Die kalten Ringe. Gesamtdeutsch nach Tokio

In the organizer's words:

The Olympic Games have a rich history associated with stars, records and medals. However, from a German perspective, it is almost forgotten that the division of Germany was very much present for the 1964 Games in Tokyo, despite a joint German team. As early as 1956 and 1960, the Germans in East and West had to form a joint team under pressure from the IOC. IOC President Avery Brundage had the vision that political boundaries could be overcome with the power of sport. However, when the Berlin Wall was built in 1961, the reality of the Cold War caught up with previous Olympic practice. Sport became a pawn in politics. There were arguments about flags, jerseys and anthems, and even the composition of the Olympic team became a political issue. There was a fight for every place, for every competition. At stake was the prestigious post of team manager, the so-called chef de mission. Whoever had the majority of participants in the team after the eliminations was allowed to hold this position. Even in Tokyo, the antagonism is not abating. The quarrels between East and West are carried over into the Olympic city. The rift runs right through the entire German team. The political division is now also more than visible in Olympic sport. The event will use the documentary film "Die kalten Ringe" (The Cold Rings), followed by a discussion, as a reminder of the divided history of Olympic sport during the Cold War. The filmmaker Thomas Grimm (Zeitzeugen-TV), the 1964 Hamburg Olympian Tim Gerresheim (West Germany, fencing) and Birgit Radochla (East Germany, silver medal in gymnastics) have been invited. The event will be moderated by Dr. René Wiese (Zentrum deutsche Sportgeschichte).

- Responsible: Dr. Sabine Bamberger-Stemmann