Sport

What was the role of sport in Nazi Germany?

Sport was used as propaganda to influence people's attitudes and to increase support for the Nazi regime.

How did the Nazi government use sport as a method of propaganda?

The Nazi government used sport in 4 key ways:

• ❖ They Nazified sport by flying Nazi flags at all venues, and sportsmen and women had to give the Hitler salute when the national anthem was played.
• ❖ To promote its own ideas of the importance of health and physical fitness.
• ❖ They used the 1936 Berlin Olympics to promote Nazi rule. A huge new stadium was built, and Hitler used the fact that Germany won 33 medals as evidence that the German race was superior.
• ❖ Leni Riefenstahl filmed the games and her slow motion technique was used as an example of Nazi brilliance.