HBO 1936 Olympics Documentary

[black canyon]

I'm a producer with Black Canyon Productions in New York. We are currently producing a documentary about the 1936 Olympics for HBO Sports. I'm trying to locate a military person, as well as or in addition to, a person connected to the old German athletic heirarchy (most, if not all, were also military men)...with obvious knowledge of and connection to the Olympics.

Perhaps there may be a young guard who was stationed at the Olympics in Berlin or Garmisch who is still alive, or a former policeman anywhere in Germany who can talk about the directives issued to the police regarding what Jewish athletes were permitted to do, wear, etc. during their athletic exhibitions in the 1930's....anyone who was in a position of authority relating to sports at the time.

Can you suggest any organizations or methods of research to find someone like this...or do you personally know of anyone who fits this description?

Thank you,

Erik Kesten
______________________________
Black Canyon Productions
erikkesten@clearchannel.com
(917) 421-5216

[Sebastian Bianchi]

I see you have made it in Erik, good luck with your research.

[McCulloh]

I've spoken to a number of German Jews who suffered under the Third Reich. They all said that the implementation of the proscription laws forbad them from participating in German social clubs/organizations. Specifically my good friend Gerda Haas, who survived Theriesenstadt (although her mother went to Auschwitz/Birkenau) told me she was excluded from her sports club and eventually, she and her family went for long walks-because it was the only thing they were still allowed to do.
As an aside-in 1978 Gerda went back to Germany with her daughter to show her where she grew up. She visited her old house which the SA had thrown them out of in 1942. She knocked on the door-and the man who answered it was the SA troop leader (a colleague of her Father's) who had tossed them out. Her mother's table was still in the hallway-where in had been 36 years before.
Regarding research-I'd start with an ad in the Kyfserbund (and I know I spelled that wrong) (Kyfsheiser?) magazine -I think they have a web site. That's the german VFW/Legion.
Also, I thought the german Sports/Athletic association was still around-they were (are) the group that produced and awarded the sports badge illustrated above. I'd advertise with them too. I think they also have a web site.
If I were you I'd get a copy of the cigarette card book on the games-it'll be a handy reference.
Lastly, you might want to advertise in the Berlin newspaper for a contact. Since the games were held there, I'd bet there are still a few old sweats living there-but not many, who were in the police at the time.
Lastly, have you contacted the German/Berlin Holocaust Museum?
cheers,
JeMc
Oh-and as a parthian shot-I'd write to the Frei Universitat in Berlin (History Dept) and see if any enterprising graduate student did a thesis on the '36 Games with interviews-I'd bet 50cents somebody did in the 1980s when it became fashionable to research the Third Reich in the BRD.

[Klaus O.]

Jeff,

You mean the "Kyffhäuserbund"... here is the link :

http://www.kyffhaeuserbund.de/

Ciao,

Claudio

[black canyon]

I was out of the office most of last week and just checked the site now - thanks for your suggestions! I recently put ads out in Berlin, Garmisch-Partenkirchen (site of Winter Olympics) and the "Magazin fuer Polizei." I've also checked w/ the TRT Foundation, which is a program that sets up meetings btwn children of holocaust survivors and children of nazi perpetrators. Hopefully something will turn up. But I will try the Kyffhäuserbund. Which sports/athletic association are you refering to? I've been in touch with various athletic associations in Germany about athletes of the era, but you may have something different in mind..

Anyway, thank you both....

Erik Kesten