The German Olympic Decoration (german: Deutsche Olympia-Ehrenzeichen or Deutsches Olympiaehrenzeichen) was a civil decoration of
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
awarded to administrators of the
IV Olympic Winter Games in
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen (; Bavarian: ''Garmasch-Partakurch''), nicknamed Ga-Pa, is an Alpine ski town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the seat of government of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen (abbreviated ''GAP''), in the Ob ...
and the
Games of the XI Olympiad in
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitu ...
1936. The award was not intended for actual participants in the
Olympic Games
The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a multi ...
, but rather in recognition of those who had orchestrated the "behind the scenes" preparations and work for the events.
Several members of the
SS, including
Reinhard Heydrich
Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich ( ; ; 7 March 1904 – 4 June 1942) was a high-ranking German SS and police official during the Nazi era and a principal architect of the Holocaust.
He was chief of the Reich Security Main Office (inclu ...
,
Karl Wolff and
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was of the (Protection Squadron; SS), and a leading member of the Nazi Party of Germany. Himmler was one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany and a main architect of th ...
were awarded the Olympic Games decoration for providing security during the event.
Hermann Fegelein
Hans Otto Georg Hermann Fegelein (30 October 1906 – 28 April 1945) was a high-ranking commander in the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany. He was a member of Adolf Hitler's entourage and brother-in-law to Eva Braun through his marriage to her si ...
was awarded the decoration for overseeing the preparation of the courses and facilities for the equestrian events. The decoration was presented to
Leni Riefenstahl
Helene Bertha Amalie "Leni" Riefenstahl (; 22 August 1902 – 8 September 2003) was a German film director, photographer and actress known for her role in producing Nazi propaganda.
A talented swimmer and an artist, Riefenstahl also became in ...
for her work in filming the various sports events. It was also presented in the 2nd Class to
Hiroshi Ōshima, the Japanese Ambassador to Nazi Germany.
The German Olympic Decoration was awarded in three classes:
* 1st Class
* 2nd Class
* German Olympic Commemorative Medal
Of the three classes, the First Class was presented as a
neck order. A total of 767 were presented. The second class was open to persons who played a significant, but lesser role as to the work which went into the presentation of the games. A total of 3,364 were awarded. The German Olympic Commemorative Medal (german: Deutsche Olympia-Erinnerungsmedaille) was established to recognize service in connection with the preparation work and execution of the game events. The medal was not restricted to German nationals. All classes could be worn miniaturized on a
ribbon bar
A medal ribbon, service ribbon or ribbon bar is a small ribbon, mounted on a small metal bar equipped with an attaching device, which is generally issued for wear in place of a medal when it is not appropriate to wear the actual medal. Each cou ...
.
[Angolia, John (1989). ''For Führer and Fatherland: Political & Civil Awards of the Third Reich'', pp. 17-22.] Modern German law prohibits the wearing of a swastika, so in 1957 the German federal government authorised replacement decorations in place of the swastika version; which still exists and can be worn as a civil decoration.
Notes
References
*{{cite book, first=Dr Heinrich, last=Doehle, year=1943, title=Die Auszeichnungen Des Großdeutschen Reichs, location=Berlin, Germany, publisher=Berlin-Buch und Periodical Press, isbn=0-9624883-4-8
1936 Winter Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
Orders, decorations, and medals of Nazi Germany