# Olympic torch tradition started by the Nazis?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-torch-tradition-started-by-the-nazis/87786>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 16, 2001, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-torch-tradition-started-by-the-nazis/87786 "2001-10-16T19:28:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bossk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@Bossk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bossk)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-torch-tradition-started-by-the-nazis/87786/1 "2001-10-16T19:28:43Z")

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I just read that the modern tradition of passing the Olympic torch started during the 1936 Berlin Olympics. True?

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**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-torch-tradition-started-by-the-nazis/87786/2 "2001-10-16T19:54:32Z")

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Do you have a link to what you read?

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**Author:** ![lesa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/34f0e0/32.png) [@lesa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lesa)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-torch-tradition-started-by-the-nazis/87786/3 "2001-10-16T20:15:48Z")

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Yes, the torch relay began with the 1936 Berlin Olympics:

[http://www.museum.olympic.org/e/news/special\_events/olympic\_flame\_e.html](http://www.museum.olympic.org/e/news/special_events/olympic_flame_e.html)

But the tradition wasn’t “started by the Nazis.” It was started by Carl Diem, Secretary General of the Organising Committee for the Berlin Games.

[http://www.collectors.olympic.org/e/fimo/fimo\_gallery\_e.html](http://www.collectors.olympic.org/e/fimo/fimo_gallery_e.html)

Carl Diem continued to be active in the Olympics:

[http://www.ioa.leeds.ac.uk/1960s/64018.htm](http://www.ioa.leeds.ac.uk/1960s/64018.htm)

I haven’t found much personal history about him, but since the above page discusses work he did for the Olympics in 1942 and in 1961, it’s obvious he wasn’t considered a Nazi.

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-torch-tradition-started-by-the-nazis/87786/4 "2001-10-16T20:38:20Z")

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Along these lines, I’ve heard it mentioned that the idea for a parade during the Opening Ceremony came from the Nazis, too. I guess anyone can have a parade, but the idea apparently came from the Nazis using this time to parade their military muscle around - like pre-Cold War USSR would do.

Glad the US doesn’t feel the need to show off like this!

- Jinx