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This is a very nice 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 movie of the Olympic Games as they played out in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Berlin. She succeeded even beyond her own expectations by creating a splendid book and a spectacular 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 many assorted anti-German elements.

The reality is that the opportunity Riefenstahl had to document the preparations, ceremonies and competitions and medal awards 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 widely acknowledged for her triumph and objective film professionals and amateur viewers today also acknowledge the lasting importance of her Olympic work.

Most of the people who have seen her movie of the 1936 Olympics (OLYMPIA), have never seen the huge hardcover book we offer on this USMBOOKS web page, SCHÖNHEIT IM OLYMPISCHEN KAMPF (The Beauty of Olympic Competition). The big, heavy 282 page, very, very heavily illustrated 9-½ x 12-½ inch hard cover book weighs almost 5 pounds! It is beautifully printed by the gravure process on heavy tan art stock giving the extra large photos a realistic effect. It was published in 1937 by Deutscher Verlag AG in Berlin and this is a First Edition. Each of the pictures has the caption in German, French, English, Spanish and Italian.

There is a one page introduction over a facsimile signature of Leni Riefenstahl followed by several photos of Olympic preparations 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 such as Walter Frentz. 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, Erich Borchmeyer, Glenn Morris, Sievert, Kuntsi, Stöck, Woellke, Torrence, Towns, Fleisher, Mauermayer, Lovelock, Sefton, Tajima, Clarck, Parker, Lippert, Stubbendorff, Wangenheim, etc.

In virtually every eventual documentary of the 1936 Olympic Games or innovative photographer 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 could possibly 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 (shown 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. Simply excellent photos and objective photo captions by any standard.

The condition of this 87 year old example of SCHÖNHEIT IM OLYMPISCHEN KAMPF is very good.   It is complete with hardly any wear to the red linen cover and gold blocking and the book has no odor. The photographic content is superb.

Inside the front cover is a small sticker of a bookstore in Göppingen (the town where the famous Märklin toy train factory is located), where this book was sold.

Other original 1936 Olympic Games material for sale on USMBOOKS.com:

-  1936 Olympic postcards printed during the Third Reich

- "Village of Peace", rare Third Reich guidebook to the Olympic Village

-  a fine 1936 commemorative photo book about the Olympic Village in Berlin

-  superb Third Reich hardcover photo book about the Olympische Spiele Berlin 1936

We are happy to combine shipping of multiple purchases!  Please inquire.