1936 Letter from Nazi Propagandist to a Canadian IOC Member Who Advocated for Canada's Participation in Hitler's Olympics

On offer is a typed German-language letter, signed by the Nazi director of radio and television propaganda and author of several Nazi propaganda books, Eugen Hadamovsky (1904-1945).

In this letter, Hadamovsky writes to Canadian International Olympic Committee (IOC) member James G.B. Merrick (1871-1946), shortly after the Berlin Olympics, on October 6, 1936. The letter would have been sent along with a copy of the book Olympia-Weltsender, which celebrated the German broadcasting of Hitler's Olympics. 

Hadamovsky writes effusively on his personal letterhead, thanking Merrick for his leadership in making the Olympic Games a success. He states that the enclosed  Olympia-Weltsender, created by the German Broadcasting Corporation, "provides a simple, factual report of this greatest sporting event of all time", and states that because of the success of the broadcasting, the world had the opportunity to hear of the "unifying idea of peace" presented by the Nazi-led Olympic Games. 

The simplicity of this letter betrays the shocking history of the lead-up to the 1936 Olympic Games, which became something of a platform for Hitler to gain a global audience and present a positive image of the Nazi regime. It also speaks to Canada's history-altering involvement in promoting and supporting Hitler's Olympics, despite glaring moral and ethical issues related to the rampant racism of post-1933 Germany that saw non-Aryan German athletes excluded from German national athletics. 

This letter is a vital piece of pre-war German and Canadian history that provides rare insight into Canada's laissez-faire attitude toward Hitler's regime, and the power of Nazi propaganda, both of which contributed to what was to come a few short years after the Berlin Olympics. 

About James G.B. Merrick and Canada's Role in the 1936 Olympics

The Canadian Merrick was one of two Canadian representatives on the International Olympic Committee (IOC), along with Sir George McLaren Brown. Both Canadians voted to hold the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, though this was two years before Hitler seized power, while he was still an influential leader of the Nazi party. Once Hitler’s regime banned all non-Aryan athletes from their athletic associations, namely German Jews, it became questionable whether Germany should host the Olympics. But the IOC turned a blind eye and took Hitler at his word that he would make the German team inclusive.

There was a large movement in Canada to boycott the 1936 Berlin Olympics if they were not relocated. Canadians Reverend R.J. Irwin, of the United Church of Canada, and Rabbi Eisendrath spoke at the IOC to argue against Germany hosting, and to advocate for Canada's boycott should the Games be held in Germany. Merrick spoke strongly in favour of Germany hosting and Canada’s participation. This lead to a vote of the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) in Halifax, where it was argued that Canada should not condone this Olympics due to the very blatant racism and prejudice in German sport, which opposed the Olympic spirit and mandate. The COC voted that Canada should participate and should not advocate for a location change.

Merrick was also one of three Canadian members of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). It was the AAU that voted to send the United States of America’s Olympic team to the 1936 Olympics, despite the US initially boycotting the games. The three Canadians abstained from the vote, despite recognizing that every vote counted in what was an extremely tight outcome. In fact, two votes against US participation would have kept America from sending a team to the Nazi-led games. This occurred after the Amateur Athletic Union Canada (AAUC) had already voted to have Canada send a team to Hitler’s games.

Merrick made his home mostly in Toronto, Ontario, and this letter was sent to his residence on Deer Park Crescent. 

About Eugen Hadamovsky, Nazi Propagandist

Eugen Hadamovsky was, in 1936, Reichssendeleiter (Reich Broadcasting Leader) in the Third Reich. He would later be appointed to vice-president of the broadcasting department in the Reichskulturkammer (Reich Chamber of Culture). From 1940 he was head of the radio department under Goebbels in the Reichsministerium für Volksaufklärung und Propaganda (Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda). Hadamovsky also wrote several propaganda books, and initiated the launch of the world’s first regular television service Fernsehsender "Paul Nipkow", which became hugely popular when it covered the 1936 Olympic Games.

This piece is typed on Romerturm Bankpost watermarked paper, with a similarly branded envelope. Creased only at the original folds the letter is in Fine condition with no signs of age or wear. The envelope is in Very Good condition, having some impact creasing at the edges. [Note: letter is in German, English quotations above were completed using online translation software]. 

Reference:

MENKIS, R., & TROPER, H. (2015). More than Just Games: Canada and the 1936 Olympics. University of Toronto Press.