The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has come under criticism in Germany for selling T-shirts featuring the original poster design of the 1936 Berlin Olympics, which were used by Adolf Hitler and the Nazis for propaganda. The shirts, sold through the official Olympic Shop, depict a male figure wearing a laurel wreath, the Olympic rings above, and the Brandenburg Gate below, alongside the text “Germany Berlin 1936 Olympic Games.”
Critics, including Klara Schedlich of the Green Party in Berlin, said the design is inappropriate and insensitive, arguing that it does not adequately reflect the historical context of Nazi propaganda. The IOC defended the sale, stating the shirts are part of its Olympic Heritage Collection, which showcases styles from all editions of the Games and celebrates athletic achievements, such as Jesse Owens’ four gold medals at the Berlin Games that challenged Nazi racial ideology.
The IOC emphasized that only a limited number of the 1936 T-shirts were produced and sold, and the historical context of the Berlin Olympics is explained at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. The collection aims to highlight 130 years of Olympic art and design rather than promote the propaganda of any regime.
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