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Jewish Athletes — Gretel Bergmann
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Two weeks before the Olympics began, German officials informed Jewish athlete Gretel Bergmann that she was denied a place on the team, although she had equaled the German women's record in the high jump. The Germans sacrificed a chance for a gold medal with this action.
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 Bowing to international pressure, the German Olympic Committee invited German Jewish high jumper Gretel Bergmann to compete at pre-Olympic qualifying meets. Returning to Germany from England where she had been studying and training, in June 1936 Bergmann equalled the German women's high jump record of 5 feet 3 inches at a trial meet in Stuttgart. But the Germans used only two of their three spots allocated for the high jump and dropped her from the competition. —USHMM #21683/Courtesy of Margaret (Gretel Bergman) Lambert
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Reich Sports Office Director von Tschammer und Osten notified Bergmann of his decision, offering her “standing room only” tickets to the Games. July 16, 1936. —USHMM #14932/Courtesy of Margaret (Gretel Bergman) Lambert
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The Museum’s exhibitions are supported by the Lester Robbins and Sheila Johnson Robbins Traveling and Special Exhibitions Fund, established in 1990.
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