorized Sunday to visit Germany on behalf of that body to investigate the charges of discrimination. It is understood that the United States will decline to participate in the forthcoming competitions, if in Mr. Brundage’s judgment Germany has not kept its pledge of complete freedom of opportunity for Jewish athletes.
MANY NOTABLES AGAINST SUCH PARTICIPATION
Charles L. Ornstein, only Jewish members of the national Olympic committee in America, has repeatedly gone on record against American participation in the Berlin games in the face of discrimination. congressmen Emanuel Celler is of the same opinion. However, on March 7, at Madison Square Garden, Gustavus T. Kirby, former president of the American Amateur Athletic Union, testified for the World of Sports of the “Case of Civilization Against Hitlerism.”
Mr. Kirby said in part, “May position here is as an advocate of the only true democracy in the world-that of sport-which knows neither race nor creed nor color; where it matters not whether you are rich as Croesus or poor as Job’s turkey; where all start from scratch and the race is won without fear or favor.
“any country receiving the award of the Olympic Games must not only subscribe, but live up to these principles and ideals of the democracy of sport. Germany did so when it made application to the International Olympic Committee for the award of the games in 1936 to Berlin…and Dr. Theodore Lewald (who since has been forced to resign from the German sports committee-Ed. note) assures the committee, of which he is a member, THAT THERE IS NO PRESENT EDICT FOR WILL THERE BE ANY FUTURE DISABILITIES ON THE PART OF JEWS TAKING PART IN WHAT WE IN THIS COUNTRY CALL ATHLETICS IN GERMANY.”
WE OFFER THE PROOF
When Germany was awarded the Olympic Games for 1936, a true democracy of sports may have existed. However, since the Nazi regime has taken control of Hitlerland, the democracy no longer exists. If the American Olympic committee wants proof of this, we offer here in chronological form “The laws and acts of the Hitler Government affecting Jews in sports.” We are not publishing this list in detail, but only the more important items.
“THE LAWS AND ACTS”
April 26: Jews barred from German sports organization.
May 8: Jews excluded from tennis.
July 9: None but Germans and “Aryans” permitted to join Greater German Chess Association.
Aug. 24: The German government officially forbids the Maccabi team from proceeding to Prague to participate in World Maccabiad.
Oct. 10: The Rowels, Berlin’s most exclusive tennis club, bars Jews.
Oct. 14: Jewish sport association “Hagibor” banned, property confiscated.
A BRIEF INTERLUDE
The American Amateur Athletic Union met at a convention in Pittsburgh last November.
No. 20: The A. A. U. takes a firm stand against participation of American Athletes in Berlin Olympics.
No. 21: A. A. U. considers switch of Olympics from Berlin.
No. 22: The American Olympic Body shelves vote on resolution against Berlin Olympic Games.
No. 26: United States participation in 1936 Olympiad awaits change of Nazi ways to Jews.
THE HELENE MAYER EPISODE
On Nov. 23 a dispatch from Berlin stated that the Jewish fencing ace, Miss Helen Mayer, had been named on the German Olympic team. Previous to this she had been expelled from the Offenbach Fencing Club. When we spoke to Miss Mayer during her visit to New York in April, she said she hoped the German government would stick to its promise and if allowed she would participate for Germany in the 1936 Olympics. Miss Mayer is barred from competing under the banner of any other nation because of her previous performances for the German teams.
But if this was Germany’s answer to the A. A. U.’s stand, it still cannot camouflage the following:
Dec. 1: Nazi sport units given free hand to accept or reject “non-Aryans”; but only Nazis are admitted to executive board.
Dec. 4: Berlin.-New ruling virtually bars participation of Jews in German sport activities.
Dec, 12: German sporting groups expel Jewish, members, scorning A. A. U. caution.
Dec. 15: Acts of Nazis mock pledge of fair play to Jewish athletes. Diplomats watching for legal disavowal of promise to let Jews compete in Olympics. Stadium to hold 200,0.00 being built. Non-Aryans barred from getting employment on project.
Dec: 29: The Association of life guards expels all Jews, decreeing that Jews may not be engaged on municipal beaches.
Dec. 29: Sport Groups in Berlin expel all Jewish members.
Dec. 29: The Deutscher Turnverein orders all its affiliated branches to expel their Jewish members.
Dec. 29: In Mayence, all Jews are expelled from skiing club.
Jan. 4: “Non-Aryan” horsemen are barred from competition.
AN INTERLUDE FOR FOREIGN COMMENT
Paris, Jan. 13: Paper says Nazis fail to invite “non-Aryan” nation to Olympics.
London, Jan. 19: Flight of members protesting race bar alarms Motor Club. John Gears resigns office, protesting against exclusion of Jews.
Amsterdam, Jan. 23: Mock Nazi 1936 Olympic tests. Dutch paper says Jews “haven’t a ghost of a chance.”
AGAINST GERMANY ANSWERS THESE CHARGES
Feb. 19, Munch: Jewish sports organizations dissolved in Bavaria.
Feb. 22, Berlin: The Maccabee Jewish sports organization and the Schild, the sports organization of the Union of Jewish ex-soldiers, which were recognized in November by the German government as the only two Jewish sports organization allowed to function in Germany, are dissolved.
May 19, Athens; On the international Olympic committee, meeting in Athens, pledges non-discrimination against Jews in Olympics.
This brings up to date the more important items against the participation of Jews in athletics in Germany.
SOME SIDE LIGHTS ON THE SITUATION
On Nov. 22 a dispatch from Berlin read as follows: “German Jew, Max Orgler, chosen on Olympic to hush foes of racial hate. Orgler, of Hakoah sports units, (which had been dissolved) slated to play with pure “Aryans” in 1936 Olympiad.
Nov. 23: Hamburg lets Jews play on its billiards team in championship games. Reason: not enough pure “Aryans” for the team.
THE STORY OF HELENE MAYER
Helene Mayer participated in the Amsterdam 1928 Olympics and won world-wide recognition as the premier female fencing ace of the world. Her finesse, her skill, her poise and balance won for her the admiration of the sporting world and Olympic titles. At Los Angeles in 1932 she repeated her brilliant performances on the strips.
She was a member of the Offenbach Fencing Club, the group that met in her native town. Her father, a Jewish doctor, was a member of this organization up to the time he died some five years ago. When she won sabre honors at the Amsterdam games she received a letter from the Offenbach club telling her how proud the officers and directors were to have her as a member of the unit. With the coming of Hitler she received another letter from the same association telling her in plain language “that she was kicked out” of the fencing troupe. As Miss Mayer told your sports commentator some time ago “these two letters placed side by side would be very incongruous and very comical. I have them both at home.”
Because of her participation in previous Olympic trials as a member of the German team she cannot, by international ruling fence for any other country save Das Hitlerland even if she does become a citizen of another land.
At present Helene Mayer is a scholarship student at Scripps College, California. In her one-year stay in America she has annexed the women’s outdoor and indoor fencing titles.
The girl is an example of what is being done in Germany today. Though barred from competing in Germany because of Nazi acts and laws against Jews, she must trust to the fact that Germany says it will not “discriminate” against Jews in sports.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
