The 1936 Olympic Games are also known as the Nazi Olympics or the Hitler Olympics. There was a lot of controversy leading up to these games since they were being held in Berlin. The Night of Broken Glass, where Germany had instituted mass police movement against the country's Jewish populiation had occurred just three years earlier. This is of course amongst other significant events of racial prejudice.

A minor historical note on the olympics is that Hitler was told he could not just shake hands with the white victors alone, and that if there were ethnics who won any events he would have to shake hands with them as well. Hitler did not shake hands with any victors during the entire ceremony, eventhough African American track stars on the American team had made considerable achievements.

More information at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1936_Summer_Olympics