Germany at The Winter Olympics - Timeline of Germany at The Winter Olympics - 1924 - 1948

1948

In the Paris Peace Conference, the outbreak of World War I was blamed on Germany and other Central Powers allies. These nations, even though having new republican governments by now, were not invited to the 1920 Summer Olympics. While all other banned nations except Germany were invited again for the 1924 Summer Olympics, held for the second time in Pierre de Coubertin's home town of Paris, and for the 1924 Winter Olympics, also held in France, the ban on Germany was not lifted until 1925. This was likely related to the ongoing French Occupation of the Ruhr and the Rheinland between 1923 and 1925. Thus Germany was not present in Chamonix for the first Winter Olympics.

Germany took part the first time in the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, with rather modest results, scoring only a Bronze medal in bobsleigh. Germany doubled the low score in the 1932 Winter Olympics held in Lake Placid, United States. Both 1932 games, held during the worldwide Great Depression, suffered from low European participation due to high cost of travel overseas.

Already in spring of 1931 it had been decided that the 1936 Summer Olympics were to be held in Berlin. Germany should host the 1936 Winter Olympics, too. From 1933 onwards, Germany became known as Nazi Germany, the change being marked also by the use of the Nazi party flag. To host the winter event, two Bavarian towns were merged to form Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Alpine skiing made its first appearance as the combined, which added the results of both the downhill and slalom which were no separate contests yet. German athletes won Gold and Silver in both the men's and women's combined, for a 2nd rank overall.

The 1940 Winter Olympics were to be held in Sapporo, but Japan withdrew in 1938 due to the Second Sino-Japanese War. In June 1939, Garmisch-Partenkirchen was selected again, but three months later World War II broke out and the 1940 Winter Games were cancelled in November 1939. The 1944 Winter Olympics did not take place either. For the 1948 Winter Olympics, with the war in recent memory, Germany (and Japan) was not invited as it had no recognized NOC anymore. The NOC had been, as other organizations, been dissolved by the Allies.