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The Berlin games were the most controversial (before 1980) because the IOC was determined to promote its brand of internationalism in the face of Nazi mistreatment of Jews and political opponents.<ref> Christopher Hilton, ''Hitler's Olympics: The 1936 Berlin Olympic Games'' (2005) 244pp.; Arnd Kruger and William Murray, eds. ''The Nazi Olympics. Sport, Politics and Appeasement in the 1930s,'' (2003) 260pp.</ref>  

The Berlin games were the most controversial (before 1980) because the IOC was determined to promote its brand of internationalism in the face of Nazi mistreatment of Jews and political opponents.<ref> Christopher Hilton, ''Hitler's Olympics: The 1936 Berlin Olympic Games'' (2005) 244pp.; Arnd Kruger and William Murray, eds. ''The Nazi Olympics. Sport, Politics and Appeasement in the 1930s,'' (2003) 260pp.</ref>  

For the IOC the Berlin Olympics represented its greatest achievement: legitimizing the Games as the world's premier sporting event. The Games were awarded to a democratic Germany in 1931--no one then expected the Nazis would be in charge. It was the first competition that fully reflected the emergence of sports as a mass phenomenon after the World War. Of 59 national Olympic Committees, 53 accepted the invitation to attend and 49 actually attended.  Three million tickets were sold (compared to one million in 1932), with of course many people attending several events.

For the IOC the Berlin Olympics represented its greatest achievement: legitimizing the Games as the world's premier sporting event. The Games were awarded to a democratic Germany in 1931--no one then expected the Nazis would be in charge. It was the first competition that fully reflected the emergence of sports as a mass phenomenon after the World War.  

Key Olympics leaders, especially Avery Brundage in the U.S., de Coubertin in France, and Sir Noel Curtis Bennett in Britain, worked tirelessly to exclude political questions and emphasize pure athleticism.

Key Olympics leaders, especially Avery Brundage in the U.S., de Coubertin in France, and Sir Noel Curtis Bennett in Britain, worked tirelessly to exclude political questions. emphasize pure athleticism, and frustrate an anti-Nazi boycott. Of 59 national Olympic Committees, 53 accepted the invitation to attend and 49 actually attended.  Three million tickets were sold (compared to one million in 1932), with of course many people attending several events.

Special attention was paid Jesse Owens (1913-1980), the black American track and field star. Owens, who craved the chance to compete, resisted the NAACP's pleas that he support the boycott. He won four gold medals and was enthusiastically cheered in the face of Nazi propaganda about "Negro inferiority."  The film "Olympia" (1938), made by Nazi producer-director [[Leni Riefenstahl]] set the modern standard for high quality documentaries, and prominently featured Owens.<ref>Jeremy Schaap, ''Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics,'' (2007) 272 pp. </ref>

Special attention was paid [[Jesse Owens]] (1913-1980), the black American track and field star. Owens, who craved the chance to compete, resisted the [[NAACP]]'s pleas that he support the boycott. He won four gold medals and was enthusiastically cheered in the face of Nazi propaganda about "Negro inferiority."  The film "Olympia" (1938), made by Nazi producer-director [[Leni Riefenstahl]] set the modern standard for high quality documentaries, and prominently featured Owens.<ref>Jeremy Schaap, ''Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics,'' (2007) 272 pp. </ref>

At another level there was tension between traditional Christian ideals and Nazi paganism. as the Orthodox Church of Greece criticized the Nazi staging of the Olympic flame ceremonies in 1936. Pagan aspects of the ceremony as well as the worship of the body were linked to contemporary political movements at odds with Christianity, notably Communism and Nazism.

At another level there was tension between traditional Christian ideals and Nazi paganism. as the Orthodox Church of Greece criticized the Nazi staging of the Olympic flame ceremonies in 1936. Pagan aspects of the ceremony as well as the worship of the body were linked to contemporary political movements at odds with Christianity, notably Communism and Nazism.