These Olympics have been notable not only in themselves but for the effect they have had upon all who have participated in them and watched them.
These have been the biggest athletic games ever staged, the best organized, the most largely attended, the most picturesque and most productive of new and startling records.
However, that is not only all true, but it is the picture constantly impressed on one's mind as one moves from one stirring score to another, always amid a good-humored, happy crowd, always under a forest of bright-colored flags, never lost of jostled with plenteous space around and courteous guides at hand.
That is the picture foreign visitors will take home, to the undoubted improvement of world relations and general amiability. This may be only a temporary truce in the world's quarrels, a pleasant interlude in the long procession of diplomatic disagreeableness, but even at the reaction cannot help but be good and lasting.
Take the effect on the German hosts themselves. One has noted everywhere not only pride in German athletic accomplishment - which has been really notable - and the utmost satisfaction in the great achievement of staging the show itself, but equal pride in the unstinted foreign praise given that achievement.
It is quite certain that the foreign reaction was awaited here with a ceratin measure of trepidation. There is manifest anxiety for once to win foreign praise. It has been forthcoming from every quarter and the anxious hosts are happy over the fact - happy and amiable beyond reckoning. They know now they have made an excellent impression upon upon their cosmopolitan visitors. They are back in the fold of nations who have "arrived".
Going a little deeper it is perhaps true also that this contact with many nationalities and races has made the Germans more human again after four long years of a régime which, while it strengthened, tended also to harden its votaries. It might even be said that this experience has deflated the German ego a bit. They have seen here for themselves that all races are good, some in certain respects perhaps even slightly superior to the Teutonic.
These Olympics will be remembered for the amazing feats of Jesse Owens of Ohio. His friendship with German athlete Lutz Long and competitor is a model for other athletes to emulate in the future.
The Olympics used a new technology, television to mixed results. It can be very difficult to discern images at time. It is a technology that much improvement can be made upon.
Showing posts with label Racism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Racism. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Tuesday, August 8, 2006
Jews allowed to fly German Flag
Not since the Nuremburg Laws were passed last September have Jews been allowed to fly the German flag.. However, these Olympics have given them the opportunity to display banners of some kind over their houses and businesses.
The prohibition still holds but there is nothing to stop them from flying the German flag. They are glad to do so rather than draw attention to their shops and homes by leaving them bare in the streets otherwise plenteously adorned with bunting. One department store in the west end carried whole rows of the Olympic banners. Some others have added symposiums of flags of the Olympic nations all except the swastika - without objection.
The practice has the advantage, from the German viewpoint, of saving foreign guests the of puzzling over empty flagpoles until they divine the real reason and thereby reminded of the German official race prejudice.
The prohibition still holds but there is nothing to stop them from flying the German flag. They are glad to do so rather than draw attention to their shops and homes by leaving them bare in the streets otherwise plenteously adorned with bunting. One department store in the west end carried whole rows of the Olympic banners. Some others have added symposiums of flags of the Olympic nations all except the swastika - without objection.
The practice has the advantage, from the German viewpoint, of saving foreign guests the of puzzling over empty flagpoles until they divine the real reason and thereby reminded of the German official race prejudice.
Monday, August 7, 2006
Racism at the Games
The victories of the Negroes of the American Olympic team are the sensation of Europe. how thoroughly the Olympic spirit has spread here is seen in the fact that to date only the Nazi newspaper Angriff has spoken of them dispairingly, and only in the government box has there been other presumptive evidence of racial feeling.
of course, carious countries react in various ways. The French are loudly enthusiastic about the Negroes' accomplishments. The English, guided perhaps by imperial considerations, are somewhat cool and inclined to depreciate their presence. The South Africans openly deprecate it.
On the other hand, the German team is ostensibly friendly. Something like a Damon and Pythias friendship has sprung up between Lutz Long, German star and Jesse Owens, outstanding member of the American team.
What may be called the social success of the American Negroes largely is due to the their own tact. They are perfectly aware threre is a race prejudice in the air and they carefully avoid places where they might not be welcome.
It should be added, however, that since his defeat by John Woodruff, Mario Lanzi, sensational Italian middle distance runner, has introduced some racial feeling in the Italian team. Lanzi's final spurt in the 800-meter race two days ago was spoiled because the two Negro leaders, Phil Edwards of Canada and Woodruff, refused to yield him the inside lane. The Italian seems to be possessed by the idea he had a right to this lane, although there is nothing in the rules entitling him to it.
Enthusiasm for the Negro contingent centers mainly around Owens. None of the others enjoys anything approaching his popularity. The German press calls Owens the super-athlete of these Games. Long has expressed the view that with more training Owens could jump 7.5 meters easily.
In private conversation the Germans tell each other that the Negro race is extraordinarily adept at running because of a certain peculiar conformation of their bones. They do, however, have the good sense to scoff at English reports that American runners have undergone certain operations on their legs to increase their speed
of course, carious countries react in various ways. The French are loudly enthusiastic about the Negroes' accomplishments. The English, guided perhaps by imperial considerations, are somewhat cool and inclined to depreciate their presence. The South Africans openly deprecate it.
On the other hand, the German team is ostensibly friendly. Something like a Damon and Pythias friendship has sprung up between Lutz Long, German star and Jesse Owens, outstanding member of the American team.
What may be called the social success of the American Negroes largely is due to the their own tact. They are perfectly aware threre is a race prejudice in the air and they carefully avoid places where they might not be welcome.
It should be added, however, that since his defeat by John Woodruff, Mario Lanzi, sensational Italian middle distance runner, has introduced some racial feeling in the Italian team. Lanzi's final spurt in the 800-meter race two days ago was spoiled because the two Negro leaders, Phil Edwards of Canada and Woodruff, refused to yield him the inside lane. The Italian seems to be possessed by the idea he had a right to this lane, although there is nothing in the rules entitling him to it.
Enthusiasm for the Negro contingent centers mainly around Owens. None of the others enjoys anything approaching his popularity. The German press calls Owens the super-athlete of these Games. Long has expressed the view that with more training Owens could jump 7.5 meters easily.
In private conversation the Germans tell each other that the Negro race is extraordinarily adept at running because of a certain peculiar conformation of their bones. They do, however, have the good sense to scoff at English reports that American runners have undergone certain operations on their legs to increase their speed
Sunday, August 6, 2006
Owens wins third medal
By winning the 200-meter dash, Jesse Owens became the fourth American to capture three or more championships in on Olympic event.
He joined the heroic company of Alvin Kraenzlein, who won four events in 1900; Ray Ewry, who swept three standing jumps twice: 1900 & 1904.; and Archie Hahn, triple sprint winner in 1904.
Chancellor Hitler was driven from his box by a heavy downpour of rain that occurred just after Owens flashed across the finish line for his third triumph and wasn't among the thousands of die-hards who remained and thundered acclaim when he stepped up for the third time to be crowned with a laurel wreath and given his third gold medal and oak tree, which will be planted on Ohio State's Campus.
He joined the heroic company of Alvin Kraenzlein, who won four events in 1900; Ray Ewry, who swept three standing jumps twice: 1900 & 1904.; and Archie Hahn, triple sprint winner in 1904.
Chancellor Hitler was driven from his box by a heavy downpour of rain that occurred just after Owens flashed across the finish line for his third triumph and wasn't among the thousands of die-hards who remained and thundered acclaim when he stepped up for the third time to be crowned with a laurel wreath and given his third gold medal and oak tree, which will be planted on Ohio State's Campus.
Friday, August 4, 2006
Americans go 1-2 in 100-Meter dash
Jesse Owens won the 100-meter dash in what seemed a date with destiny. The Buckeye Bullet beat his nearest competitor, Ralph Metcalfe of Marquette University, by a single yard. The winning time of 10.3 seconds matched his time in the first round of heats.
The Americans finished 1-2 in front of 110,000 in the Reich Sports Field Stadium. The ovation they received was loud but only a whisper compared to the cheer that Karl Hein of Germany received.
Hardly a minute after Hitler had seated himself in his box, Erwin Blask of Germany unleashed a tremendous toss of 180' 6 ½", breaking Matt McGrath's Olympic Record. Hein, however, overhauled Blask with the best any Continental hammer-thrower ever has made: 185' 4 1/16" to give Germany its own 1-2 finish. The tumultuous applause was the loudest of the day.
The record breaking did not finsh with these two finals. Miss Helen Stephens of St. Louis Missouri, striding through the first heat of the women's 100-meter sprint turned in a dazzling 11.4 second run.
This was 4/10 of a second faster than Miss Stella Walsh's listed world record and 2/10 under the Missouri girl's own American record, which has yet to be accepted internationally.
To make it more emphatic, Miss Stephens slammed into the tape of the semi-final in 11.5 seconds. Miss Kaethe Krauss of Germany, in second place was carried along sufficiently by Miss Stephens' blinding speed to equal Miss Walsh's Olympic figure of 11.9 seconds.
It was a great day for sport as the United States took command of the men's track and field race for the first time with a total of 46 points to 31 ¼ for Germany and Finland's 30 ¼ points. But if one elects to score the women's tests with the men's than Germany, moving along the wings of a sport renaissance deeply rooted in nationalistic fervor, is at the head of the parade with 47 ¼ points.
German nationalism and the prejudice that seems to go with it revealed themselves somewhat disagreeably this afternoon. On the surface all was serene. The Führer apparently played no favorite. He did not publicly receive the winning Germans nor did he decide to greet decidedly non-Aryan Americans, Owens and Metcalfe.
But an investigation by some who had taken his departure yesterday to mean he did not want to shake hands with non-Aryan high jumpers, Cornelius Johnson and David Albritton. This investigation produced information which seemed collaborative. In the seclusion of his quarters under the stands the Reich's dictator did congratulate Hein and Blask, the hammer-throwers. Perhaps two and two makes four after all. If Hitler is going to avoid the African-Americans, he is going to have his work cut out for him.
From a general sporting standpoint, however, there could be no taking the play away from Owens. He left the stadium last night in the belief that he had broken the world record with his 10.2 time. But the usually efficient Germans have an annoying roundabout way of getting the news to the newspaper men and the athletes.
It was discovered this morning that Owen's new mark had been disallowed because of a following wind. Whether he or Miss Stephens will have the same experience tomorrow cannot be guessed. From the stands the breeze looked like a crosswind, but one can never tell about those things.
Owens won today because in truth he is the world's fastest human. No one ever ran a more perfect race. His start was perfect, his in-between running was perfect and his finish perfect.
The Buckeye Bullet ripped out of his starting holes as though slungby a giant catapult. He was ahead in his first stride and let the Osendarp and Wykoff battle behind him for what left of the race.
Metcalfe, hardly the best starter in the world, was off in atrocious fashion. He was sixth in the six man field in the getaway, but once in his stride he certainly moved. By sixty meters he had drawn up even with Hollander and begun to cut down the two yard advantage Owens had on him.
It was then a speed duel between the streamlined express and the old-fashioned steam engine that exuded sheer, rugged power. Metcalfe cut those two yards to one at the wire, but it was as close as he could get, losing by a yard a championship that had eluded him four years before by a hair.
The Americans finished 1-2 in front of 110,000 in the Reich Sports Field Stadium. The ovation they received was loud but only a whisper compared to the cheer that Karl Hein of Germany received.
Hardly a minute after Hitler had seated himself in his box, Erwin Blask of Germany unleashed a tremendous toss of 180' 6 ½", breaking Matt McGrath's Olympic Record. Hein, however, overhauled Blask with the best any Continental hammer-thrower ever has made: 185' 4 1/16" to give Germany its own 1-2 finish. The tumultuous applause was the loudest of the day.
The record breaking did not finsh with these two finals. Miss Helen Stephens of St. Louis Missouri, striding through the first heat of the women's 100-meter sprint turned in a dazzling 11.4 second run.
This was 4/10 of a second faster than Miss Stella Walsh's listed world record and 2/10 under the Missouri girl's own American record, which has yet to be accepted internationally.
To make it more emphatic, Miss Stephens slammed into the tape of the semi-final in 11.5 seconds. Miss Kaethe Krauss of Germany, in second place was carried along sufficiently by Miss Stephens' blinding speed to equal Miss Walsh's Olympic figure of 11.9 seconds.
It was a great day for sport as the United States took command of the men's track and field race for the first time with a total of 46 points to 31 ¼ for Germany and Finland's 30 ¼ points. But if one elects to score the women's tests with the men's than Germany, moving along the wings of a sport renaissance deeply rooted in nationalistic fervor, is at the head of the parade with 47 ¼ points.
German nationalism and the prejudice that seems to go with it revealed themselves somewhat disagreeably this afternoon. On the surface all was serene. The Führer apparently played no favorite. He did not publicly receive the winning Germans nor did he decide to greet decidedly non-Aryan Americans, Owens and Metcalfe.
But an investigation by some who had taken his departure yesterday to mean he did not want to shake hands with non-Aryan high jumpers, Cornelius Johnson and David Albritton. This investigation produced information which seemed collaborative. In the seclusion of his quarters under the stands the Reich's dictator did congratulate Hein and Blask, the hammer-throwers. Perhaps two and two makes four after all. If Hitler is going to avoid the African-Americans, he is going to have his work cut out for him.
From a general sporting standpoint, however, there could be no taking the play away from Owens. He left the stadium last night in the belief that he had broken the world record with his 10.2 time. But the usually efficient Germans have an annoying roundabout way of getting the news to the newspaper men and the athletes.
It was discovered this morning that Owen's new mark had been disallowed because of a following wind. Whether he or Miss Stephens will have the same experience tomorrow cannot be guessed. From the stands the breeze looked like a crosswind, but one can never tell about those things.
Owens won today because in truth he is the world's fastest human. No one ever ran a more perfect race. His start was perfect, his in-between running was perfect and his finish perfect.
The Buckeye Bullet ripped out of his starting holes as though slungby a giant catapult. He was ahead in his first stride and let the Osendarp and Wykoff battle behind him for what left of the race.
Metcalfe, hardly the best starter in the world, was off in atrocious fashion. He was sixth in the six man field in the getaway, but once in his stride he certainly moved. By sixty meters he had drawn up even with Hollander and begun to cut down the two yard advantage Owens had on him.
It was then a speed duel between the streamlined express and the old-fashioned steam engine that exuded sheer, rugged power. Metcalfe cut those two yards to one at the wire, but it was as close as he could get, losing by a yard a championship that had eluded him four years before by a hair.
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