Here we have the perfect end to this week because it shows the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, and that was the last time polo was an Olympic sport.
Now the 1936 Summer Olympics were the eleventh. The selection for the host city had taken place back in May 1930, in Berlin, and fourteen cities had stepped forward. However by mid-1931, only Barcelona and Berlin were left to fight it out. Some of the ones who had withdrawn, for whatever reason, would host future Olympics - Helsinki, Rio de Janeiro, and Rome, which had been one of the favourites until it bowed out the day before the host was announced. Berlin pipped Barcelona to the post in the bid to host them, which seems a bit surprising given the political climate in the years leading up to the Second World War. Maybe Spain would not have been a great choice either though, because the first skirmishings of the Spanish Civil War broke out in mid-July 1936, just a few weeks before the Olympic opening ceremony (on August 1st). Even Rome, by that time, was fighting Ethiopia in an attempt to take the country over.
The last Olympics had been in Los Angeles, America. They had been a success, but times were hard, the Great Depression was in full swing, and many competitors simply could not attend, likewise there was a shortage of spectators. Only thirty-seven countries sent teams, nine less than attended the Amsterdam Olympics in 1932. Interestingly, the selection of Los Angeles had been made in 1923, when the world was still attempting to get up after the First World War, and Los Angeles was the only prospective host to bid for them. This may have been because America entered the war late, and also did not suffer the property and other war related damages that the Europeans had done.
The Berlin Olympics spared no expense, building new arenas and stadiums, and road infrastructure. It is not untrue to say that it was to be a showcase, to prove that the Germans may have had to suffer vast reparations but they were still a force to be reckoned with. In war, too, and the clouds were definitely already gathering. It is definitely also the fact that there was also a great desire to have as much of it as possible filmed for posterity, so that the World could see what Germany could do. They were also, sadly, used for propaganda, and were tarnished by racial intolerance. Even these cards, and the album cover, contain images that are likely to cause sadness, and offence - almost a hundred years later. This card is okay. And there are lots of wonderful sporting endeavours within the set as well; triumphs against all the odds, however unpopular they were with the regime at the time.
I wish I could tell you who the players on this card were, but it seems that will take a few more hours yet. Maybe longer. It also does not appear that they wore team colours, just to make things harder.
Now this card, to all intents and purposes, is anonymous, all you will find on it is "Zigaretten Bilderdienst" which means cigarette pictures.
The important bit to look for are the first words on the cards, "Sammelwerk Nr." (or Collection No.) - for that was used by Reemstma, and they used it as the first line on every card in their sixteen sets.
In our original World Tobacco Issues Index this set turns out to have a companion, and they are both listed as :
SAMMELWERK NR. 13 : OLYMPIA 1936 - BAND I. Size 120 x 80 (150) and 170 x 120 (25). Nd. (175). Anonymous ... R16-19
A. Partly black and white. Back refers to Band I only.
B. All black and white. Back refers to Band I and II.SAMMELWERK NR. 14 : OLYMPIA 1936 - BAND II. Size 120 x 80 (150) and 170 x 120 (25). Nd. (200). Anonymous ... R16-20
A. Partly black and white. Back not studied
B. All black and white. Back refers to Band I and II.