The Gods of the Stadium Poster for the Lenie Riefenstahl film, Olympia, about the 1936 Olympics
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 35.250 inches (89.535 cm) | Width: 25.250 inches (64.135 cm)
Creator(s)
- Meindl Druck GMBH (Printer)
- Erwin Huber (Performer)
- Rüdiger Halt (Designer)
- Muller Film (Distributor)
Archival History
The poster was acquired by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1990.
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection
Funding Note: The cataloging of this artifact has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.
Scope and Content
Poster for the German propaganda sports film, “Olympia” (The Gods of the Stadium), about the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, released in April, 1938. The poster features a photographic image of German Olympic athlete Erwin Huber in a discus throwing stance. Huber participated in the 1928 and the 1936 games. The poster image is reproduced from a scene in the opening of the film. The stance is reminiscent of the Discobolus, an ancient Greek statue of a discus thrower, which symbolizes the Olympics and the athletic ideal. Nazi authorities used the games to promote an image of a new, strong, and united Germany to foreign spectators and journalists while masking the regime’s targeting of Jews and Roma (Gypsies), as well as Germany’s growing militarism. Germany fielded the largest team, 348 athletes, and won the most medals. The games were used to promote the myth of “Aryan” racial superiority, physical prowess, and symbolize that "Aryan" culture was the rightful heir of classical antiquity. Leni Riefenstahl, who directed “Triumph des Willens” (“Triumph of the Will”), shot at the 1934 Nuremberg Rally, was commissioned by the Nazis to produce a film about the Berlin games, which would also promote all these ideals. Riefenstahl made two films, “Olympia Part I: Festival of the Nations” and “Part II: Festival of Beauty" and combined them to create “Olympia.” Riefenstahl’s work pioneered numerous cinematographic techniques and won Best Foreign Film honors at the Venice Film Festival and a special award from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for depicting the joy of sport.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Reproduction
No restrictions on use
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Offset lithographic film poster printed on off-white paper, and adhered to a white linen backing. The poster has a black-and-white photographic image of a semi-nude man in a discus-throwing stance, with the discus in his right hand. His body is tensed, ready for exertion. He leans forward, both legs bent at the knees, with his left arm curved down in front of him and his right arm extended behind him, holding the discus. The man is positioned in a field of grass with a white, cloudy sky above. A curved red line originates as a point beside the discus, and then widens as it extends in a shallow arc out of the image, mimicking the trajectory of the discus. Three lines of large white text are in the top left corner; below it are the five, interlocking Olympic rings in red. In the center, to the left of the man, are five lines of black-and-white text. At the bottom of the image are two lines of white text, and there is a line of small text in the bottom right margin. In the lower right is a small, circular stamp with text inside and a small windmill logo with a line of text below. The left and right edges of the paper are unevenly stained with a narrow red band.
People
- Riefenstahl, Leni.
Subjects
- Germany.
- Olympics--History.
- Olympic athletes--Germany.
- Motion pictures in propaganda--Germany.
- Olympics--Political aspects.
- Olympics--Nazi Propaganda.
Genre
- Motion picture posters.
- Object
- Posters