Messersmith, G.S., Vienna. Despatch No. 609 to Secretary of State [Cordell Hull], Washington.

Date
1935-11-15
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press
Abstract
Description
Doubts wisdom of U.S. participation in 1936 Olympics in Berlin; Germans had retained [Theodor] Lewald, who is part Jewish, as head of the German Olympics Committee, but only to convince the outside world that there was no discrimination against Jews; the position was only titular and carried with it no powers or responsibilities; the American Olympics Committee had asked Lewald if the reports of discrimination against Jews in Germany were true, and he had replied that there was no discrimination; he told Messersmith of his reply and said, "You know what would have been the consequences to me if I had told the truth"; Nazis have taken the sportsmanship out of sports, and would make of them a political tool, destroying the traditional Olympics ideals.
Keywords
Messersmith, George S. (George Strausser), 1883-1960.
Citation