This is a used example of Leni Riefenstahl’s magnificent photographic chronicle of the beauty associated with the 1936 Olympic competition in Berlin, Germany. Riefenstahl was a well-known German photographer given the impossible task of creating a documentary of the Olympic Games as they played out in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Berlin. She succeeded even beyond her own expectations by creating a book and a movie that won countless international awards. When Riefenstahl came to the United States with her award winning movie to introduce it to the American public, she was unceremoniously run out of town by the domestic film industry and anti-German elements.

The reality is that the opportunity Riefenstahl had to document the preparations, ceremonies and competitions at the 1936 Olympics was masterfully handled by her invention of new techniques, new equipment and new approaches to filming grand events. In Germany and most of Europe, she was acknowledged for her triumph and objective film professionals and amateur viewers today also acknowledge the lasting importance of her Olympic work.

There is a one page introduction over a facsimile signature of Leni Riefenstahl followed by several photos of Olympic material in Greece. There are photos of the Olympic facilities in Berlin and the sailing venue in Kiel as well as photographs associated with the making of the movie OLYMPIA. There are photos of Riefenstahl with Reichssportführer Hans von Tschammer und Osten and with her photographers and technicians. There are photos of Führer und Reichskanzler Adolf Hitler, the opening ceremonies of the games, and the most famous athletes such as Jessie Owens, Luz Long, Sievert, Kuntsi, Stöck, Woellke, Torrence, Towns, Fleisher, Mauermayer, Lovelock, Sefton, Tajima, Clarck, Morris, Parker, Lippert, Stubbendorff, Wangenheim, etc.

In virtually every documentary of the 1936 Olympic Games or Leni Riefenstahl, the central thesis seems to be that Riefenstahl was an ardent Nazi and that Hitler and all the Nazis refused to acknowledge the amazing athletic ability and decent character of American runner Jesse Owens. There is nothing whatsoever in this book that would leave one with that impression. Quite the contrary, Riefenstahl went out of her way to acknowledge Owens and photograph him, even with his new German friend and competitor Luz Long (right). There is not a hint on the photos, text and captions that this was any sort of “Nazi Olympics” and no attempt at Nazi propaganda of any kind.

This example of SCHÖNHEIT IM OLYMPISCHEN KAMPF has light thumb smudges in the bottom right corner of many pages but all the photos and captions are there and in very nice condition.  The binding at the spine is not broken loose, but is not tight as it was when manufactured.

Other 1936 Olympic material offered for sale on USMBOOKS.com:

- Commemorative Deutsche Reichspost Berlin Olympics postage stamps

- Leni Riefenstahl's OLYMPIA movie brochures

- Rare book set about the 1936 Winter and Summer Olympics

- Original Third Reich postcards of the Summer and Winter Olympics

- Berlin Olympic Village photo book

Because of the defects mentioned above, we offer this rare Nazi Olympics book for $495.00 delivered in the continental USA by Media Mail. U SM book #291b

• IF you wish to purchase optional insurance, add $7.75 to your payment of $495.00.

• We will be happy to ship abroad at additional cost.  Please inquire.