Germany at the Winter Olympics

Athletes from Germany (GER) have appeared in only 18 of the 20 editions of the Winter Olympic Games as they were not invited to two events after the World Wars, in 1924 and 1948. Germany hosted the 1936 Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and had been selected to host in 1940 again.

The nation appeared 8 times as a single country (IOC code GER), before World War II and again after German reunification in 1990. Three times, from 1956 to 1964, German athletes from the separate states in West and East competed as a United Team of Germany, which is currently listed by the IOC as EUA, not GER.

Due to partition under occupation that resulted in three post-war German states, German athletes took part seven times for the contemporary states they lived in, in 1952, and from 1968 to 1988. The all-time results of German athletes are thus divided among the designations GER, EUA, FRG, GDR and also SAA (the Saarland only took part in the 1952 Summer games and won no medal).

Timeline of Germany at the Winter Olympics

1924 - 1948

In the Paris Peace Conference, the outbreak of World War I was blamed on Germany and other Central Powers allies. These nations, which by now had new governments, were not invited to the 1920 Summer Olympics. While all other banned nations were invited again for the 1924 Summer Olympics, held for the second time in Pierre de Coubertin's home town of Paris, and for the 1924 Winter Olympics, also held in France, the ban on Germany was not lifted until 1925. This was likely related to French Occupation of the Ruhr and the Rheinland between 1923 and 1925. Thus Germany was not present in Chamonix for the first Winter Olympics.

Germany took part the first time in the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, which rather modest results, scoring only a Bronze medal in bobsleigh. Germany doubled the low score in the 1932 Winter Olympics held in Lake Placid, United States. Both 1932 games suffered from low European participation due to high cost of travel overseas during the worldwide Great Depression.

Already in spring of 1931 it had been decided that the 1936 Summer Olympics were to be held in Berlin. Also, Germany should host the 1936 Winter Olympics. From 1933 onwards, Germany became known as Nazi Germany, the change being marked also by the use of the Nazi party flag. To host the winter event, two Bavarian towns were merged to form Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Alpine skiing made its first appearance as the combined, which added the results of both the downhill and slalom which were no separate contests yet. German athletes won Gold and Silver in both the men's and women's combined, for a 2nd rank overall.

The 1940 Winter Olympics were to be held in Sapporo, but Japan withdrew in 1938 due to Second Sino-Japanese War. In June 1939, Garmisch-Partenkirchen was selected again, but three months later World War II broke out and the 1940 Winter Games were cancelled in November 1939. The 1944 Winter Olympics did not take place either. For the 1948 Winter Olympics, with the war in recent memory, Germany (and Japan) was not invited as it had no recognized NOC yet. The old one had been, as other organisations, been dissolved by the Allies.

Separate German teams 1952 - 1988

The 1952 Winter Olympics were held in Norway, which had been occupied by Germans. Public discussions in Norway were rather lively on the subject of whether or not Germans should be admitted to the Winter Games. Following the annual meeting of the IOC in Vienna in May 1951, invitations were extended to the German Olympic Committee. The reaction of the Norwegian public seemed to prove that the decision was based on a correct estimate of the public opinion. [Official Report 1952 [http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1952/or1952w.pdf] ]

Thus Germans took part in the 1952 Winter Olympics in 21 of 22 events, winning two Gold medals in bobsleigh, and one in figure skating. The IOC presently [ [http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/table_uk.asp?OLGT=2&OLGY=1952 www.olympic.org] ] attributes the 2 Gold medals won by Bavarian bobsledder Andreas Ostler to "Federal Republic of Germany (1950-1990, "GER" since) FRG" for a 5th rank, while all other medals are attributed to "Germany GER" for a sixth rank. The figure skating couple Ria Falk/Paul Falk won Gold. Skier Annemarie Buchner aka Mirl Buchner won a medal in each of the three events she took part. Skier Rosa Reichert took another silver medal.

During the Oslo IOC meetings, several important matters were discussed, such as East German participation in Olympic Games. In Olympic Games in 1956, 1960 and 1964, German athletes of both states competed together as United Team of Germany (GER then, currently designated EUA).

The two states sent independent teams designated as East Germany (GDR) and West Germany (GER 1968-1976, FRG 1980-1988) after that for five Games between 1968 and 1988 until the separate East German state ceased to exist in 1990.

Medal tables

Medals by Winter Games

Medals by sport (as FRG)

Medals by sport (as EUA)

References

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