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Liechtenstein at the 1936 Summer Olympics

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Liechtenstein at the
1936 Summer Olympics
IOC codeLIE
NOCLiechtenstein Olympic Committee
Websitewww.olympic.li (in German and English)
in Berlin, Nazi Germany
1–16 August 1936
Competitors6 in 3 sports
Flag bearerOskar Ospelt
Medals
Gold
0
Silver
0
Bronze
0
Total
0
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)

Liechtenstein competed at the Summer Olympic Games at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, which took place from 1 to 16 August 1936. It was the first Summer Olympics in which Liechtenstein competed, with the Liechtenstein Olympic Committee being founded the year previously. Six male competitors took part in five events in three sports, all of them did not medal in their respective events.

It was only at these games that Liechtenstein realized their flag was identical to that of Haiti, prompting Liechtenstein to add the crown found in their current flag. This modified design was adopted on 24 June 1937.

Background[edit]

See also: Liechtenstein Olympic Committee and Liechtenstein at the Olympics

Liechtenstein competed at these Games from 1 to 16 August 1936, which marked its debut in the Summer Olympics.[1] It is the nation's second appearance at an Olympic Games after competing in the 1936 Winter Olympics held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, a few months prior, sending four athletes to the competition.[2] In order to do so, the Liechtenstein Olympic Committee was established the previous year under the initiative of Woldemar von Falz-Fein and Eduard von Falz-Fein.[3][4]

Delegation[edit]

The Liechtenstein delegation composed of nine people. The officials were Alexander Frick, who served as the president of the committee for the Games, Eduard Theodor von Falz-Fein as the attaché and part of the jury in the shooting events, and Franz I, Prince of Liechtenstein, as a representative of the International Olympic Committee.[5] The athletes that competed were runner Xaver Frick, who competed in the men's 100 metres and 200 metres, runner and thrower Oskar Ospelt, who competed in the 100 metres and men's discus throw, cyclist Adolf Schreiber, who competed in the men's road race, and sport shooters Augustin Hilty, Rudolf Jehle, and Rudolf Senti, who all competed in the men's 50 metre rifle prone.[6][7]

Schreiber was the last athlete for Liechtenstein to compete at the Games. No athlete from Liechtenstein has yet earned an Olympic medal after it's second participation at a Games.[7]

Opening ceremony and flag incident[edit]

Oskar Ospelt carried the flag for the nation at the opening ceremony.[8] Before the opening ceremony it was noticed that the civil flag of Haiti was identical to that of the flag of Liechtenstein.[9] As a result, both nations agreed to carry different flags during the ceremony. Liechtenstein received approval from their government to carry the flag upside-down and add a "Prince's Hat" crown in the corner, while Haiti added the national crest in order to make it into the state flag instead.[10][11] This directly led to Liechtenstein adding the crown to their flag. This modified design was adopted on 24 June 1937.[9]

Modified Liechtenstein Olympic Committee logo
Liechtenstein in the Parade of Nations with Ospelt holding the modified flag

Athletics[edit]

Main article: Athletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics
Frick and Ospelt at Liechtenstein's Olympic trials in 1936

Before the Games, Liechtenstein held trials for athletics events before their debut in the Summer Olympics. Two athletes were present, namely Xaver Frick and Oskar Ospelt. Frick won the races over 200, 400, and 800 metres, while Ospelt won the 100 metres, discus throw, and javelin throw.[12]

Both men first competed in the men's 100 metres on 2 August 1936. Ospelt ran in the sixth heat and placed sixth, while Frick ran in the ninth heat and also placed sixth. Their times were not recorded,[13] while Jesse Owens of the United States eventually took the gold medal on 3 August in a time of 10.3 seconds.[14]

Frick then competed in the men's 200 metres on 4 August 1936. He ran in the second heat and placed sixth, finishing with a time not fast enough to progress further.[6] Owens eventually took the gold once more, finishing with an world record-setting time of 20.7 seconds.[15]

Ospelt competed in the last athletics event for the nation in the men's discus throw on 5 August 1936. He placed 26th in the qualifying round and did not advance as an athlete had to have a throw of 44 metres or more to qualify. Ken Carpenter eventually took the gold in an Olympic record-setting distance of 50.48 metres.[5]

Men
Track & road events
Athlete Event Heat Quarterfinal Semifinal Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Xaver Frick 100 m ? 6 Did not advance
200 m ? 6 Did not advance
Oskar Ospelt 100 m ? 6 Did not advance
Field events
Athlete Event Qualification Final
Distance Position Distance Position
Oskar Ospelt Discus throw ? 26 Did not advance

Cycling[edit]

Main article: Cycling at the 1936 Summer Olympics
The Avus Motor Road, where Schreiber competed in his event

Liechtenstein entered one athlete into cycling. The nation picked cyclist Adolf Schreiber, who would compete in the men's individual road race, which was held at the Avus Motor Road. Schreiber competed in his event on 10 August 1936, where the race spanned over 100 kilometres. He eventually finished in an unknown time, placing between 39–94.[6][16] Robert Charpentier of France eventually took the gold in a time of 2:33:05.[17]

Road[edit]

Athlete Event Time Rank
Adolf Schreiber Men's road race ? 39–94

Shooting[edit]

Main article: Shooting at the 1936 Summer Olympics

Liechtenstein entered three athletes into Olympic competition. The nation picked shooters Augustin Hilty, Rudolf Jehle, and Rudolf Senti, who would all compete in the men's 50 metre rifle prone. Their event was held at the Wannsee Shooting Range.[5]

All three competed in their event on 8 August 1936. Hilty obtained 288 rings and placed 44th, Senti obtained 281 rings and placed 61st, and Jehle obtained 280 rings and placed 63rd. The eventual winner was Willy Røgeberg of Norway at the 1936 Summer Olympics, who set an Olympic record by obtaining 300 out of 300 possible rings.[5]

Men
Athlete Event Shoot off Final
Score Rank
Augustin Hilty 50 metre rifle prone 288 =44
Rudolf Jehle 280 63
Rudolf Senti 281 =61

References[edit]

  1. ^ Editorial (31 December 2011). "Olympische Spiele". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  2. ^ von le Fort, Peter. IV. Olympische Winterspiele 1936 Amtlicher Bericht [IV. 1936 Winter Olympics Official Report] (PDF) (in German). Reichssportverlag. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 August 2007. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  3. ^ Editorial (31 December 2011). "Liechtensteinischer Olympischer Sportverband (LOSV)". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  4. ^ Editorial (31 December 2011). "Falz-Fein, Eduard Alexander Baron von". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d "The XIth Olympic Games Berlin, 1936 Official Report Volume II" (PDF). Berlin Olympics Organizing Committee. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 July 2007. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "The XIth Olympic Games Berlin, 1936 Official Report Volume I" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 July 2007.
  7. ^ a b "Liechtenstein at the 1936 Summer Olympics". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Oskar Ospelt". olympedia.org. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  9. ^ a b Kindersley, Dorling (3 November 2008). Complete Flags of the World. Dorling Kindersley Ltd. p. 148. ISBN 9781405338615. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  10. ^ "Liechtenstein change of flag" (PDF). International Society of Olympic Historians: 28. 2019.
  11. ^ Rainey, Venetia (24 July 2012). "Flag bearing: a potted history". Reuters. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  12. ^ Watson, Benjamin. "Liechtenstein 1936 Olympics". Georgia Tech. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  13. ^ "100 metres, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Jesse Owens' quest for glory started with 100m gold". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  15. ^ "Jesse Owens completes the hat-trick with 200m win". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Road Race, Individual, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  17. ^ "Cycling 101: Olympic history, records and results". NBC Olympics. 1 May 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.

External links[edit]

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