Hitler and Putin: The Propaganda Games In 1936, the world gathered to watch the strongest athletes go head to head. However, this was the first time the Olympics weren’t just about the sports. Sitting on the edge of their seats, everyone watched as Germany toyed with athletes, and preached their strong religious values to anyone who tuned in. 78 years later, the world witnessed a similar monumental Olympic game that would alter how politics and sports coincide. The 2014 Sochi Games began shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin had passed a bill outlawing the promotion of homosexuality, and terrorism hung overhead. In the 20th century, the Olympics have repeatedly struggled to separate the purity of sport from politics. Hitler and Putin used the hosting of the Olympics to their advantage to gain political power and the trust of their citizens. To be able to fully grasp the political standpoints behind the 2014 and 1936 Olympics, you must first know what occurred at, and prior to each of the Games. Three …show more content…
Due to the fact that Jews had been banned from the majority of the sporting clubs, it was extremely difficult for them to qualify. During the Games themselves, the only Jews that had qualified were told they weren’t allowed to compete. Crushed, they were forced off the team after working so hard. Perhaps one of the most controversial moments within the Nazi Olympics was Jesse Owens’ race. Owens was an African American track and field runner, who finished the 1936 games with four gold medals. Jesse Owens beat out German competitors. For Hitler, this was problematic. Although Hitler’s main beliefs were against Jews, Owens’ win went against the Nazi idea that Aryans were the superior race (Cody 5). He claimed Owens had only won because he was an animal, and it was unfair for a human to race a