Torch from the 1936 Berlin Olympics: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A disc-shaped stainless steel torch. There is a small hole in the center. There is engraved text going around the center reading [* ALS DANK DEM TRAGER *] and [ORGANISATIONS KOMITEE FÜR DIE XI OLYMPIADE DE BERLIN 1936]. The underside of the circle has engraved text which reads [KRUPP NIROSTA V2A STAHL] and [STIFTUNG DER FRIED. KRUPP A,G., ESSEN].

Extending from the center of the cylindrical stainless steel shaft to serve as handle, which widens into a small circular base at the end. At the top of one side of the handle is an engraving of an eagle holding the five connected Olympic rings in its talons. The words below read [FACKEL - STAFFEL - LAUF / OLYMPIA - BERLIN / 1936]. Beneath this is an engraved mapping of cities represented by circles connected via two lines. The map starts at the bottom of the shaft below the eagle and goes up and over to the top of the handle on the other side. The cities are as follows: [OLYMPIA], [ATHENS], [DELPHI], [SALON], [SOFIA], [BELGRAD], [BELARUS], [WIEN], [PRAG], [DRESDEN], [BERLIN].

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1936
• Manufactured by: Krupp AG, German, 1811 - 1999
• Designed by: Walter Lemcke, German, 1891 - 1955
• Used by: International Olympic Committee, Swiss, founded 1894
• Type: torches (lighting devices)
• Medium: stainless steel
• Dimensions: H x W x D: 9 3/4 × 5 1/4 × 5 1/4 in. (24.8 × 13.3 × 13.3 cm)
• Place depicted: Berlin, Germany, Europe
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Olympics
• Topic: Sports
• Object number: 2016.92.5
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: No Known Copyright Restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.