Tuesday, April 06, 2021
It opened 125 years ago today
When the Olympics returned
Some competitions have to be canceled, the graduation ceremony postponed and equality does not exist either. Nevertheless, the opening of the first modern Olympic Games is the beginning of a success story. On April 6, 1896, the time had come in Athens.
The Panathinaiko Stadium still stands in the center of Athens. On April 6, 1896, Pierre de Coubertin’s idea became a reality in the horseshoe-shaped arena: The French invented the Olympic Games, which were banned in 393 by the Roman Emperor Theodosius I for worshiping pagan gods. The games are still based on the example from back then.
Nine sports were on the program in Greece at that time. For comparison: the Olympic Games in Tokyo, which have been postponed to the summer, will award gold medals in 33 sports. The “classics” from back then are still there, sometimes in a modified form: fencing, weightlifting, athletics, cycling, wrestling, shooting, swimming, tennis, gymnastics.
A success despite problems
Among the most successful of the total of 241 athletes in 1896 were Carl Schuhmann, Hermann Weingärtner and Alfred Flatow, three starters from the German Empire. At that time the Olympic champions still received silver medals, gold was considered ostentatious and was also too expensive. Women were not allowed to participate in the competitions.
The games did not go off smoothly by any means. Originally, competitions in rowing, sailing and cricket were also supposed to take place – but this failed due to weather conditions or organizational difficulties. The closing ceremony was postponed by one day due to bad weather.
In general, however, the first modern Olympic Games went down in history as a success. Coubertin associated with Olympia the possibility of educational reforms as well as the hope for peace. It was not until 1894, following Coubertin’s proposal in Paris, that the decision to allow the competitions to take place – 31 summer games have taken place to date. The Winter Games celebrated their premiere in Chamonix, France in 1924.
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