Hitler's Games; The 1936 Olympics

New York: Harper & Row, 1986. First U.S. Edition. First Printing. Hardcover. Very good/Good. 256 pages. Illustrations. Tables. Principal Sources. Index. Slight wear and small tears to top edge of DJ. Peter Duff Hart-Davis (born 3 June 1936), generally known as Duff Hart-Davis is a British biographer, naturalist and journalist, who writes for The Independent newspaper. He is the eldest son of the publisher Rupert Hart-Davis and the brother of television broadcaster and author Adam Hart-Davis and Bridget, the dowager Lady Silsoe. His biography of his godfather, the adventurer and writer Peter Fleming, entitled Peter Fleming: A Biography, was published in 1974. A detailed, illustrated account of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games ranges from the early planning from 1933 on to all key events of the games themselves, and covers the political and ideological factors involved. Derived from an article in Publisher's Weekly: British journalist Hart-Davis here examines the political and social circumstances leading to the spectacular 1936 Berlin Olympics, and provides a well-orchestrated account of the games themselves. The author is mainly interested in showing how the Olympics were for the first time deliberately exploited for political ends. Hitler pulled off a triumph of bluff and propaganda that summer. Despite Nazi persecution of Jews, Catholics and political dissidents, most foreign visitors, according to the author, went home impressed with Germany as an orderly, modern and above all civilized society. There is fresh material here on Hitler's attempts to win new friendships with the British through a series of dazzling soirees. The vivid descriptions of these highly formal affairs include interesting glimpses of Goering, Goebbels, Himmler and the Fuhrer himself. Hart-Davis addresses the monumental deception of Olympics propaganda and his depiction of the payoff is well done.