“Helene Mayer, c1936” by Los Angeles Times is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
In episode 7 of this season, senior history major Keith Kuehn visits with Hollie about the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, or “The Nazi Olympics.” Helene Mayer (pictured above) was a German Jewish fencer who competed and won a silver for Germany. Keith unpacks the use of German propaganda, including film and television as well as the German discrimination against Jews and how this played out during the 1936 games.
Keith also briefly discusses his pet Eugene, who became the mascot for Ms. Marquess’s Women in American History course. Eugene, a female tortoise, got dressed up based on the theme of each week. Here she is as Eugene the Riveter.
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Selected Bibliography:
Birchall, Frederick T. “Goebbels Denies Intent to Use Games for Propaganda Purposes.” New York Times. July 31, 1936. accessed November 20, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/1936/07/31/archives/goebbels-denies-intent-to-use-games-for-propaganda-purposes.html?searchResultPosition=20.
Kline, Christopher. “The Olympic Torch Relay’s Surprising Origins.” History. A&E Television Networks, published May 17, 2012. accessed December 2, 2023.
Pinkhasov, Seymon, dir. What If? The Helene Mayer Story. 2008; Hesse, Germany: 2021. stream. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIUs_ceGVYw.
Riefenstahl, Leni, dir. Olympia. April 20, 1938. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s23Q01qvdGs&t=1458s.
Riefenstahl, Leni. Leni Riefenstahl Interview, 1964. NDR-Nordschau. 1964. Accessed November 20, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1zdzmxpif8&t=1s.
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Victor E. History 