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 Preparation for our next auction of Olympic memorabilia and philately in June 2015 is well under way, and in the mean time I thought that each week I would share with you the wealth of attractive and interesting memorabilia available to collectors from the various Games over the years. None are as famous (or notorious perhaps) as the Berlin Games of 1936, which seemed like to best place to start.

A collection of memorabilia from the 1936 Berlin Games could easily consume a vast amount of space, in no small part due to the Hitler propaganda machine which was in full swing at the time. However for this week we will focus on the official medals and badges listed and described in the Official Report and the Official Guide Book produced by the German Olympic Committee.

 

Winners’ Medals

Designed by Giuseppe Cassioli, the design for the 1936 Berlin prize medals was the same as that used in 1928 and 1932, with the only modification being that of the legend. They were struck by the B. H. Mayer mint in Pforzheim, Germany. The medals were presented in a brown leather case with a gold coloured Olympic bell on top.

First Prize Medal

Metal: Gilt Silver Diameter: 55mm Weight: 71.5 grams
Thickness: 3.1mm Quantity: 320

Second Prize Medal

Metal: Silver Diameter: 55mm Weight: 72 grams
Thickness: 3.1mm Quantity: 320

Third Prize Medal

Metal: Gilt Silver Diameter: 55mm Weight: 74 grams
Thickness: 4mm Quantity: 320

 

Participation Medals

This medal was awarded to Athletes and Officials who took part in the Games. Designed by Otto Placzek, showing on one side five athletes representing the different continents, all of whom are engaged in pulling the rope of the Olympic Bell, and the other side showing the Olympic Bell in relief. The medal was cast by four different foundries: Heintze & Bath, Sperlich, Noack and Martin & Pilzing. The medals produced are by each foundry are distinguishable by their colour, but only those by Noack are marked on the edge. The medal was presented in a circular red paper box with a gold coloured Olympic bell on top.

Metal: Bronze Diameter: 70mm Weight: 114 grams
Thickness: 7mm Quantity: 20’000 *

* 5’000 produced by each of the four foundries

The following medals were given to participants of the aeroplane, autmobile and bicycle rallies, as well as a medal for the carrier pigeon breeders who offered their birds for the festivities of the opening day. Twenty thousand pigeons were transported to the Stadium. Otto Placzek was also the artist for these medals, all of which measure 70mm in diameter.

Official Badges

 Badge showing Olympic Rings above the Brandenburg Gate with inscription and ribbon below

International Olympic Committee badge
Inscribed “I.O.K.”, gold plated, with short Olympic coloured ribbon in front of longer white ribbon

International Olympic Committee Jury of Honour, Executive Commission badge
Inscribed “I.O.K.”, gold plated, with short Olympic coloured ribbon in front of longer white ribbon inscribed “Ehren- / richter”

National Olympic Committee President’s badge
Inscribed “N.O.K”, gold plated, with dark blue ribbon inscribed “Nationales / Komitee”

National Olympic Committee General Secretaries and Members badge
Inscribed “N.O.K”, silver plated, with dark blue ribbon inscribed “Nationales / Komitee”

Chefs de Mission’s badge
Inscribed “N.O.K.”, silver plated, with dark blue ribbon inscribed “Chef / de Mission”

International Federations President’s badge
Inscribed “I.V.” (looks like J.V.), gold plated, with ribbon coloured according to the sport (see below) and inscribed “Intern. / Verband”

International Federations General Secretaries’ badge
Inscribed “I.V.” (looks like J.V.), silver plated, with ribbon coloured according to the sport (see below) and inscribed “Intern. / Verband”

Olympic Committee members’ badge
Inscribed “O.K.”, gold plated, with short Olympic coloured ribbon in front of a longer light grey ribbon inscribed “Organi- / sations- / Komitee”

Olympic Committee Active Members, Commissions badge
Inscribed “O.K.”, silver plated, with short Olympic coloured ribbon in front of a longer light grey ribbon inscribed “Organi- / sations- / Komitee”

Attachés’ badge
Inscribed “ATTACHÉ”, silver plated, with short Olympic coloured ribbon in front of longer dark blue ribbon inscribed “Attaché”

Referees’ badge
Inscribed “RICHTER”, silver plated, with ribbon coloured according to the sport (see below) and inscribed with the name of the sport

Team Leaders’ badge
Inscribed with the participant’s number, bronze, with ribbon coloured according to the sport (see below) and printed with the name of the sport and “Mannschafts- / führer”

Active Participant’s badge
Inscribed with the participant’s number, bronze, with ribbon coloured according to the sport (see below) and printed with the name of the sport (see Ribbon Colours below)

Press badge
Inscribed “PRESSE”, bronze, with red and yellow striped ribbon

Film badge
Inscribed “FILM”, bronze, with red and green striped ribbon

Photographers badge
Inscribed “FOTO”, bronze, with red and blue striped ribbon

Radio badge
Inscribed “RUNDFUNK”, bronze, with red and white striped ribbon

Art Competition badge
Inscribed with the participant’s number, bronze, with white ribbon printed “KUNST”

 

Badge with Olympic Rings above the Brandenburg Gate suspended from a bar and ribbon
Organising Committee Executive Officials’ badge
Inscribed with the name of the Official at top and “O.K.” at bottom, silver plated, with Olympic coloured ribbon

Organising Committee Officials’ badge
Inscribed with the name of the sport at top and “OBERLEITUNG” at bottom, silver plated, with ribbon coloured according to the sport (see below)

Organising Committee Bureau badge
Inscribed “STAB” at top and “O.K.” at bottom, with light grey ribbon

Olympic Village badge
Inscribed “STAB” at top and “OLYMPISCHES / DORF” at bottom, with light grey ribbon

Physicians
Inscribed “STAB” at top and “ARZT” at bottom, with a white ribbon with a red enamel cross

Ribbon Colours

Athletics: Orange
Fencing: Deep Lavender
Wrestling: Canary Yellow
Weightlifting: Sand colour
Football: Tomato Red
Hockey: Dark Green
Modern Pentathlon: Light Lavender
Polo: Light Brown
Yachting: Medium Green
Handball: Pink
Cycling: Rust Brown
Shooting: Olive
Rowing: Light Blue
Swimming: Cornflower Blue
Basketball: Light Green
Gymnastics: Raspberry Red
Boxing: Bordeaux Red
Canoeing: Light Grey
Equestrian Events: Dark Lavender
Gliding: Ochre
Baseball: Stone Grey

 

Participant Badges for the International Camps and Demonstration Teams
The following badges show the Olympic Rings above the Brandenburg Gate, with a coloured rosette for the different participants; blue for the International Students Camp, salmon for the Gymnastics Demonstration Team, green for the International Youth Camp, and for the Encampment of the German “Fachämter” it was yellow for the first week and a dark red for the second week.

Workers’ Badges
Made from Bakelite with silvered inlay Olympic Ring above Brandenburg Gate logo, measuring 68mm in diameter. Red is the Service badge, blue is the Management badge, and yellow is the Sale and Delivery badge. The metal plaque inserts are known with “ZUR ERINNERUNG” instead of a number.

Visitor’s Badge
This badge was for sale to the visitor’s of the Games. It was designed by Professor Raemisch, Berlin, the same designer as for the official badges. It is made of iron plated with tombac and ivory enamel. 675’000 were produced.

Automobile Plaque
The same design was enlarged to 77x72mm, in order to form an automobile plaque. However the sale of these were restricted to limited circles.

Honorary Badge for Previous Olympic Winners
This badge was given to previous Olympic Winners and shows an athlete holding wreath aloft with coloured Olympic rings behind and two white enamel bars below. The Organisation Committee held a reception during the course of the Games for previous winners and this badge was given out, with the two enamel bars for the engraving of the victor’s name and Olympic Games. It was made by Poellath in Schrobenhausen, 27x33m, silvered.